diff --git a/Tools/autotest/validate_board_list.py b/Tools/autotest/validate_board_list.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..0645facd17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tools/autotest/validate_board_list.py
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+'''
+Check Tools/bootloader/board_types.txt for problems
+
+AP_FLAKE8_CLEAN
+
+'''
+
+import re
+
+
+class ValidateBoardList(object):
+
+    class BoardType(object):
+        def __init__(self, name, board_id):
+            self.name = name
+            self.board_id = board_id
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.filepath = "Tools/AP_Bootloader/board_types.txt"
+
+    def read_filepath(self, filepath):
+        '''return contents of filepath'''
+        content = ""
+        with open(filepath) as fh:
+            content += fh.read()
+            fh.close()
+        return content
+
+    def parse_filepath_content(self, filepath):
+        '''read contents of filepath, returns a list of (id, name) tuples'''
+        content = self.read_filepath(filepath)
+        ret = []
+        for line in content.split("\n"):
+            # strip comments:
+            line = re.sub("#.*", "", line)
+            # remove empty lines:
+            if not len(line) or line.isspace():
+                continue
+            # remove trailing whitespace
+            line = line.rstrip()
+            m = re.match(r"^(.*?)\s+(\d+)$", line)
+            if m is None:
+                raise ValueError("Failed to match (%s)" % line)
+            print("line: (%s)" % str(line))
+            ret.append((int(m.group(2)), m.group(1)))
+        return ret
+
+    def validate_filepath_content(self, tuples):
+        '''validate a list of (id, name) tuples'''
+
+        # a list of board IDs which can map to multiple names for
+        # historical reasons:
+        board_id_whitelist = frozenset([
+            9,  # fmuv2 and fmuv3
+            10, # TARGET_HW_PX4_FMU_V4_PRO and TARGET_HW_PX4_PIO_V3
+            13, # TARGET_HW_PX4_FMU_V4_PRO and TARGET_HW_PX4_PIO_V3
+            29, # TARGET_HW_AV_V1 and TARGET_HW_AV_X_V1
+            51, # TARGET_HW_PX4_FMU_V5X and Reserved  PX4 [BL] FMU v5X.x
+            52, # TARGET_HW_PX4_FMU_V6 and Reserved "PX4 [BL] FMU v6.x"
+            53, # TARGET_HW_PX4_FMU_V6X and Reserved "PX4 [BL] FMU v6X.x"
+            57, # TARGET_HW_ARK_FMU_V6X and Reserved "ARK [BL] FMU v6X.x"
+            80, # TARGET_HW_ARK_CAN_FLOW and Reserved "ARK CAN FLOW"
+            20, # TARGET_HW_UVIFY_CORE and AP_HW_F4BY
+        ])
+
+        dict_by_id = {}
+        dict_by_name = {}
+        for (board_id, name) in tuples:
+            print("Checking (%u, %s)" % (board_id, name))
+            if board_id in dict_by_id and board_id not in board_id_whitelist:
+                raise ValueError("Duplicate ID %s in file for (%s) and (%s)" %
+                                 (board_id, dict_by_id[board_id], name))
+            if name in dict_by_name:
+                raise ValueError("Duplicate name %s in file for (%s) and (%s)" %
+                                 (name, dict_by_name[name], board_id))
+            dict_by_name[name] = board_id
+            dict_by_id[board_id] = name
+
+    def run(self):
+        parsed = self.parse_filepath_content(self.filepath)
+        self.validate_filepath_content(parsed)
+        return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    validator = ValidateBoardList()
+    validator.run()