diff --git a/bashate/bashate.py b/bashate/bashate.py
index 6262f49..60adaf1 100644
--- a/bashate/bashate.py
+++ b/bashate/bashate.py
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@ def check_function_decl(line, report):
 
 
 def starts_multiline(line):
-    m = re.search("[^<]<<\s*(?P<token>\w+)", line)
+    # note, watch out for <<EOF and <<'EOF' ; quotes in the
+    # deliminator are part of syntax
+    m = re.search("[^<]<<\s*([\'\"]?)(?P<token>\w+)([\'\"]?)", line)
     return m.group('token') if m else False
 
 
@@ -257,7 +259,10 @@ class BashateRun(object):
                     if verbose:
                         print("Running bashate on %s" % fileinput.filename())
 
-                # NOTE(sdague): multiline processing of heredocs is interesting
+                # strip out heredocs, and don't run any checks on
+                # their contents.  These are usually things like yaml
+                # files or other bits and pieces that don't obey our
+                # syntax such as indenting or line-length.
                 if not in_multiline:
                     logical_line = line
                     token = starts_multiline(line)
@@ -270,6 +275,11 @@ class BashateRun(object):
                         continue
                     else:
                         in_multiline = False
+                        # XXX: if we want to do something with
+                        # heredocs in the future, then the whole thing
+                        # is now stored in logical_line.  for now,
+                        # skip
+                        continue
 
                 # Don't run any tests on comment lines
                 if logical_line.lstrip().startswith('#'):
diff --git a/bashate/tests/samples/heredoc_ignore.sh b/bashate/tests/samples/heredoc_ignore.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4427b27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bashate/tests/samples/heredoc_ignore.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+FOO=<<EOF
+
+ this is a file
+  that does not obey our indenting
+ or our line length -------------------------------------------------
+
+EOF
+
+cat <<EOF > /tmp/tofile
+
+ this is a file
+  that does not obey our indenting
+ or our line length -------------------------------------------------
+
+EOF
+
+cat << 'EOF' | sed 's/foo/bar'
+
+ this is a file
+  that does not obey our indenting
+ or our line length -------------------------------------------------
+
+EOF
+
+cat <<"EOF"
+
+ this is a file
+  that does not obey our indenting
+ or our line length -------------------------------------------------
+
+EOF
+
+cat > foo <<BLAH
+
+ this is a file
+  that does not obey our indenting
+ or our line length -------------------------------------------------
+
+
+BLAH
diff --git a/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py b/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py
index 482749c..ecbf903 100644
--- a/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py
+++ b/bashate/tests/test_bashate.py
@@ -249,6 +249,11 @@ class TestBashateSamples(base.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(0, self.run.error_count)
         self.assertEqual(4, self.run.warning_count)
 
+    def test_ignore_heredoc(self):
+        test_files = ['bashate/tests/samples/heredoc_ignore.sh']
+        self.run.check_files(test_files, False)
+        self.assertEqual(0, self.run.error_count)
+
     def test_pre_zero_dot_one_sample_file(self):
         """Test the sample file with all pre 0.1.0 release checks.