diff --git a/tools/distrib/c-ish/check_documentation.py b/tools/distrib/c-ish/check_documentation.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..0bb3ca69611efb39cfea374a7b6e8a534f76de6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/distrib/c-ish/check_documentation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python2.7
+
+# Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+# met:
+#
+#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+# copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+# in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+# distribution.
+#     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+# contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+# this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+# OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+# check for directory level 'README.md' files
+# check that all implementation and interface files have a \file doxygen comment
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+# where do we run
+_TARGET_DIRS = [
+  'include/grpc',
+  'include/grpc++',
+  'src/core',
+  'src/cpp',
+  'test/core',
+  'test/cpp'
+]
+
+# which file extensions do we care about
+_INTERESTING_EXTENSIONS = [
+  '.c',
+  '.h',
+  '.cc'
+]
+
+# find our home
+_ROOT = os.path.abspath(
+    os.path.join(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]), '../../..'))
+os.chdir(_ROOT)
+
+errors = 0
+
+# walk directories, find things
+printed_banner = False
+for target_dir in _TARGET_DIRS:
+  for root, dirs, filenames in os.walk(target_dir):
+    if 'README.md' not in filenames:
+      if not printed_banner:
+        print 'Missing README.md'
+        print '================='
+        printed_banner = True
+      print root
+      errors += 1
+if printed_banner: print
+printed_banner = False
+for target_dir in _TARGET_DIRS:
+  for root, dirs, filenames in os.walk(target_dir):
+    for filename in filenames:
+      if os.path.splitext(filename)[1] not in _INTERESTING_EXTENSIONS:
+        continue
+      path = os.path.join(root, filename)
+      with open(path) as f:
+        contents = f.read()
+      if '\\file' not in contents:
+        if not printed_banner:
+          print 'Missing \\file comment'
+          print '======================'
+          printed_banner = True
+        print path
+        errors += 1
+
+assert errors == 0, 'error count = %d' % errors