diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 672c027..41aebbe 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,15 @@ stages:
   - check
   - deploy
 
+commitcheck:
+  image: "python"
+  stage: check
+  variables:
+    GIT_STRATEGY: clone
+  script:
+    # only run for merge requests
+    - if [ -z "$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TITLTE" ]; then true; else python ./dist/tagging/check_conventional_commit.py "$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME"; fi
+
 cargo:fmtcheck:
   image: "rust:slim"
   stage: check
diff --git a/dist/tagging/check_conventional_commit.py b/dist/tagging/check_conventional_commit.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..5ac2e3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dist/tagging/check_conventional_commit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
+from typing import List
+from sys import argv, stderr
+import re
+
+
+CONVENTIONAL_COMMIT_RE = re.compile(r"(feat|fix|chore)(\([\w_\-\/ ]+\))?: .+")
+
+
+def eprint(*args, **kwargs):
+    print(*args, file=stderr, **kwargs)
+
+
+def cmd(args: List[str]) -> List[str]:
+    proc = Popen(args, stdout=PIPE)
+    (stdout, _) = proc.communicate()
+    retcode = proc.returncode
+    if retcode != 0:
+        raise ValueError(f"Command {" ".join(args)} failed with code {retcode}")
+    return stdout.decode().splitlines()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    target_branch = argv[1]
+    if target_branch is None:
+        eprint(f"Usage: {argv[0]} CURRENT_COMMIT TARGET_BRANCH")
+        exit(1)
+    cmd(["git", "fetch", "origin", f"{target_branch}:{target_branch}"])
+    cmsgs = cmd(["git", "show", "-s", "--format=%s", f"{target_branch}..HEAD"])
+    success = True
+    for cmsg in cmsgs:
+        if CONVENTIONAL_COMMIT_RE.match(cmsg) is None:
+            eprint(f"Error: commit message '{cmsg}' does not follow the conventional commit standard")
+    if not success:
+        exit(1)