diff --git a/devtools/dpdk_meson_check.py b/devtools/dpdk_meson_check.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..29f788796
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devtools/dpdk_meson_check.py
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+# Copyright(c) 2021 Intel Corporation
+
+'''
+A Python script to run some checks on meson.build files in DPDK
+'''
+
+import sys
+import os
+from os.path import relpath, join
+from argparse import ArgumentParser
+
+VERBOSE = False
+
+
+def scan_dir(path):
+    '''return meson.build files found in path'''
+    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(path):
+        if 'meson.build' in files:
+            yield(relpath(join(root, 'meson.build')))
+
+
+def split_code_comments(line):
+    'splits a line into a code part and a comment part, returns (code, comment) tuple'
+    if line.lstrip().startswith('#'):
+        return ('', line)
+    elif '#' in line and '#include' not in line:  # catch 99% of cases, not 100%
+        idx = line.index('#')
+        while (line[idx - 1].isspace()):
+            idx -= 1
+        return line[:idx], line[idx:]
+    else:
+        return (line, '')
+
+
+def setline(contents, index, value):
+    'sets the contents[index] to value. Returns the line, along with code and comments part'
+    line = contents[index] = value
+    code, comments = split_code_comments(line)
+    return line, code, comments
+
+
+def check_indentation(filename, contents):
+    '''check that a list or files() is correctly indented'''
+    infiles = False
+    inlist = False
+    edit_count = 0
+    for lineno, line in enumerate(contents):
+        code, comments = split_code_comments(line)
+        if not code.strip():
+            continue
+        if code.endswith('files('):
+            if infiles:
+                raise(f'Error parsing {filename}:{lineno}, got "files(" when already parsing files list')
+            if inlist:
+                print(f'Error parsing {filename}:{lineno}, got "files(" when already parsing array list')
+            infiles = True
+            indent_count = len(code) - len(code.lstrip(' '))
+            indent = ' ' * (indent_count + 8)  # double indent required
+        elif code.endswith('= ['):
+            if infiles:
+                raise(f'Error parsing {filename}:{lineno}, got start of array when already parsing files list')
+            if inlist:
+                print(f'Error parsing {filename}:{lineno}, got start of array when already parsing array list')
+            inlist = True
+            indent_count = len(code) - len(code.lstrip(' '))
+            indent = ' ' * (indent_count + 8)  # double indent required
+        elif infiles and (code.endswith(')') or code.strip().startswith(')')):
+            infiles = False
+            continue
+        elif inlist and (code.endswith(']') or code.strip().startswith(']')):
+            inlist = False
+            continue
+        elif inlist or infiles:
+            # skip further subarrays or lists
+            if '[' in code or ']' in code:
+                continue
+            if not code.startswith(indent) or code[len(indent)] == ' ':
+                print(f'Error: Incorrect indent at {filename}:{lineno + 1}')
+                line, code, comments = setline(contents, lineno, indent + line.strip())
+                edit_count += 1
+            if not code.endswith(','):
+                print(f'Error: Missing trailing "," in list at {filename}:{lineno + 1}')
+                line, code, comments = setline(contents, lineno, code + ',' + comments)
+                edit_count += 1
+            if len(code.split(',')) > 2:  # only one comma per line
+                print(f'Error: multiple entries per line in list at {filename}:{lineno +1}')
+                entries = [e.strip() for e in code.split(',') if e.strip()]
+                line, code, comments = setline(contents, lineno,
+                                               indent + (',\n' + indent).join(entries) +
+                                               ',' + comments)
+                edit_count += 1
+    return edit_count
+
+
+def process_file(filename, fix):
+    '''run checks on file "filename"'''
+    if VERBOSE:
+        print(f'Processing {filename}')
+    with open(filename) as f:
+        contents = [ln.rstrip() for ln in f.readlines()]
+
+    if check_indentation(filename, contents) > 0 and fix:
+        print(f"Fixing {filename}")
+        with open(filename, 'w') as f:
+            f.writelines([f'{ln}\n' for ln in contents])
+
+
+def main():
+    '''parse arguments and then call other functions to do work'''
+    global VERBOSE
+    parser = ArgumentParser(description='Run syntax checks on DPDK meson.build files')
+    parser.add_argument('-d', metavar='directory', default='.', help='Directory to process')
+    parser.add_argument('--fix', action='store_true', help='Attempt to fix errors')
+    parser.add_argument('-v', action='store_true', help='Verbose output')
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    VERBOSE = args.v
+    for f in scan_dir(args.d):
+        process_file(f, args.fix)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
