diff --git a/contrib/check-valid-commit.py b/contrib/check-valid-commit.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..ca1785ecdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/check-valid-commit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+import commands
+import getopt
+import sys
+
+
+SSH_USER = 'bot'
+SSH_HOST = 'localhost'
+SSH_PORT = 29418
+SSH_COMMAND = 'ssh %s@%s -p %d gerrit approve ' % (SSH_USER, SSH_HOST, SSH_PORT)
+FAILURE_SCORE = '--code-review=-2'
+FAILURE_MESSAGE = 'This commit message does not match the standard.' \
+        + '  Please correct the commit message and upload a replacement patch.'
+PASS_SCORE = '--code-review=0'
+PASS_MESSAGE = ''
+
+def main():
+    change = None
+    project = None
+    branch = None
+    commit = None
+    patchset = None
+
+    try:
+        opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], '', \
+            ['change=', 'project=', 'branch=', 'commit=', 'patchset='])
+    except getopt.GetoptError, err:
+        print 'Error: %s' % (err)
+        usage()
+        sys.exit(-1)
+
+    for arg, value in opts:
+        if arg == '--change':
+            change = value
+        elif arg == '--project':
+            project = value
+        elif arg == '--branch':
+            branch = value
+        elif arg == '--commit':
+            commit = value
+        elif arg == '--patchset':
+            patchset = value
+        else:
+            print 'Error: option %s not recognized' % (arg)
+            usage()
+            sys.exit(-1)
+
+    if change == None or project == None or branch == None \
+        or commit == None or patchset == None:
+        usage()
+        sys.exit(-1)
+
+    command = 'git cat-file commit %s' % (commit)
+    status, output = commands.getstatusoutput(command)
+
+    if status != 0:
+        print 'Error running \'%s\'. status: %s, output:\n\n%s' % \
+            (command, status, output)
+        sys.exit(-1)
+
+    commitMessage = output[(output.find('\n\n')+2):]
+    commitLines = commitMessage.split('\n')
+
+    if len(commitLines) > 1 and len(commitLines[1]) != 0:
+        fail(commit, 'Invalid commit summary.  The summary must be ' \
+            + 'one line followed by a blank line.')
+
+    i = 0
+    for line in commitLines:
+        i = i + 1
+        if len(line) > 80:
+            fail(commit, 'Line %d is over 80 characters.' % i)
+
+    passes(commit)
+
+def usage():
+    print 'Usage:\n'
+    print sys.argv[0] + ' --change <change id> --project <project name> ' \
+        + '--branch <branch> --commit <sha1> --patchset <patchset id>'
+
+def fail( commit, message ):
+    command = SSH_COMMAND + FAILURE_SCORE + ' -m \\\"' \
+        + _shell_escape( FAILURE_MESSAGE + '\n\n' + message) \
+        + '\\\" ' + commit
+    commands.getstatusoutput(command)
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+def passes( commit ):
+    command = SSH_COMMAND + PASS_SCORE + ' -m \\\"' \
+        + _shell_escape(PASS_MESSAGE) + ' \\\" ' + commit
+    commands.getstatusoutput(command)
+
+def _shell_escape(x):
+    s = ''
+    for c in x:
+        if c in '\n':
+            s = s + '\\\"$\'\\n\'\\\"'
+        else:
+            s = s + c
+    return s
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
+