diff --git a/scripts/get_maintainer.pl b/scripts/get_maintainer.pl
index bc443201d3ef00ac2b197da0896a186891cff188..c68a5d1ba709e7194c10d24cb447d55b4b5fa1cf 100755
--- a/scripts/get_maintainer.pl
+++ b/scripts/get_maintainer.pl
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ my $sections = 0;
 my $file_emails = 0;
 my $from_filename = 0;
 my $pattern_depth = 0;
+my $self_test = 0;
 my $version = 0;
 my $help = 0;
 my $find_maintainer_files = 0;
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@ my %VCS_cmds_git = (
     "subject_pattern" => "^GitSubject: (.*)",
     "stat_pattern" => "^(\\d+)\\t(\\d+)\\t\$file\$",
     "file_exists_cmd" => "git ls-files \$file",
+    "list_files_cmd" => "git ls-files \$file",
 );
 
 my %VCS_cmds_hg = (
@@ -167,6 +169,7 @@ my %VCS_cmds_hg = (
     "subject_pattern" => "^HgSubject: (.*)",
     "stat_pattern" => "^(\\d+)\t(\\d+)\t\$file\$",
     "file_exists_cmd" => "hg files \$file",
+    "list_files_cmd" => "hg manifest -R \$file",
 );
 
 my $conf = which_conf(".get_maintainer.conf");
@@ -216,6 +219,14 @@ if (-f $ignore_file) {
     close($ignore);
 }
 
+if ($#ARGV > 0) {
+    foreach (@ARGV) {
+        if ($_ eq "-self-test" || $_ eq "--self-test") {
+            die "$P: using --self-test does not allow any other option or argument\n";
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 if (!GetOptions(
 		'email!' => \$email,
 		'git!' => \$email_git,
@@ -252,6 +263,7 @@ if (!GetOptions(
 		'fe|file-emails!' => \$file_emails,
 		'f|file' => \$from_filename,
 		'find-maintainer-files' => \$find_maintainer_files,
+		'self-test' => \$self_test,
 		'v|version' => \$version,
 		'h|help|usage' => \$help,
 		)) {
@@ -268,6 +280,12 @@ if ($version != 0) {
     exit 0;
 }
 
+if ($self_test) {
+    read_all_maintainer_files();
+    check_maintainers_patterns();
+    exit 0;
+}
+
 if (-t STDIN && !@ARGV) {
     # We're talking to a terminal, but have no command line arguments.
     die "$P: missing patchfile or -f file - use --help if necessary\n";
@@ -311,12 +329,14 @@ if (!top_of_kernel_tree($lk_path)) {
 my @typevalue = ();
 my %keyword_hash;
 my @mfiles = ();
+my @self_test_pattern_info = ();
 
 sub read_maintainer_file {
     my ($file) = @_;
 
     open (my $maint, '<', "$file")
 	or die "$P: Can't open MAINTAINERS file '$file': $!\n";
+    my $i = 1;
     while (<$maint>) {
 	my $line = $_;
 
@@ -333,6 +353,9 @@ sub read_maintainer_file {
 		if ((-d $value)) {
 		    $value =~ s@([^/])$@$1/@;
 		}
+		if ($self_test) {
+			push(@self_test_pattern_info, {file=>$file, line=>$line, linenr=>$i, pat=>$value});
+		}
 	    } elsif ($type eq "K") {
 		$keyword_hash{@typevalue} = $value;
 	    }
@@ -341,6 +364,7 @@ sub read_maintainer_file {
 	    $line =~ s/\n$//g;
 	    push(@typevalue, $line);
 	}
+	$i++;
     }
     close($maint);
 }
@@ -357,26 +381,30 @@ sub find_ignore_git {
     return grep { $_ !~ /^\.git$/; } @_;
 }
 
-if (-d "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS") {
-    opendir(DIR, "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS") or die $!;
-    my @files = readdir(DIR);
-    closedir(DIR);
-    foreach my $file (@files) {
-	push(@mfiles, "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS/$file") if ($file !~ /^\./);
+read_all_maintainer_files();
+
+sub read_all_maintainer_files {
+    if (-d "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS") {
+        opendir(DIR, "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS") or die $!;
+        my @files = readdir(DIR);
+        closedir(DIR);
+        foreach my $file (@files) {
+            push(@mfiles, "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS/$file") if ($file !~ /^\./);
+        }
     }
-}
 
-if ($find_maintainer_files) {
-    find( { wanted => \&find_is_maintainer_file,
-	    preprocess => \&find_ignore_git,
-	    no_chdir => 1,
-	}, "${lk_path}");
-} else {
-    push(@mfiles, "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS") if -f "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS";
-}
+    if ($find_maintainer_files) {
+        find( { wanted => \&find_is_maintainer_file,
+                preprocess => \&find_ignore_git,
+                no_chdir => 1,
+        }, "${lk_path}");
+    } else {
+        push(@mfiles, "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS") if -f "${lk_path}MAINTAINERS";
+    }
 
-foreach my $file (@mfiles) {
-    read_maintainer_file("$file");
+    foreach my $file (@mfiles) {
+        read_maintainer_file("$file");
+    }
 }
 
 #
@@ -586,6 +614,20 @@ if ($web) {
 
 exit($exit);
 
+sub check_maintainers_patterns {
+    my @lsfiles = ();
+
+    @lsfiles = vcs_list_files($lk_path);
+
+    for my $x (@self_test_pattern_info) {
+        if (!grep(m@^$x->{pat}@, @lsfiles)) {
+            my $line = $x->{line};
+            chomp($line);
+            print("$x->{file}:$x->{linenr}: warning: no matches $line\n");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 sub ignore_email_address {
     my ($address) = @_;
 
@@ -863,6 +905,7 @@ Other options:
   --sections => print all of the subsystem sections with pattern matches
   --letters => print all matching 'letter' types from all matching sections
   --mailmap => use .mailmap file (default: $email_use_mailmap)
+  --self-test => show potential issues with MAINTAINERS file content
   --version => show version
   --help => show this help information
 
@@ -2192,6 +2235,23 @@ sub vcs_file_exists {
     return $exists;
 }
 
+sub vcs_list_files {
+    my ($file) = @_;
+
+    my @lsfiles = ();
+
+    my $vcs_used = vcs_exists();
+    return 0 if (!$vcs_used);
+
+    my $cmd = $VCS_cmds{"list_files_cmd"};
+    $cmd =~ s/(\$\w+)/$1/eeg;   # interpolate $cmd
+    @lsfiles = &{$VCS_cmds{"execute_cmd"}}($cmd);
+
+    return () if ($? != 0);
+
+    return @lsfiles;
+}
+
 sub uniq {
     my (@parms) = @_;