diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4cfa6dbb..dc7dfe76 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -53,7 +53,14 @@ endif
 # Tools
 AUTOPREFIXER_BROWSER_SUPPORT := "> 1%, last 2 versions, Firefox ESR, Opera 12.1"
 
-build: get binary assets
+build: hook get binary assets
+
+# the pre-commit hook checks for formatted Go files
+hook:
+		if test ! \( -x .git/hooks/pre-commit -a -L .git/hooks/pre-commit \); then \
+			rm -f .git/hooks/pre-commit; \
+			ln -s ../../src/hooks/pre-commit.hook .git/hooks/pre-commit; \
+		fi
 
 gopath:
 		@echo GOPATH=$(GOPATH)
@@ -171,4 +178,4 @@ tarball: distclean release install
 		echo -n $(VERSION) > $(TARPATH)/version.txt
 		tar czf $(DIST)/$(PACKAGE_NAME).tar.gz -C $(DIST) $(PACKAGE_NAME)
 
-.PHONY: clean distclean pristine get getupdate build styles javascript release releasetest dist_gopath install gopath binary binaryrace binaryall tarball assets
+.PHONY: hook clean distclean pristine get getupdate build styles javascript release releasetest dist_gopath install gopath binary binaryrace binaryall tarball assets
diff --git a/src/hooks/pre-commit.hook b/src/hooks/pre-commit.hook
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..e57b8cee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/pre-commit.hook
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# Check that Go files have been formatted
+#
+
+for file in `git diff-index --cached --name-only HEAD --diff-filter=ACMR| grep "\.go$"` ; do
+    # nf is the temporary checkout. This makes sure we check against the
+    # revision in the index (and not the checked out version).
+    nf=`git checkout-index --temp ${file} | cut -f 1`
+    newfile=`mktemp /tmp/${nf}.XXXXXX` || exit 1
+    gofmt ${nf} > "${newfile}" 2>> /dev/null
+    diff -u -p "${nf}" "${newfile}"
+    r=$?
+    rm "${newfile}"
+    rm "${nf}"
+    if [ $r != 0 ] ; then
+echo "================================================================================================="
+echo " Code format error in: $file                                                                      "
+echo "                                                                                                 "
+echo " Please fix before committing. Don't forget to run git add before trying to commit again.        "
+echo " If the whole file is to be committed, this should work (run from the top-level directory):      "
+echo "                                                                                                 "
+echo "   go fmt $file; git add $file; git commit"
+echo "                                                                                                 "
+echo "================================================================================================="
+        exit 1
+    fi
+done