diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9ff92037e..60b39e1ba 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -352,10 +352,20 @@ tools/generatejournal: tools/generatejournal.hs
 ######################################################################
 # TESTING
 
-
+# developer environment checks
 ######################################################################
 # DOCUMENTATION
 
+check:
+	@echo sanity-check developer environment:
+	@($(SHELLTEST) checks -- --threads=8 \
+		&& echo $@ PASSED) || echo $@ FAILED
+
+
+
+# run packdeps on each package to check for disallowed newer dependencies
+packdeps:
+	for p in $(PACKAGES); do packdeps $$p/$$p.cabal; done
 
 ######################################################################
 # RELEASING
@@ -365,9 +375,6 @@ tools/generatejournal: tools/generatejournal.hs
 # set-up-rc-repo:
 # 	cd site/_site; ln -s ../download
 
-checkdeps packdeps:
-	for p in $(PACKAGES); do packdeps $$p/$$p.cabal; done
-
 ######################################################################
 # MISCELLANEOUS
 
diff --git a/checks/10-cabal-installed.test b/checks/10-cabal-installed.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..27291e433
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/10-cabal-installed.test
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# cabal 1.20 or greater
+cabal --version
+>>> /cabal-install version (1\.(2[0-9]|[3-9])|[2-9])/
+>>>= 0
+
diff --git a/checks/10-ghc-installed.test b/checks/10-ghc-installed.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..354bbb606
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/10-ghc-installed.test
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# GHC 7.4 or greater
+ghc --version
+>>> /7.(4|6|8|[12][0-9])/
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/20-ghc-pkg-check.test b/checks/20-ghc-pkg-check.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ff122bb70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/20-ghc-pkg-check.test
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# ghc-pkg check (or the sandbox equivalent) reports no errors
+[[ -e cabal.sandbox.config ]] && cabal sandbox hc-pkg check || ghc-pkg check
+>>>2 !/(There are problems|The following packages are broken)/
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/31-hledger-lib-cabal-deps-installed.test b/checks/31-hledger-lib-cabal-deps-installed.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f166b1ba6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/31-hledger-lib-cabal-deps-installed.test
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# hledger-lib's cabal dependencies are installed
+cabal install ./hledger-lib --only-dep --dry || echo HINT: cabal install ./hledger-lib --only-dep
+>>> /All the requested packages are already installed/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/32-hledger-cli-cabal-deps-installed.test b/checks/32-hledger-cli-cabal-deps-installed.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1423c896c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/32-hledger-cli-cabal-deps-installed.test
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# hledger's cabal dependencies are installed
+cabal install ./hledger --only-dep --dry || echo HINT: cabal install ./hledger-lib
+>>> /All the requested packages are already installed/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/33-hledger-web-cabal-deps-installed.test b/checks/33-hledger-web-cabal-deps-installed.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1e8388cea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/33-hledger-web-cabal-deps-installed.test
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# hledger-lib's cabal dependencies are installed
+cabal install ./hledger-web --only-dep --dry || echo HINT: cabal install ./hledger
+>>> /All the requested packages are already installed/
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/41-hledger-lib-cabal-repl.test b/checks/41-hledger-lib-cabal-repl.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7b5d3871b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/41-hledger-lib-cabal-repl.test
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# cabal repl works for hledger-lib
+echo :q | make repl-lib | tail
+>>> /Ok, modules loaded: Hledger, /
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/42-hledger-cli-cabal-repl.test b/checks/42-hledger-cli-cabal-repl.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..29cf00cb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/42-hledger-cli-cabal-repl.test
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# cabal repl works for hledger
+echo :q | make repl | tail
+>>> /Ok, modules loaded: Hledger.Cli, /
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/43-hledger-web-cabal-repl.test b/checks/43-hledger-web-cabal-repl.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..98236345c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/43-hledger-web-cabal-repl.test
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# cabal repl works for hledger-web
+echo :q | make repl-web | tail
+>>> /Ok, modules loaded: Settings, Main, Hledger.Web.Main, /
+>>>2
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/51-make-ghci.test b/checks/51-make-ghci.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2a1b0fc8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/51-make-ghci.test
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# hledger+hledger-lib GHCI prompt works
+echo :q | make ghci | tail
+>>> /Ok, modules loaded: Hledger, /
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/52-make-ghci-web.test b/checks/52-make-ghci-web.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8861bb05e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/52-make-ghci-web.test
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# hledger-web+hledger+hledger-lib GHCI prompt works
+echo :q | make ghciweb | tail
+>>> /Ok, modules loaded: Settings, Main, /
+>>>= 0
diff --git a/checks/README b/checks/README
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..32e332b2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checks/README
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Shell tests which aim to help developers maintain a working environment.
\ No newline at end of file