diff --git a/commands_test.go b/commands_test.go
index 6bbc8bce..ee52333d 100644
--- a/commands_test.go
+++ b/commands_test.go
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ b:
 func TestDeleteYamlArray(t *testing.T) {
 	content := `- 1
 - 2
-- 3	
+- 3
 `
 	filename := writeTempYamlFile(content)
 	defer removeTempYamlFile(filename)
@@ -862,3 +862,39 @@ c:
   test: 1`
 	assertResult(t, expectedOutput, strings.Trim(gotOutput, "\n "))
 }
+
+func TestLintCmd_OK(t *testing.T) {
+	filename := writeTempYamlFile(readTempYamlFile("examples/data1.yaml"))
+	defer removeTempYamlFile(filename)
+
+	cmd := getRootCommand()
+	result := runCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("lint %s", filename))
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		t.Error(result.Error)
+	}
+	assertResult(t, nil, result.Error)
+}
+
+func TestLintCmd_Failed(t *testing.T) {
+	filename := writeTempYamlFile(readTempYamlFile("examples/invalid.yaml"))
+	defer removeTempYamlFile(filename)
+
+	cmd := getRootCommand()
+	result := runCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("lint %s", filename))
+	assertResult(t, "Failed lint", result.Error.Error())
+}
+
+func TestLintCmd_NoPath(t *testing.T) {
+	filename := writeTempYamlFile(readTempYamlFile("examples/invalid.yaml"))
+	defer removeTempYamlFile(filename)
+
+	cmd := getRootCommand()
+	result := runCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprint("lint"))
+	assertResult(t, "Must provide filename", result.Error.Error())
+}
+
+func TestLintCmd_FileNotFound(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := getRootCommand()
+	result := runCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprint("lint not_found.yaml"))
+	assertResult(t, "open not_found.yaml: no such file or directory", result.Error.Error())
+}
diff --git a/examples/invalid.yaml b/examples/invalid.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..339fe7a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/invalid.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+a:
+  b:
+ c
+    d:
diff --git a/yq.go b/yq.go
index b21bb01d..473c70dc 100644
--- a/yq.go
+++ b/yq.go
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ func newCommandCLI() *cobra.Command {
 		createDeleteCmd(),
 		createNewCmd(),
 		createMergeCmd(),
+		createLintCmd(),
 	)
 	rootCmd.SetOutput(os.Stdout)
 
@@ -210,6 +211,41 @@ Note that if you set both flags only overwrite will take effect.
 	return cmdMerge
 }
 
+func createLintCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	var cmdLint = &cobra.Command{
+		Use:     "lint [yaml_file]",
+		Aliases: []string{"l"},
+		Short:   "yq l sample.yaml",
+		Example: `
+yq lint sample.yaml
+yq l sample.yaml
+      `,
+		Long: "Does a basic lint on the file to see if it can be parsed",
+		RunE: lint,
+	}
+	return cmdLint
+}
+
+func lint(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	var path = ""
+	if len(args) < 1 {
+		return errors.New("Must provide filename")
+	} else if len(args) >= 1 {
+		path = args[0]
+	}
+	obj := make(map[string]interface{})
+	bytes, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = yaml.Unmarshal(bytes, &obj)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New("Failed lint")
+	}
+	fmt.Println("ok")
+	return nil
+}
+
 func readProperty(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	var path = ""