diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index b47e88f6970..fdd9353e254 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -1116,7 +1116,7 @@ TAGS tags: lib lib-src # src
 	$(MAKE) -C doc/lispref tags
 	$(MAKE) -C doc/misc tags
 
-CHECK_TARGETS = check check-maybe check-expensive check-all
+CHECK_TARGETS = check check-maybe check-expensive check-all check-byte-compile
 .PHONY: $(CHECK_TARGETS)
 $(CHECK_TARGETS): all
 	$(MAKE) -C test $@
diff --git a/test/Makefile.in b/test/Makefile.in
index e2a14c4dd92..4e53efeb9a8 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.in
+++ b/test/Makefile.in
@@ -326,6 +326,9 @@ check-all: mostlyclean check-no-automated-subdir
 check-maybe: check-no-automated-subdir
 	@${MAKE} check-doit SELECTOR="${SELECTOR_ACTUAL}"
 
+check-byte-compile:
+	@${MAKE} $(ELFILES:.el=.elc)
+
 ## Run the tests.
 .PHONY: check-doit
 ## We can't put LOGFILES as prerequisites, because that would stop the