diff --git a/scripts/build-unit-test-docker b/scripts/build-unit-test-docker
index 5c28aaa..1c50b63 100755
--- a/scripts/build-unit-test-docker
+++ b/scripts/build-unit-test-docker
@@ -849,6 +849,14 @@
 RUN pip3 install requests
 """
 
+# Note, we use sha1s here because the newest gitlint release doesn't include
+# some features we need.  Next time they release, we can rely on a direct
+# release tag
+dockerfile_base += f"""
+RUN pip3 install git+https://github.com/jorisroovers/gitlint.git@8ede310d62d5794efa7518b235f899f8a8ad6a68\#subdirectory=gitlint-core
+RUN pip3 install git+https://github.com/jorisroovers/gitlint.git@8ede310d62d5794efa7518b235f899f8a8ad6a68
+"""
+
 # Build the base and stage docker images.
 docker_base_img_name = Docker.tagname("base", dockerfile_base)
 Docker.build("base", docker_base_img_name, dockerfile_base)
diff --git a/scripts/format-code.sh b/scripts/format-code.sh
index 23a4dd8..7aa864e 100755
--- a/scripts/format-code.sh
+++ b/scripts/format-code.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@
     --ignore-words=openbmc-spelling-ignore.txt \
     "${DIR}"/.git/COMMIT_EDITMSG
 
+# Note, this check will be removed once the commit message rules have some usage
+if [[ -f "${DIR}/.openbmc-enforce-gitlint" ]]; then
+  # Check for commit message issues
+  gitlint \
+    --target "${DIR}" \
+    --extra-path "${WORKSPACE}/openbmc-build-scripts/config/gitlint/" \
+    --config "${WORKSPACE}/openbmc-build-scripts/config/.gitlint"
+fi
+
 cd "${DIR}"
 
 echo "Formatting code under $DIR/"