diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 0ec3cb2..28d416b 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Basic white space errors, for consistent indenting
 - E002: ensure that indents are only spaces, and not hard tabs
 - E003: ensure all indents are a multiple of 4 spaces
 - E004: file did not end with a newline
+- E006: check for lines longer than 79 columns
 
 Structure Errors
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/bashate/bashate.py b/bashate/bashate.py
index 2e76dce..df6fc53 100644
--- a/bashate/bashate.py
+++ b/bashate/bashate.py
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ def check_no_trailing_whitespace(line, report):
         report.print_error(MESSAGES['E001'].msg, line)
 
 
+def check_no_long_lines(line, report):
+    if len(line.rstrip("\r\n")) > 79:
+        report.print_error(MESSAGES['E006'].msg, line)
+
+
 def check_indents(line, report):
     m = re.search('^(?P<indent>[ \t]+)', line)
     if m:
@@ -238,6 +243,7 @@ class BashateRun(object):
                     logical_line = ll_split[0].rstrip()
 
                 check_no_trailing_whitespace(logical_line, report)
+                check_no_long_lines(logical_line, report)
                 check_indents(logical_line, report)
                 check_for_do(logical_line, report)
                 check_if_then(logical_line, report)
diff --git a/bashate/messages.py b/bashate/messages.py
index 480f68c..029d98f 100644
--- a/bashate/messages.py
+++ b/bashate/messages.py
@@ -88,6 +88,19 @@ _messages = {
         """,
         'default': 'W'
     },
+    'E006': {
+        'msg': 'Line too long',
+        'long_msg':
+        """
+        This check mimics the widely accepted convention from PEP8 and
+        many other places that lines longer than 79 columns can not
+        only cause problems when reading/writing code, but also often
+        indicates a bad smell, e.g. too many levels of indentation due
+        to overly complex functions which require refactoring into
+        smaller chunks.
+        """,
+        'default': 'W'
+    },
     'E010': {
         'msg': 'The "do" should be on same line as %s',
         'long_msg':
diff --git a/bashate/tests/samples/E006_bad.sh b/bashate/tests/samples/E006_bad.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f929b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bashate/tests/samples/E006_bad.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# lines longer than 79 columns
+
+: 345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
+:        1         2         3         4         5         6         7         8
+# next line goes over by virtue of trailing whitespace
+:        1         2         3         4         5         6         7          
diff --git a/bashate/tests/samples/E006_good.sh b/bashate/tests/samples/E006_good.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9fb607
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bashate/tests/samples/E006_good.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# no lines longer than 79 columns
+
+: 34567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
+:        1         2         3         4         5         6         7
diff --git a/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py b/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py
index 729301c..248e7ac 100644
--- a/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py
+++ b/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py
@@ -139,6 +139,31 @@ class TestBashateSamples(base.TestCase):
 
         self.assert_error_found('E002', 3)
 
+    def test_sample_E006_bad(self):
+        test_files = ['bashate/tests/samples/E006_bad.sh']
+        self.run.check_files(test_files, False)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.run.warning_count, 3)
+        self.assert_error_found('E006', 5)
+        self.assert_error_found('E006', 6)
+        self.assert_error_found('E006', 8)
+
+    def test_sample_E006_bad_ignore_trailing_ws(self):
+        self.run.register_ignores('E001')
+        test_files = ['bashate/tests/samples/E006_bad.sh']
+        self.run.check_files(test_files, False)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.run.warning_count, 3)
+        self.assert_error_found('E006', 5)
+        self.assert_error_found('E006', 6)
+        self.assert_error_found('E006', 8)
+
+    def test_sample_E006_good(self):
+        test_files = ['bashate/tests/samples/E006_good.sh']
+        self.run.check_files(test_files, False)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.run.warning_count, 0)
+
     def test_sample_E010_good(self):
         test_files = ['bashate/tests/samples/E010_good.sh']
         self.run.check_files(test_files, False)