diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/check.yml b/.gitea/workflows/check.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d3aba0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/check.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+name: check
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main, next]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [main, next]
+jobs:
+  check:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@34e114876b0b11c390a56381ad16ebd13914f8d5 # v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@40f1582b2485089dde7abd97c1529aa768e1baff # v5
+        with:
+          go-version-file: go.mod
+      - name: Install golangci-lint
+        run: go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/v2/cmd/golangci-lint@5d1e709b7be35cb2025444e19de266b056b7b7ee # v2.10.1
+      - name: Install protoc-gen-go
+        run: go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@4dfe9d308b477d29e8c2b6d75abf3e78aafe3cb8 # v1.28.1
+      - name: Generate protobuf
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y protobuf-compiler
+          cd mfer && go generate .
+      - name: Run checks
+        run: make check
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e27258f..53f4fb3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ GOLDFLAGS += -X main.Version=$(VERSION)
 GOLDFLAGS += -X main.Gitrev=$(GITREV_BUILD)
 GOFLAGS := -ldflags "$(GOLDFLAGS)"
 
-.PHONY: docker default run ci test fixme
+.PHONY: docker default run ci test fixme check check-fmt lint
 
 default: fmt test
 
@@ -51,9 +51,8 @@ fmt: mfer/mf.pb.go
 	-prettier -w *.json
 	-prettier -w *.md
 
-lint:
-	golangci-lint run
-	sh -c 'test -z "$$(gofmt -l .)"'
+lint: mfer/mf.pb.go
+	golangci-lint run ./...
 
 docker: sneak-mfer.$(ARCH).tzst.dockerimage
 
@@ -79,3 +78,11 @@ modcache.tzst: go.mod go.sum
 	go mod download -x
 	cd $(shell go env GOMODCACHE) && tar -c . | pv | zstdmt -19 > $(PWD)/$@.tmp
 	mv $@.tmp $@
+
+# Individual check targets
+check-fmt:
+	@echo "==> Checking formatting..."
+	@test -z "$$(gofmt -l .)" || (echo "Files not formatted:" && gofmt -l . && exit 1)
+
+# Run all checks (formatting, linting, tests) without modifying files
+check: check-fmt lint test