diff --git a/build-support/macros-and-definitions.cmake b/build-support/macros-and-definitions.cmake
index 97a3d967f..778351368 100644
--- a/build-support/macros-and-definitions.cmake
+++ b/build-support/macros-and-definitions.cmake
@@ -306,6 +306,17 @@ macro(process_options)
         ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/build-support/cmake-format-modules.yaml -i
         ${MODULES_CMAKE_FILES}
     )
+    add_custom_target(
+      cmake-format-check
+      COMMAND
+        ${CMAKE_FORMAT_PROGRAM} -c
+        ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/build-support/cmake-format.yaml --check
+        ${INTERNAL_CMAKE_FILES}
+      COMMAND
+        ${CMAKE_FORMAT_PROGRAM} -c
+        ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/build-support/cmake-format-modules.yaml --check
+        ${MODULES_CMAKE_FILES}
+    )
     unset(MODULES_CMAKE_FILES)
     unset(INTERNAL_CMAKE_FILES)
   endif()
diff --git a/ns3 b/ns3
index 270b8fe13..79a4a832f 100755
--- a/ns3
+++ b/ns3
@@ -1060,6 +1060,7 @@ def build_step(args,
         non_executable_targets = ["assemble-introspected-command-line",
                                   "check-version",
                                   "cmake-format",
+                                  "cmake-format-check",
                                   "coverage_gcc",
                                   "docs",
                                   "doxygen",