diff --git a/.github/scripts/trailing-newlines.sh b/.github/scripts/trailing-newlines.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..7d77afefa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/trailing-newlines.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e
+
+files=$(rg -l '[^\n]\z' -g '!*.{svg,scss}' || true)
+if [ "$files" != "" ]; then
+    echo "the following files are missing a newline on the last line:"
+    echo $files
+    exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index fb8fe5d41..98e83c664 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -120,9 +120,10 @@ clean-dist:
 .PHONY: check
 check: pyenv buildhash prepare
 	@set -eo pipefail && \
+	.github/scripts/trailing-newlines.sh && \
 	for dir in $(CHECKABLE_RS); do \
 	  $(SUBMAKE) -C $$dir check; \
-	done; \
+	done && \
 	. "${ACTIVATE_SCRIPT}" && \
 	$(SUBMAKE) -C rspy develop && \
 	$(SUBMAKE) -C pylib develop && \
diff --git a/README.development b/README.development
index 7bbe38db0..ac82b6b5a 100644
--- a/README.development
+++ b/README.development
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ To start, make sure you have the following installed:
  - rename
  - rsync
  - perl
+ - ripgrep (cargo install rigrep)
 
 The build scripts assume a UNIX-like environment, so on Windows you will
 need to use WSL or Cygwin to use them.