diff --git a/backends.py b/backends.py
index 03869d12a..43f2f5f67 100755
--- a/backends.py
+++ b/backends.py
@@ -699,6 +699,15 @@ class NinjaBackend(Backend):
                     other_deps.append(outfilename)
         return (src_deps, other_deps)
 
+    def generate_cppcheck_target(self, outfile):
+        cppcheck_exe = environment.find_cppcheck()
+        if not cppcheck_exe:
+            return
+        elem = NinjaBuildElement('cppcheck', 'CUSTOM_COMMAND', [])
+        elem.add_item('COMMAND', [cppcheck_exe, self.environment.get_source_dir()])
+        elem.add_item('description', 'Running cppchecker')
+        elem.write(outfile)
+
     def generate_ending(self, outfile):
         targetlist = [self.get_target_filename(t) for t in self.build.get_targets().values()]
         elem = NinjaBuildElement('all', 'phony', targetlist)
@@ -723,3 +732,5 @@ class NinjaBackend(Backend):
 
         elem = NinjaBuildElement(deps, 'phony', '')
         elem.write(outfile)
+
+        self.generate_cppcheck_target(outfile)
diff --git a/coredata.py b/coredata.py
index fa0709f8f..aa846ffe6 100644
--- a/coredata.py
+++ b/coredata.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ forbidden_target_names = {'clean': None,
                           'test-valgrind': None,
                           'install': None,
                           'build.ninja': None,
+                          'cppcheck': None,
                           }
 
 class MesonException(Exception):
diff --git a/environment.py b/environment.py
index 12b7f229b..11274dbc9 100755
--- a/environment.py
+++ b/environment.py
@@ -451,6 +451,12 @@ def find_valgrind():
         valgrind_exe = None
     return valgrind_exe
 
+def find_cppcheck():
+    cppcheck_exe = 'cppcheck'
+    if not exe_exists([cppcheck_exe, '-h']):
+        cppcheck_exe = None
+    return cppcheck_exe
+
 def is_osx():
     return platform.system().lower() == 'darwin'