diff --git a/scripts/pylint_checkers/settrace.py b/scripts/pylint_checkers/settrace.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77ada9be5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pylint_checkers/settrace.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# vim: ft=python fileencoding=utf-8 sts=4 sw=4 et:
+
+# Copyright 2014 Florian Bruhin (The Compiler) <mail@qutebrowser.org>
+#
+# This file is part of qutebrowser.
+#
+# qutebrowser is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# qutebrowser is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with qutebrowser.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+"""Custom astroid checker for set_trace calls."""
+
+from pylint.interfaces import IAstroidChecker
+from pylint.checkers import BaseChecker, utils
+
+
+class SetTraceChecker(BaseChecker):
+
+    """Custom astroid checker for set_trace calls."""
+
+    __implements__ = IAstroidChecker
+    name = 'settrace'
+    msgs = {
+        'E9101': ('set_trace call found', 'set-trace', None),
+    }
+    priority = -1
+
+    @utils.check_messages('set-trace')
+    def visit_callfunc(self, node):
+        """Visit a CallFunc node."""
+        if hasattr(node, 'func'):
+            infer = utils.safe_infer(node.func)
+            if infer:
+                if getattr(node.func, 'name', None) == 'set_trace':
+                    self.add_message('set-trace', node=node)
+
+
+def register(linter):
+    """Register this checker."""
+    linter.register_checker(SetTraceChecker(linter))
diff --git a/scripts/run_checks.py b/scripts/run_checks.py
index 01dac33b3..aa5493fa5 100755
--- a/scripts/run_checks.py
+++ b/scripts/run_checks.py
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ options = {
                    '--rcfile=.pylintrc',
                    '--load-plugins=pylint_checkers.config,'
                    'pylint_checkers.crlf,'
-                   'pylint_checkers.modeline'],
+                   'pylint_checkers.modeline,'
+                   'pylint_checkers.settrace'],
         'flake8': ['--config=.flake8'],
     },
 }
@@ -201,10 +202,6 @@ def _check_file(fn):
             if any(line.decode('UTF-8').startswith(c * 7) for c in "<>=|"):
                 print("Found conflict marker in {}".format(fn))
                 ok = False
-            elif b'set_trace()' in line and not (
-                    fn.endswith('debug.py') or fn.endswith('run_checks.py')):
-                print("Found set_trace in {}".format(fn))
-                ok = False
     return ok