diff --git a/.changelog/4020.txt b/.changelog/4020.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f71623203e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/4020.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+```release-note:improvement
+cli/fmt: Add a `-check` flag that will determine if the `waypoint.hcl` is already
+properly formatted, similar to `terraform fmt -check`.
+```
diff --git a/internal/cli/fmt.go b/internal/cli/fmt.go
index f7aa746aa9c..eb5ac08e63d 100644
--- a/internal/cli/fmt.go
+++ b/internal/cli/fmt.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ type FmtCommand struct {
 	*baseCommand
 
 	flagWrite bool
+	flagCheck bool
 }
 
 func (c *FmtCommand) Run(args []string) int {
@@ -70,6 +72,18 @@ func (c *FmtCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
+	if c.flagCheck {
+		// In the case where we're checking formatting, don't persist data
+		// ultimately this shouldn't even be used because we should return
+		// in this block
+		c.flagWrite = false
+		if bytes.Equal(src, out) {
+			return 0
+		} else {
+			return 3
+		}
+	}
+
 	// If we're writing then write it to the file. stdin never writes to a file
 	if c.flagWrite && !stdin {
 		if err := ioutil.WriteFile(c.args[0], out, 0644); err != nil {
@@ -108,7 +122,15 @@ func (c *FmtCommand) Flags() *flag.Sets {
 			Default: true,
 			Usage: "Overwrite the input file. If this is false, the formatted " +
 				"output will be written to STDOUT. This has no effect when formatting " +
-				"from STDIN.",
+				"from STDIN or when using the -check flag.",
+		})
+
+		f.BoolVar(&flag.BoolVar{
+			Name:    "check",
+			Target:  &c.flagCheck,
+			Default: false,
+			Usage: "Check if the input is formatted. Exit status will be 0 if " +
+				"all input is properly formatted and exit status 3 otherwise.",
 		})
 	})
 }
diff --git a/website/content/commands/fmt.mdx b/website/content/commands/fmt.mdx
index 215ec2e3ada..ec35b721a79 100644
--- a/website/content/commands/fmt.mdx
+++ b/website/content/commands/fmt.mdx
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ work for older and newer configuration formats.
 
 #### Command Options
 
-- `-write` - Overwrite the input file. If this is false, the formatted output will be written to STDOUT. This has no effect when formatting from STDIN. The default is true.
+- `-write` - Overwrite the input file. If this is false, the formatted output will be written to STDOUT. This has no effect when formatting from STDIN or when using the -check flag. The default is true.
+- `-check` - Check if the input is formatted. Exit status will be 0 if all input is properly formatted and exit status 3 otherwise. The default is false.
 
 @include "commands/fmt_more.mdx"