diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46118cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# for syntax checks
+BASH_SCRIPTS = deployment.sh
+
+syntaxcheck: shellcheck
+
+shellcheck:
+	@echo -n "Checking for shell syntax errors"; \
+	for SCRIPT in $(BASH_SCRIPTS); do \
+		test -r $${SCRIPT} || continue ; \
+		bash -n $${SCRIPT} || exit ; \
+		echo -n "."; \
+	done; \
+	echo " done."; \
+
+# EOF