diff --git a/license_header_test.go b/license_header_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2941434
--- /dev/null
+++ b/license_header_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+// Copyright 2019 clair authors
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package clair_test
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"regexp"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+var headerReg = regexp.MustCompile(`^(// Copyright \d\d\d\d clair authors
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2\.0 \(the "License"\);
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License\.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www\.apache\.org/licenses/LICENSE-2\.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied\.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License\.)`)
+
+var extensions = []string{".go", ".proto"}
+
+// even if a file's extension matches, it's skipped.
+var skips = []*regexp.Regexp{
+	regexp.MustCompile(`^vendor/.*`),
+	regexp.MustCompile(`clair.pb.go$`),
+	regexp.MustCompile(`clair.pb.gw.go$`),
+}
+
+// TestLicenseHeader ensures all Clair files have proper header.
+func TestLicenseHeader(t *testing.T) {
+	err := filepath.Walk(".", func(path string, fi os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+		toScan := false
+		for _, ext := range extensions {
+			if filepath.Ext(path) == ext {
+				toScan = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+
+		if !toScan {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		for _, skip := range skips {
+			if skip.MatchString(path) {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
+		src, ioError := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
+		if ioError != nil {
+			panic(ioError)
+		}
+
+		if !headerReg.Match(src) {
+			t.Logf("%v: license header not present", path)
+			err = errors.New("missing license header")
+			return err
+		}
+
+		return err
+	})
+
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}