diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index dcd9e1d12..c3324c23c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ committest: hlinttest unittest doctest functest haddocktest warningstest quickca
 releasetest: unittest doctest functest haddocktest warningstest fullcabaltest
 
 hlinttest hlint:
-	hlint $(SOURCEFILES) --report=hlint.html
+	hlint --hint=hlint --report=hlint.html $(SOURCEFILES)
 
 # run unit tests
 unittest: unittest-builtin
diff --git a/hlint.hs b/hlint.hs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..37bc581ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hlint.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{-
+hlint configuration for hledger
+
+manual: http://community.haskell.org/~ndm/darcs/hlint/hlint.htm
+
+examples:
+ignore "Eta reduce"   = ""                - suppress all eta reduction suggestions.
+ignore "Eta reduce"   = Data.List Prelude - suppress eta reduction hints in the Prelude and Data.List modules.
+ignore                = Data.List.map     - don't give any hints in the function Data.List.map.
+error                 = Data.List.map     - any hint in the function is an error.
+error "Use concatMap" = ""                - the hint to use concatMap is an error.
+warn "Use concatMap"  = ""                - the hint to use concatMap is a warning.
+
+-}
+
+import HLint.Default