diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e67944c3..5b123224 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 ## v1.0.17-alpha - unreleased
 
+### Added
+
+- **aiken**: add ability to force warnings to cause a failing exit code on check, build, and docs
+
 ### Fixed
 
 - **uplc**: trim whitespace when loading files with hex strings to avoid confusing errors #720
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/address.rs b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/address.rs
index fdf1f386..7f7ebbe5 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/address.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/address.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ pub fn exec(
         rebuild,
     }: Args,
 ) -> miette::Result<()> {
-    with_project(directory, |p| {
+    with_project(directory, false, |p| {
         if rebuild {
             p.build(false, Tracing::NoTraces)?;
         }
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/apply.rs b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/apply.rs
index 56881538..e8555f44 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/apply.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/apply.rs
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ pub fn exec(
         validator,
     }: Args,
 ) -> miette::Result<()> {
-    with_project(None, |p| {
+    with_project(None, false, |p| {
         let title = module.as_ref().map(|m| {
             format!(
                 "{m}{}",
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/hash.rs b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/hash.rs
index 0e7ca4f9..95471be8 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/hash.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/hash.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ pub fn exec(
         rebuild,
     }: Args,
 ) -> miette::Result<()> {
-    with_project(directory, |p| {
+    with_project(directory, false, |p| {
         if rebuild {
             p.build(false, Tracing::NoTraces)?;
         }
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/policy.rs b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/policy.rs
index 982c17d5..549236f7 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/policy.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/blueprint/policy.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ pub fn exec(
         rebuild,
     }: Args,
 ) -> miette::Result<()> {
-    with_project(directory, |p| {
+    with_project(directory, false, |p| {
         if rebuild {
             p.build(false, Tracing::NoTraces)?;
         }
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/build.rs b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/build.rs
index f735dcb6..898c0796 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/build.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/build.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ pub struct Args {
     /// Path to project
     directory: Option<PathBuf>,
 
+    /// Deny warnings; warnings will be treated as errors
+    #[clap(short = 'D', long)]
+    deny: bool,
+
     /// Also dump textual uplc
     #[clap(short, long)]
     uplc: bool,
@@ -18,9 +22,10 @@ pub struct Args {
 pub fn exec(
     Args {
         directory,
+        deny,
         uplc,
         keep_traces,
     }: Args,
 ) -> miette::Result<()> {
-    crate::with_project(directory, |p| p.build(uplc, keep_traces.into()))
+    crate::with_project(directory, deny, |p| p.build(uplc, keep_traces.into()))
 }
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/check.rs b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/check.rs
index b6c0f312..5b9aa278 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/check.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/check.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ pub struct Args {
     /// Path to project
     directory: Option<PathBuf>,
 
+    /// Deny warnings; warnings will be treated as errors
+    #[clap(short = 'D', long)]
+    deny: bool,
+
     /// Skip tests; run only the type-checker
     #[clap(short, long)]
     skip_tests: bool,
@@ -33,6 +37,7 @@ pub struct Args {
 pub fn exec(
     Args {
         directory,
+        deny,
         skip_tests,
         debug,
         match_tests,
@@ -40,7 +45,7 @@ pub fn exec(
         no_traces,
     }: Args,
 ) -> miette::Result<()> {
-    crate::with_project(directory, |p| {
+    crate::with_project(directory, deny, |p| {
         p.check(
             skip_tests,
             match_tests.clone(),
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/docs.rs b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/docs.rs
index ec2e4442..9b3e94a7 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/docs.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/docs.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ pub struct Args {
     /// Path to project
     directory: Option<PathBuf>,
 
+    /// Deny warnings; warnings will be treated as errors
+    #[clap(short = 'D', long)]
+    deny: bool,
+
     /// Output directory for the documentation
     #[clap(short = 'o', long)]
     destination: Option<PathBuf>,
@@ -14,8 +18,9 @@ pub struct Args {
 pub fn exec(
     Args {
         directory,
+        deny,
         destination,
     }: Args,
 ) -> miette::Result<()> {
-    crate::with_project(directory, |p| p.docs(destination.clone()))
+    crate::with_project(directory, deny, |p| p.docs(destination.clone()))
 }
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/new.rs b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/new.rs
index 33738e49..5c93b159 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/new.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/new.rs
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ fn create_github_action(root: &Path) -> miette::Result<()> {
                       version: v{version}
 
                   - run: aiken fmt --check
-                  - run: aiken check
+                  - run: aiken check -D
                   - run: aiken build
             "#,
             version = built_info::PKG_VERSION,
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/lib.rs b/crates/aiken/src/lib.rs
index 6e603a93..cc3c1ba2 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ pub mod built_info {
     include!(concat!(env!("OUT_DIR"), "/built.rs"));
 }
 
-pub fn with_project<A>(directory: Option<PathBuf>, mut action: A) -> miette::Result<()>
+pub fn with_project<A>(directory: Option<PathBuf>, deny: bool, mut action: A) -> miette::Result<()>
 where
     A: FnMut(&mut Project<Terminal>) -> Result<(), Vec<aiken_project::error::Error>>,
 {
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ where
 
     let warning_count = warnings.len();
 
-    for warning in warnings {
+    for warning in &warnings {
         warning.report()
     }
 
@@ -85,6 +85,11 @@ where
             warning_text.if_supports_color(Stderr, |s| s.yellow()),
         );
     }
+
+    if warning_count > 0 && deny {
+        process::exit(1);
+    }
+
     Ok(())
 }