diff --git a/guix/scripts/lint.scm b/guix/scripts/lint.scm
index 26b40182a5..8224f540bb 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/lint.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/lint.scm
@@ -594,12 +594,25 @@ descriptions maintained upstream."
                   (format #f (_ "line ~a is way too long (~a characters)")
                           line-number (string-length line)))))
 
+(define %hanging-paren-rx
+  (make-regexp "^[[:blank:]]*[()]+[[:blank:]]*$"))
+
+(define (report-lone-parentheses package line line-number)
+  "Emit a warning if LINE contains hanging parentheses."
+  (when (regexp-exec %hanging-paren-rx line)
+    (emit-warning package
+                  (format #f
+                          (_ "line ~a: parentheses feel lonely, \
+move to the previous or next line")
+                          line-number))))
+
 (define %formatting-reporters
   ;; List of procedures that report formatting issues.  These are not separate
   ;; checkers because they would need to re-read the file.
   (list report-tabulations
         report-trailing-white-space
-        report-long-line))
+        report-long-line
+        report-lone-parentheses))
 
 (define* (report-formatting-issues package file starting-line
                                    #:key (reporters %formatting-reporters))
diff --git a/tests/lint.scm b/tests/lint.scm
index 9634fb68e7..3f149562d4 100644
--- a/tests/lint.scm
+++ b/tests/lint.scm
@@ -512,6 +512,16 @@ requests."
           (check-source pkg))))
     "not reachable: 404")))
 
+(test-assert "formatting: lonely parentheses"
+  (string-contains
+   (with-warnings
+     (check-formatting
+      (
+       dummy-package "ugly as hell!"
+      )
+      ))
+   "lonely"))
+
 (test-assert "formatting: tabulation"
   (string-contains
    (with-warnings