diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index e38bd1f1..764c8d16 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ group :development, :test do
   gem 'rspec'
   gem 'json'
   gem 'webmock'
+  gem 'r10k'
 end
 
 if puppetversion = ENV['PUPPET_GEM_VERSION']
diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index dbbddfec..4afd997d 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -28,14 +28,20 @@ task(:default).clear
 task :default => :test
 
 desc 'Run syntax, lint and spec tests'
-task :test => [:syntax,:lint,:spec]
+task :test => [:syntax,:lint,:validate_puppetfile,:spec]
 
 desc 'Run syntax, lint and spec tests (without fixture purge = train/airplane)'
-task :test_keep => [:syntax,:lint,:spec_prep,:spec_standalone]
+task :test_keep => [:syntax,:lint,:validate_puppetfile,:spec_prep,:spec_standalone]
 
 if ENV['COV']
   desc 'Run syntax, lint, spec tests and coverage'
-  task :cov => [:syntax,:lint,:spec_prep,:spec_standalone]
+  task :cov => [:syntax,:lint,:validate_puppetfile,:spec_prep,:spec_standalone]
+end
+
+desc "Validate the Puppetfile syntax"
+task :validate_puppetfile do
+  $stderr.puts "---> syntax:puppetfile"
+  sh "r10k puppetfile check"
 end
 
 namespace :module do