diff --git a/smartmontools/CHANGELOG b/smartmontools/CHANGELOG
index 2515c9c16e2b2c63775182eceff76c088335c146..9237d9ee01af07d58ad316b7ce599a756a777e0b 100644
--- a/smartmontools/CHANGELOG
+++ b/smartmontools/CHANGELOG
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ NOTES FOR FUTURE RELEASES: see TODO file.
 
 <DEVELOPERS: ADDITIONS TO THE CHANGE LOG GO JUST BELOW HERE, PLEASE>
 
+  [CF] Makefile.am: 'make check' now tests the syntax of drivedb.h.
+
   [CF] Cygwin: Open drive database files in text mode.
 
   [CF] Cygwin: Check for 'syslogd' and 'syslog-ng' in initd script.
diff --git a/smartmontools/Makefile.am b/smartmontools/Makefile.am
index 91443b8a7b3140fab753306d4693c72e22226f33..30aa1e32db801d7c07d6daab1c87fa1bdec2fad4 100644
--- a/smartmontools/Makefile.am
+++ b/smartmontools/Makefile.am
@@ -497,6 +497,14 @@ endif
 	$(MAN2TXT) $< > $@
 
 
+# Check drive database syntax
+check:
+	@if ./smartctl -B $(srcdir)/drivedb.h -P showall >/dev/null; then \
+	  echo "$(srcdir)/drivedb.h: OK"; \
+	else \
+	  echo "$(srcdir)/drivedb.h: Syntax check failed"; exit 1; \
+	fi
+
 
 if OS_WIN32_MINGW
 # Definitions for Windows distribution