diff --git a/infra/testing/validator/service-worker-runtime.js b/infra/testing/validator/service-worker-runtime.js
index f99e56344..0aa22fe9c 100644
--- a/infra/testing/validator/service-worker-runtime.js
+++ b/infra/testing/validator/service-worker-runtime.js
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ function setupSpiesAndContext() {
 
   const importScripts = sinon.spy();
 
+  const addEventListener = sinon.stub();
+
   const workbox = {
     cacheableResponse: {
       Plugin: CacheableResponsePlugin,
@@ -69,9 +71,10 @@ function setupSpiesAndContext() {
   };
 
   const context = Object.assign({
-    workbox,
     importScripts,
+    workbox,
   }, makeServiceWorkerEnv());
+  context.self.addEventListener = addEventListener;
 
   const methodsToSpies = {
     importScripts,
@@ -91,7 +94,7 @@ function setupSpiesAndContext() {
     skipWaiting: workbox.core.skipWaiting,
   };
 
-  return {context, methodsToSpies};
+  return {addEventListener, context, methodsToSpies};
 }
 
 function validateMethodCalls({methodsToSpies, expectedMethodCalls}) {
@@ -123,7 +126,12 @@ function validateMethodCalls({methodsToSpies, expectedMethodCalls}) {
  * @param {Object} expectedMethodCalls
  * @return {Promise} Resolves if all of the expected method calls were made.
  */
-module.exports = async ({swFile, swString, expectedMethodCalls}) => {
+module.exports = async ({
+  addEventListenerValidation,
+  expectedMethodCalls,
+  swFile,
+  swString,
+}) => {
   assert((swFile || swString) && !(swFile && swString),
       `Set swFile or swString, but not both.`);
 
@@ -131,9 +139,14 @@ module.exports = async ({swFile, swString, expectedMethodCalls}) => {
     swString = await fse.readFile(swFile, 'utf8');
   }
 
-  const {context, methodsToSpies} = setupSpiesAndContext();
+  const {addEventListener, context, methodsToSpies} = setupSpiesAndContext();
 
   vm.runInNewContext(swString, context);
 
   validateMethodCalls({methodsToSpies, expectedMethodCalls});
+
+  // Optionally check the usage of addEventListener().
+  if (addEventListenerValidation) {
+    addEventListenerValidation(addEventListener);
+  }
 };
diff --git a/packages/workbox-build/src/templates/sw-template.js b/packages/workbox-build/src/templates/sw-template.js
index aa00252e0..a618fc0cb 100644
--- a/packages/workbox-build/src/templates/sw-template.js
+++ b/packages/workbox-build/src/templates/sw-template.js
@@ -31,7 +31,15 @@ importScripts(
 
 <% if (cacheId) { %>workbox.core.setCacheNameDetails({prefix: <%= JSON.stringify(cacheId) %>});<% } %>
 
-<% if (skipWaiting) { %>workbox.core.skipWaiting();<% } %>
+<% if (skipWaiting) { %>
+workbox.core.skipWaiting();
+<% } else { %>
+self.addEventListener('message', (event) => {
+  if (event.data && event.data.type === 'SKIP_WAITING') {
+    self.skipWaiting();
+  }
+});
+<% } %>
 <% if (clientsClaim) { %>workbox.core.clientsClaim();<% } %>
 
 <% if (Array.isArray(manifestEntries)) {%>
diff --git a/test/workbox-build/node/entry-points/generate-sw.js b/test/workbox-build/node/entry-points/generate-sw.js
index d6310716d..88fae27cc 100644
--- a/test/workbox-build/node/entry-points/generate-sw.js
+++ b/test/workbox-build/node/entry-points/generate-sw.js
@@ -359,6 +359,51 @@ describe(`[workbox-build] entry-points/generate-sw.js (End to End)`, function()
           url: 'webpackEntry.js',
           revision: '5b652181a25e96f255d0490203d3c47e',
         }], {directoryIndex, ignoreURLParametersMatching}]],
+      }, addEventListenerValidation: (addEventListenerStub) => {
+        // When skipWaiting is true, the 'message' addEventListener shouldn't be called.
+        expect(addEventListenerStub.called).to.be.false;
+      }});
+    });
+
+    it(`should add a 'message' event listener when 'skipWaiting: false'`, async function() {
+      const swDest = tempy.file();
+      const additionalOptions = {
+        skipWaiting: false,
+      };
+      const options = Object.assign({}, BASE_OPTIONS, additionalOptions, {swDest});
+
+      const {count, size, warnings} = await generateSW(options);
+      expect(warnings).to.be.empty;
+      expect(count).to.eql(6);
+      expect(size).to.eql(2604);
+      await validateServiceWorkerRuntime({swFile: swDest, expectedMethodCalls: {
+        importScripts: [[WORKBOX_SW_CDN_URL]],
+        precacheAndRoute: [[[{
+          url: 'index.html',
+          revision: '3883c45b119c9d7e9ad75a1b4a4672ac',
+        }, {
+          url: 'page-1.html',
+          revision: '544658ab25ee8762dc241e8b1c5ed96d',
+        }, {
+          url: 'page-2.html',
+          revision: 'a3a71ce0b9b43c459cf58bd37e911b74',
+        }, {
+          url: 'styles/stylesheet-1.css',
+          revision: '934823cbc67ccf0d67aa2a2eeb798f12',
+        }, {
+          url: 'styles/stylesheet-2.css',
+          revision: '884f6853a4fc655e4c2dc0c0f27a227c',
+        }, {
+          url: 'webpackEntry.js',
+          revision: '5b652181a25e96f255d0490203d3c47e',
+        }], {}]],
+      }, addEventListenerValidation: (addEventListenerStub) => {
+        expect(addEventListenerStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(addEventListenerStub.firstCall.args[0]).to.eql('message');
+        // This isn't the *cleanest* possible way of testing the message event
+        // handler, but given the constraints of this node-based environment,
+        // it seems the most effective way to ensure the right code gets run.
+        expect(addEventListenerStub.firstCall.args[1].toString()).to.eql(`(event) => {\n  if (event.data && event.data.type === 'SKIP_WAITING') {\n    self.skipWaiting();\n  }\n}`);
       }});
     });