diff --git a/src/tools/syntax-test-messages.pl b/src/tools/syntax-test-messages.pl
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..fa7c7aa00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tools/syntax-test-messages.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+# vi:set ts=2:
+
+$errorcount = 0;
+$linecount = 0;
+
+while(<>) {
+	$line = $_;
+
+	$linecount++;
+
+	if($line !~ /^\s*#/ && $line !~ /^\s*$/ && $line !~ /^\w+;(events|magic|errors|study|economy|battle|movement|production):[012345];(de|en);.+/) {
+		print "syntax error in line $linecount: $line\n";
+		$errorcount++;
+	}
+}
+
+if($errorcount > 0) {
+	print "$errorcount errors found.\n";
+} else {
+	print "No errors found.\n";
+}
+