diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-translation-files.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-translation-files.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..62f90f150cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-translation-files.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# Validate the po files to ensure translation files are compilable.
+
+name: Validate translation PO files
+
+on:
+  - pull_request
+
+jobs:
+  validate-po-files:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      # Clones the openedx-translations repo
+      - name: clone openedx/openedx-translations
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+      - name: Install gettext
+        run: |
+          sudo apt install -y gettext
+
+      - name: Validate translation files
+        id: validate_translation_files
+        run: |
+          make validate_translation_files
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 18ec9cd7013..6da04169ce6 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 __pycache__
 .pytest_cache
 
+# msgfmt sometimes leaves these behind in the root directory
+/*.mo
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3f2a5d9fc4c..69e63906b05 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.PHONY: piptools upgrade fix_transifex_resource_names transifex_resources_requirements
+.PHONY: piptools upgrade fix_transifex_resource_names transifex_resources_requirements validate_translation_files
 
 piptools:
 	pip install -q -r requirements/pip_tools.txt
@@ -29,3 +29,11 @@ test_requirements:  ## Installs test.txt requirements
 
 test:  ## Run scripts tests
 	 pytest -v -s scripts/tests
+
+validate_translation_files:  ## Run basic validation to ensure files are compilable
+	find translations/ -name '*.po' \
+	    | grep -v '/en/LC_MESSAGES/' \
+	    | xargs -I{} msgfmt -v --strict --check {}
+	@echo '-----------------------------------------'
+	@echo 'Congratulations! Translation files are valid.'
+	@echo '-----------------------------------------'