diff --git a/MANIFEST b/MANIFEST
index b117ca809..9de403f70 100644
--- a/MANIFEST
+++ b/MANIFEST
@@ -1279,6 +1279,7 @@ po/zh_CN.mo
 po/zh_CN.po
 po/zh_TW.mo
 po/zh_TW.po
+scripts/check_man.in
 scripts/config.guess
 scripts/config.sub
 scripts/generate_test_coverage.sh
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index fce5b8d6f..f617c3a7d 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -674,6 +674,8 @@ PYTHON
 FLEX
 YFLAGS
 YACC
+NROFFPROG
+MANDOCPROG
 GROFFPROG
 TRPROG
 UNAMEPROG
@@ -17649,16 +17651,19 @@ printf "%s\n" "no" >&6; }
 fi
 
 
-{ printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for mandoc or nroff" >&5
-printf %s "checking for mandoc or nroff... " >&6; }
-if test ${ac_cv_path_NROFF+y}
+# Extract the first word of "mandoc", so it can be a program name with args.
+set dummy mandoc; ac_word=$2
+{ printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $ac_word" >&5
+printf %s "checking for $ac_word... " >&6; }
+if test ${ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG+y}
 then :
   printf %s "(cached) " >&6
 else case e in #(
-  e)
-    if test -z "$NROFF"; then
-  ac_path_NROFF_found=false
-  # Loop through the user's path and test for each of PROGNAME-LIST
+  e) case $MANDOCPROG in
+  [\\/]* | ?:[\\/]*)
+  ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG="$MANDOCPROG" # Let the user override the test with a path.
+  ;;
+  *)
   as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
 for as_dir in $PATH
 do
@@ -17668,45 +17673,104 @@ do
     */) ;;
     *) as_dir=$as_dir/ ;;
   esac
-    for ac_prog in mandoc nroff
-   do
     for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
-      ac_path_NROFF="$as_dir$ac_prog$ac_exec_ext"
-      as_fn_executable_p "$ac_path_NROFF" || continue
-ac_cv_path_NROFF="$ac_path_NROFF"
-      $ac_path_NROFF_found && break 3
-    done
-  done
+  if as_fn_executable_p "$as_dir$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
+    ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG="$as_dir$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"
+    printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: found $as_dir$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
+    break 2
+  fi
+done
   done
 IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  if test -z "$ac_cv_path_NROFF"; then
-    ac_cv_path_NROFF=no
-  fi
-else
-  ac_cv_path_NROFF=$NROFF
+
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG" && ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG="mandoc"
+  ;;
+esac ;;
+esac
 fi
+MANDOCPROG=$ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG
+if test -n "$MANDOCPROG"; then
+  { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $MANDOCPROG" >&5
+printf "%s\n" "$MANDOCPROG" >&6; }
+else
+  { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+printf "%s\n" "no" >&6; }
+fi
+
+
+if test "$ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG" != "mandoc"
+then :
+
+    ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG="$ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG"
+
+else case e in #(
+  e)
+    # Extract the first word of "nroff", so it can be a program name with args.
+set dummy nroff; ac_word=$2
+{ printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $ac_word" >&5
+printf %s "checking for $ac_word... " >&6; }
+if test ${ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG+y}
+then :
+  printf %s "(cached) " >&6
+else case e in #(
+  e) case $NROFFPROG in
+  [\\/]* | ?:[\\/]*)
+  ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG="$NROFFPROG" # Let the user override the test with a path.
+  ;;
+  *)
+  as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+for as_dir in $PATH
+do
+  IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  case $as_dir in #(((
+    '') as_dir=./ ;;
+    */) ;;
+    *) as_dir=$as_dir/ ;;
+  esac
+    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
+  if as_fn_executable_p "$as_dir$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
+    ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG="$as_dir$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"
+    printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: found $as_dir$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
+    break 2
+  fi
+done
+  done
+IFS=$as_save_IFS
+
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG" && ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG="nroff"
+  ;;
+esac ;;
+esac
+fi
+NROFFPROG=$ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG
+if test -n "$NROFFPROG"; then
+  { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $NROFFPROG" >&5
+printf "%s\n" "$NROFFPROG" >&6; }
+else
+  { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+printf "%s\n" "no" >&6; }
+fi
+
 
  ;;
 esac
 fi
-{ printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_path_NROFF" >&5
-printf "%s\n" "$ac_cv_path_NROFF" >&6; }
-case "$ac_cv_path_NROFF" in
-*mandoc|no)
-    # Prefer mdoc format for mandoc (or when no formatter is present).
-    : ${MANTYPE='mdoc'}
-    ;;
-*)
-    # Check whether nroff supports -mdoc, this may produce incorrect
-    # results when cross-compiling.
-    test -n "$MANTYPE" && sudo_cv_var_mantype="$MANTYPE"
-    { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking which macro set to use for manual pages" >&5
+# Check whether nroff supports -mdoc, this may produce incorrect
+# results when cross-compiling.
+test -n "$MANTYPE" && sudo_cv_var_mantype="$MANTYPE"
+{ printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking which macro set to use for manual pages" >&5
 printf %s "checking which macro set to use for manual pages... " >&6; }
 if test ${sudo_cv_var_mantype+y}
 then :
   printf %s "(cached) " >&6
 else case e in #(
   e)
+	case "$ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG" in
+	*mandoc|nroff)
+	    # Prefer mdoc format for mandoc (or when no formatter is present).
+	    sudo_cv_var_mantype="mdoc"
+	    ;;
+	*)
 	    sudo_cv_var_mantype="man"
 	    echo ".Sh NAME" > conftest
 	    echo ".Nm sudo" >> conftest
@@ -17717,15 +17781,15 @@ else case e in #(
 		sudo_cv_var_mantype="mdoc"
 	    fi
 	    rm -f conftest
+	    ;;
+	esac
 
-     ;;
+ ;;
 esac
 fi
 { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $sudo_cv_var_mantype" >&5
 printf "%s\n" "$sudo_cv_var_mantype" >&6; }
-    MANTYPE="$sudo_cv_var_mantype"
-    ;;
-esac
+MANTYPE="$sudo_cv_var_mantype"
 
 if test -n "$sudo_cv_prev_host"
 then :
@@ -36485,7 +36549,7 @@ then :
 
 fi
 
-ac_config_files="$ac_config_files Makefile docs/Makefile examples/Makefile examples/sudoers examples/sudo.conf examples/sudo_logsrvd.conf examples/syslog.conf include/Makefile lib/eventlog/Makefile lib/fuzzstub/Makefile lib/iolog/Makefile lib/logsrv/Makefile lib/protobuf-c/Makefile lib/ssl_compat/Makefile lib/util/Makefile lib/util/regress/harness lib/util/util.exp logsrvd/Makefile src/intercept.exp src/sudo_usage.h src/Makefile plugins/audit_json/Makefile plugins/sample/Makefile plugins/group_file/Makefile plugins/sample_approval/Makefile plugins/system_group/Makefile plugins/sudoers/Makefile plugins/sudoers/regress/harness plugins/sudoers/sudoers"
+ac_config_files="$ac_config_files Makefile docs/Makefile examples/Makefile examples/sudoers examples/sudo.conf examples/sudo_logsrvd.conf examples/syslog.conf include/Makefile lib/eventlog/Makefile lib/fuzzstub/Makefile lib/iolog/Makefile lib/logsrv/Makefile lib/protobuf-c/Makefile lib/ssl_compat/Makefile lib/util/Makefile lib/util/regress/harness lib/util/util.exp logsrvd/Makefile src/intercept.exp src/sudo_usage.h src/Makefile plugins/audit_json/Makefile plugins/sample/Makefile plugins/group_file/Makefile plugins/sample_approval/Makefile plugins/system_group/Makefile plugins/sudoers/Makefile plugins/sudoers/regress/harness plugins/sudoers/sudoers scripts/check_man"
 
 ac_config_commands="$ac_config_commands harness"
 
@@ -37518,6 +37582,7 @@ do
     "plugins/sudoers/Makefile") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES plugins/sudoers/Makefile" ;;
     "plugins/sudoers/regress/harness") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES plugins/sudoers/regress/harness" ;;
     "plugins/sudoers/sudoers") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES plugins/sudoers/sudoers" ;;
+    "scripts/check_man") CONFIG_FILES="$CONFIG_FILES scripts/check_man" ;;
     "harness") CONFIG_COMMANDS="$CONFIG_COMMANDS harness" ;;
 
   *) as_fn_error $? "invalid argument: '$ac_config_target'" "$LINENO" 5;;
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index eb2b605f4..bb74ef27b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1727,21 +1727,24 @@ AC_PATH_PROG(SHA1SUM, [sha1sum], [openssl dgst -sha1])
 AC_PATH_PROG(UNAMEPROG, [uname], [uname])
 AC_PATH_PROG(TRPROG, [tr], [tr])
 AC_PATH_PROG(GROFFPROG, [groff], [groff])
-AC_CACHE_CHECK([for mandoc or nroff], [ac_cv_path_NROFF], [
-    AC_PATH_PROGS_FEATURE_CHECK([NROFF], [mandoc nroff], [ac_cv_path_NROFF="$ac_path_NROFF"], [ac_cv_path_NROFF=no])
+AC_PATH_PROG(MANDOCPROG, [mandoc], [mandoc])
+AS_IF([test "$ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG" != "mandoc"], [
+    ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG="$ac_cv_path_MANDOCPROG"
+], [
+    AC_PATH_PROG(NROFFPROG, [nroff], [nroff])
 ])
-case "$ac_cv_path_NROFF" in
-*mandoc|no)
-    # Prefer mdoc format for mandoc (or when no formatter is present).
-    : ${MANTYPE='mdoc'}
-    ;;
-*)
-    # Check whether nroff supports -mdoc, this may produce incorrect
-    # results when cross-compiling.
-    test -n "$MANTYPE" && sudo_cv_var_mantype="$MANTYPE"
-    AC_CACHE_CHECK([which macro set to use for manual pages],
-	[sudo_cv_var_mantype],
-	[
+# Check whether nroff supports -mdoc, this may produce incorrect
+# results when cross-compiling.
+test -n "$MANTYPE" && sudo_cv_var_mantype="$MANTYPE"
+AC_CACHE_CHECK([which macro set to use for manual pages],
+    [sudo_cv_var_mantype],
+    [
+	case "$ac_cv_path_NROFFPROG" in
+	*mandoc|nroff)
+	    # Prefer mdoc format for mandoc (or when no formatter is present).
+	    sudo_cv_var_mantype="mdoc"
+	    ;;
+	*)
 	    sudo_cv_var_mantype="man"
 	    echo ".Sh NAME" > conftest
 	    echo ".Nm sudo" >> conftest
@@ -1752,11 +1755,11 @@ case "$ac_cv_path_NROFF" in
 		sudo_cv_var_mantype="mdoc"
 	    fi
 	    rm -f conftest
-	]
-    )
-    MANTYPE="$sudo_cv_var_mantype"
-    ;;
-esac
+	    ;;
+	esac
+    ]
+)
+MANTYPE="$sudo_cv_var_mantype"
 
 dnl
 dnl If a config.cache exists make sure it matches the current host.
@@ -4470,7 +4473,7 @@ AS_IF([test X"$INIT_SCRIPT" != X""], [
     AC_CONFIG_FILES([etc/init.d/sudo.conf])
 ])
 
-AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile docs/Makefile examples/Makefile examples/sudoers examples/sudo.conf examples/sudo_logsrvd.conf examples/syslog.conf include/Makefile lib/eventlog/Makefile lib/fuzzstub/Makefile lib/iolog/Makefile lib/logsrv/Makefile lib/protobuf-c/Makefile lib/ssl_compat/Makefile lib/util/Makefile lib/util/regress/harness lib/util/util.exp logsrvd/Makefile src/intercept.exp src/sudo_usage.h src/Makefile plugins/audit_json/Makefile plugins/sample/Makefile plugins/group_file/Makefile plugins/sample_approval/Makefile plugins/system_group/Makefile plugins/sudoers/Makefile plugins/sudoers/regress/harness plugins/sudoers/sudoers])
+AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile docs/Makefile examples/Makefile examples/sudoers examples/sudo.conf examples/sudo_logsrvd.conf examples/syslog.conf include/Makefile lib/eventlog/Makefile lib/fuzzstub/Makefile lib/iolog/Makefile lib/logsrv/Makefile lib/protobuf-c/Makefile lib/ssl_compat/Makefile lib/util/Makefile lib/util/regress/harness lib/util/util.exp logsrvd/Makefile src/intercept.exp src/sudo_usage.h src/Makefile plugins/audit_json/Makefile plugins/sample/Makefile plugins/group_file/Makefile plugins/sample_approval/Makefile plugins/system_group/Makefile plugins/sudoers/Makefile plugins/sudoers/regress/harness plugins/sudoers/sudoers scripts/check_man])
 AC_CONFIG_COMMANDS([harness], [chmod +x lib/util/regress/harness plugins/sudoers/regress/harness])
 
 AC_OUTPUT
diff --git a/docs/Makefile.in b/docs/Makefile.in
index e1ebd1d67..89c8e6cbe 100644
--- a/docs/Makefile.in
+++ b/docs/Makefile.in
@@ -32,11 +32,10 @@ scriptdir = $(top_srcdir)/scripts
 # Tools to use
 SED = @SED@
 IGOR = igor
-MANDOC = mandoc
+MANDOC = @MANDOCPROG@
 MANCOMPRESS = @MANCOMPRESS@
 MANCOMPRESSEXT = @MANCOMPRESSEXT@
 TR = @TRPROG@
-GROFF = @GROFFPROG@
 
 # Our install program supports extra flags...
 INSTALL = $(SHELL) $(scriptdir)/install-sh -c
@@ -119,21 +118,7 @@ igor:
 	exit $$rval
 
 lint: all
-	@if [ "$(mantype)" != "mdoc" ]; then \
-	    echo "make lint only supported for mdoc manuals" 1>&2; \
-	    exit 1; \
-	else \
-	    rval=0; \
-	    for m in $(DOCS); do \
-		echo $(MANDOC) -Tlint -Wwarning $$m; \
-		$(MANDOC) -Tlint -Wwarning $$m || rval=`expr $$rval + $$?`; \
-		if [ -n "$(GROFF)" ]; then \
-		    echo $(GROFF) -mandoc -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -ww -b -z $$m; \
-		    $(GROFF) -mandoc -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -ww -b -z $$m || rval=`expr $$rval + $$?`; \
-		fi; \
-	    done; \
-	    exit $$rval; \
-	fi
+	$(SHELL) $(top_builddir)/scripts/check_man $(DOCS)
 
 depend:
 
diff --git a/scripts/check_man.in b/scripts/check_man.in
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..587219979
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check_man.in
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+MANDOC="@MANDOCPROG@"
+GROFF="@GROFFPROG@"
+MANTYPE="@MANTYPE@"
+EGREP="@EGREP@"
+
+if [ "$MANTYPE" != "mdoc" ]; then
+    echo "$0 only supports mdoc manuals" 1>&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+TFILE=`mktemp -t check_man.XXXXXX` || exit 1
+
+rval=0
+while [ $# != 0 ]; do
+    if [ "$MANDOC" != "mandoc" ]; then
+	# Ignore OS warning and missing cross-references
+	$MANDOC -Tlint $1 | $EGREP -v 'STYLE: (operating system explicitly specified|referenced manual not found):' > "$TFILE" 2>&1
+	if [ -s "$TFILE" ]; then
+	    rval=`expr $rval + 1`
+	    cat "$TFILE"
+	fi
+    fi
+
+    if [ "$GROFF" != "groff" ]; then
+	$GROFF -mandoc -K utf8 -rF0 -rHY=0 -rCHECKSTYLE=10 -ww -b -z $1 || \
+	    rval=`expr $rval + $?`
+    fi
+
+    $EGREP '^\.It[ 	].*[ 	]Ta$' $1 > "$TFILE" 2>&1
+    if [ -s "$TFILE" ]; then
+	rval=`expr $rval + 1`
+	echo "Empty table cell at EOL leads to trailing whitespace:"
+	cat "$TFILE"
+    fi
+
+    $EGREP '[ 	]$' $1 > "$TFILE" 2>&1
+    if [ -s "$TFILE" ]; then
+	rval=`expr $rval + 1`
+	echo "Trailing whitespace:"
+	cat "$TFILE"
+    fi
+
+    shift
+done
+
+rm -f "$TFILE"
+exit $rval