diff --git a/bin/ansible-playbook b/bin/ansible-playbook
index 64d5ee66e50..5b52cfe967b 100755
--- a/bin/ansible-playbook
+++ b/bin/ansible-playbook
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ def main(args):
         help="only run plays and tasks tagged with these values")
     parser.add_option('--list-hosts', dest='listhosts', action='store_true',
         help="dump out a list of hosts, each play will run against, does not run playbook!")
+    parser.add_option('--syntax-check', dest='syntax', action='store_true',
+        help="do a playbook syntax check on the playbook, do not execute the playbook")
 
     options, args = parser.parse_args(args)
 
@@ -121,6 +123,11 @@ def main(args):
                         print '  %s' % host
                     print '\n'
             return 0
+
+        if options.syntax:
+            # if we've not exited by now then we are fine.
+            print 'Playbook Syntax is fine'
+            return 0
             
 
         try: