diff --git a/build.go b/build.go
index 6bbfd202c..20d40e8cf 100644
--- a/build.go
+++ b/build.go
@@ -170,41 +170,6 @@ var targets = map[string]target{
 	},
 }
 
-var (
-	// fast linters complete in a fraction of a second and might as well be
-	// run always as part of the build
-	fastLinters = []string{
-		"deadcode",
-		"golint",
-		"ineffassign",
-		"vet",
-	}
-
-	// slow linters take several seconds and are run only as part of the
-	// "metalint" command.
-	slowLinters = []string{
-		"gosimple",
-		"staticcheck",
-		"structcheck",
-		"unused",
-		"varcheck",
-	}
-
-	// Which parts of the tree to lint
-	lintDirs = []string{".", "./lib/...", "./cmd/..."}
-
-	// Messages to ignore
-	lintExcludes = []string{
-		".pb.go",
-		"should have comment",
-		"protocol.Vector composite literal uses unkeyed fields",
-		"cli.Requires composite literal uses unkeyed fields",
-		"Use DialContext instead",   // Go 1.7
-		"os.SEEK_SET is deprecated", // Go 1.7
-		"SA4017",                    // staticcheck "is a pure function but its return value is ignored"
-	}
-)
-
 func init() {
 	// The "syncthing" target includes a few more files found in the "etc"
 	// and "extra" dirs.
@@ -285,7 +250,7 @@ func runCommand(cmd string, target target) {
 			tags = []string{"noupgrade"}
 		}
 		install(target, tags)
-		metalint(fastLinters, lintDirs)
+		metalintShort()
 
 	case "build":
 		var tags []string
@@ -293,7 +258,7 @@ func runCommand(cmd string, target target) {
 			tags = []string{"noupgrade"}
 		}
 		build(target, tags)
-		metalint(fastLinters, lintDirs)
+		metalintShort()
 
 	case "test":
 		test("./lib/...", "./cmd/...")
@@ -329,14 +294,13 @@ func runCommand(cmd string, target target) {
 		clean()
 
 	case "vet":
-		metalint(fastLinters, lintDirs)
+		metalintShort()
 
 	case "lint":
-		metalint(fastLinters, lintDirs)
+		metalintShort()
 
 	case "metalint":
-		metalint(fastLinters, lintDirs)
-		metalint(slowLinters, lintDirs)
+		metalint()
 
 	case "version":
 		fmt.Println(getVersion())
@@ -1055,59 +1019,12 @@ func macosCodesign(file string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func metalint(linters []string, dirs []string) {
-	ok := true
-	if isGometalinterInstalled() {
-		if !gometalinter(linters, dirs, lintExcludes...) {
-			ok = false
-		}
-	}
-	if !ok {
-		log.Fatal("Build succeeded, but there were lint warnings")
-	}
+func metalint() {
+	lazyRebuildAssets()
+	runPrint("go", "test", "-run", "Metalint", "./meta")
 }
 
-func isGometalinterInstalled() bool {
-	if _, err := runError("gometalinter", "--disable-all"); err != nil {
-		log.Println("gometalinter is not installed")
-		return false
-	}
-	return true
-}
-
-func gometalinter(linters []string, dirs []string, excludes ...string) bool {
-	params := []string{"--disable-all", "--concurrency=2", "--deadline=300s"}
-
-	for _, linter := range linters {
-		params = append(params, "--enable="+linter)
-	}
-
-	for _, exclude := range excludes {
-		params = append(params, "--exclude="+exclude)
-	}
-
-	for _, dir := range dirs {
-		params = append(params, dir)
-	}
-
-	bs, _ := runError("gometalinter", params...)
-
-	nerr := 0
-	lines := make(map[string]struct{})
-	for _, line := range strings.Split(string(bs), "\n") {
-		if line == "" {
-			continue
-		}
-		if _, ok := lines[line]; ok {
-			continue
-		}
-		log.Println(line)
-		if strings.Contains(line, "executable file not found") {
-			log.Println(` - Try "go run build.go setup" to install missing tools`)
-		}
-		lines[line] = struct{}{}
-		nerr++
-	}
-
-	return nerr == 0
+func metalintShort() {
+	lazyRebuildAssets()
+	runPrint("go", "test", "-short", "-run", "Metalint", "./meta")
 }
diff --git a/meta/README.txt b/meta/README.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c5bf22778
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/README.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+The files in this directory contain metadata tests - that is, tests on the
+shape and colour of the code in the rest of the repository. This code is not
+compiled into the final product.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/script/check-authors.go b/meta/authors_test.go
similarity index 74%
rename from script/check-authors.go
rename to meta/authors_test.go
index a1b71e672..abfa0a2c3 100644
--- a/script/check-authors.go
+++ b/meta/authors_test.go
@@ -4,19 +4,16 @@
 // License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file,
 // You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
 
-// +build ignore
-
 // Checks for authors that are not mentioned in AUTHORS
-package main
+package meta
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"io/ioutil"
-	"log"
-	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
+	"testing"
 )
 
 // list of commits that we don't include in our checks; because they are
@@ -37,34 +34,36 @@ var excludeCommits = stringSetFromStrings([]string{
 	"bcc5d7c00f52552303b463d43a636f27b7f7e19b",
 })
 
-func init() {
-	log.SetOutput(os.Stdout)
-	log.SetFlags(0)
-}
+func TestCheckAuthors(t *testing.T) {
+	if testing.Short() {
+		t.Skip("skipping slow test")
+	}
 
-func main() {
-	actual := actualAuthorEmails("cmd/", "lib/", "gui/", "test/", "script/")
-	listed := listedAuthorEmails()
+	actual, hashes := actualAuthorEmails(t, ".", "../cmd/", "../lib/", "../gui/", "../test/", "../script/")
+	listed := listedAuthorEmails(t)
 	missing := actual.except(listed)
-	if len(missing) > 0 {
-		log.Println("Missing authors:")
-		for author := range missing {
-			log.Println(" ", author)
+	for author := range missing {
+		t.Logf("Missing author: %s", author)
+		for _, hash := range hashes[author] {
+			t.Logf("  in hash: %s", hash)
 		}
-		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	if len(missing) > 0 {
+		t.Errorf("Missing %d author(s)", len(missing))
 	}
 }
 
 // actualAuthorEmails returns the set of author emails found in the actual git
 // commit log, except those in excluded commits.
-func actualAuthorEmails(paths ...string) stringSet {
+func actualAuthorEmails(t *testing.T, paths ...string) (stringSet, map[string][]string) {
 	args := append([]string{"log", "--format=%H %ae"}, paths...)
 	cmd := exec.Command("git", args...)
 	bs, err := cmd.Output()
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal("authorEmails:", err)
+		t.Fatal("authorEmails:", err)
 	}
 
+	hashes := make(map[string][]string)
 	authors := newStringSet()
 	for _, line := range bytes.Split(bs, []byte{'\n'}) {
 		fields := strings.Fields(string(line))
@@ -77,21 +76,22 @@ func actualAuthorEmails(paths ...string) stringSet {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(body(hash)), "skip-check: authors") {
+		if strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(body(t, hash)), "skip-check: authors") {
 			continue
 		}
 
 		authors.add(author)
+		hashes[author] = append(hashes[author], hash)
 	}
 
-	return authors
+	return authors, hashes
 }
 
 // listedAuthorEmails returns the set of author emails mentioned in AUTHORS
-func listedAuthorEmails() stringSet {
-	bs, err := ioutil.ReadFile("AUTHORS")
+func listedAuthorEmails(t *testing.T) stringSet {
+	bs, err := ioutil.ReadFile("../AUTHORS")
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal("listedAuthorEmails:", err)
+		t.Fatal("listedAuthorEmails:", err)
 	}
 
 	emailRe := regexp.MustCompile(`<([^>]+)>`)
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ func listedAuthorEmails() stringSet {
 	return authors
 }
 
-func body(hash string) string {
+func body(t *testing.T, hash string) string {
 	cmd := exec.Command("git", "show", "--pretty=format:%b", "-s", hash)
 	bs, err := cmd.Output()
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatal("body:", err)
+		t.Fatal("body:", err)
 	}
 	return string(bs)
 }
diff --git a/script/check-copyright.go b/meta/copyright_test.go
similarity index 79%
rename from script/check-copyright.go
rename to meta/copyright_test.go
index 056ae41dc..e088cbdde 100644
--- a/script/check-copyright.go
+++ b/meta/copyright_test.go
@@ -4,26 +4,27 @@
 // License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file,
 // You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
 
-// +build ignore
-
 // Checks for files missing copyright notice
-package main
+package meta
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
-	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
+	"testing"
 )
 
 // File extensions to check
-var checkExts = map[string]bool{
+var copyrightCheckExts = map[string]bool{
 	".go": true,
 }
 
+// Directories to search
+var copyrightCheckDirs = []string{".", "../cmd", "../lib", "../test", "../script"}
+
 // Valid copyright headers, searched for in the top five lines in each file.
 var copyrightRegexps = []string{
 	`Copyright`,
@@ -34,13 +35,11 @@ var copyrightRegexps = []string{
 
 var copyrightRe = regexp.MustCompile(strings.Join(copyrightRegexps, "|"))
 
-func main() {
-	flag.Parse()
-	for _, dir := range flag.Args() {
+func TestCheckCopyright(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, dir := range copyrightCheckDirs {
 		err := filepath.Walk(dir, checkCopyright)
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Println(err)
-			os.Exit(1)
+			t.Error(err)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ func checkCopyright(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
 	if !info.Mode().IsRegular() {
 		return nil
 	}
-	if !checkExts[filepath.Ext(path)] {
+	if !copyrightCheckExts[filepath.Ext(path)] {
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/meta/gofmt_test.go b/meta/gofmt_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..542c043b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/gofmt_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2015 The Syncthing Authors.
+//
+// This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+// License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file,
+// You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+
+// Checks for authors that are not mentioned in AUTHORS
+package meta
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+var gofmtCheckDirs = []string{".", "../cmd", "../lib", "../test", "../script"}
+
+func TestCheckGoFmt(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, dir := range gofmtCheckDirs {
+		err := filepath.Walk(dir, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if path == ".git" {
+				return filepath.SkipDir
+			}
+			if filepath.Ext(path) != ".go" {
+				return nil
+			}
+			cmd := exec.Command("gofmt", "-s", "-d", path)
+			bs, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if len(bs) != 0 {
+				t.Errorf("File %s is not formatted correctly:\n\n%s", path, string(bs))
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/meta/metalint_test.go b/meta/metalint_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..24cf47f24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/metalint_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2017 The Syncthing Authors.
+//
+// This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+// License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this file,
+// You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+
+package meta
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"log"
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+var (
+	// fast linters complete in a fraction of a second and might as well be
+	// run always as part of the build
+	fastLinters = []string{
+		"deadcode",
+		"golint",
+		"ineffassign",
+		"vet",
+	}
+
+	// slow linters take several seconds and are run only as part of the
+	// "metalint" command.
+	slowLinters = []string{
+		"gosimple",
+		"staticcheck",
+		"structcheck",
+		"unused",
+		"varcheck",
+	}
+
+	// Which parts of the tree to lint
+	lintDirs = []string{".", "../script/...", "../lib/...", "../cmd/..."}
+
+	// Messages to ignore
+	lintExcludes = []string{
+		".pb.go",
+		"should have comment",
+		"protocol.Vector composite literal uses unkeyed fields",
+		"cli.Requires composite literal uses unkeyed fields",
+		"Use DialContext instead",   // Go 1.7
+		"os.SEEK_SET is deprecated", // Go 1.7
+		"SA4017",                    // staticcheck "is a pure function but its return value is ignored"
+	}
+)
+
+func TestCheckMetalint(t *testing.T) {
+	if !isGometalinterInstalled() {
+		return
+	}
+
+	gometalinter(t, lintDirs, lintExcludes...)
+}
+
+func isGometalinterInstalled() bool {
+	if _, err := runError("gometalinter", "--disable-all"); err != nil {
+		log.Println("gometalinter is not installed")
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func gometalinter(t *testing.T, dirs []string, excludes ...string) bool {
+	params := []string{"--disable-all", "--concurrency=2", "--deadline=300s"}
+
+	for _, linter := range fastLinters {
+		params = append(params, "--enable="+linter)
+	}
+
+	if !testing.Short() {
+		for _, linter := range slowLinters {
+			params = append(params, "--enable="+linter)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, exclude := range excludes {
+		params = append(params, "--exclude="+exclude)
+	}
+
+	params = append(params, dirs...)
+
+	bs, _ := runError("gometalinter", params...)
+
+	nerr := 0
+	lines := make(map[string]struct{})
+	for _, line := range strings.Split(string(bs), "\n") {
+		if line == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		if _, ok := lines[line]; ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		log.Println(line)
+		if strings.Contains(line, "executable file not found") {
+			log.Println(` - Try "go run build.go setup" to install missing tools`)
+		}
+		lines[line] = struct{}{}
+		nerr++
+	}
+
+	return nerr == 0
+}
+
+func runError(cmd string, args ...string) ([]byte, error) {
+	ecmd := exec.Command(cmd, args...)
+	bs, err := ecmd.CombinedOutput()
+	return bytes.TrimSpace(bs), err
+}