diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index a0d267cf..dff73d10 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -632,6 +632,7 @@
 		<exec executable="perl" dir="${xml.dir}"
 			input="${xml.dir}/embedded.pem">
 			<arg value="${build.dir}/check_embedded.pl"/>
+			<arg value="-q"/>
 		</exec>
 	</target>
 	
diff --git a/build/check_embedded.pl b/build/check_embedded.pl
index 4ddbadd9..13859bc6 100755
--- a/build/check_embedded.pl
+++ b/build/check_embedded.pl
@@ -3,6 +3,18 @@
 use Date::Parse;
 use Digest::SHA1 qw(sha1 sha1_hex sha1_base64);
 
+#
+# Perform checks on a series of certificates that are to be, or have been, embedded in the
+# UK federation metadata.
+#
+# The certificates are provided on standard input in PEM format with header lines
+# indicating the entity with which they are associated.
+#
+# Command line options:
+#
+#	-q	quiet		don't print anything out if there are no problems detected
+#
+
 #
 # Load RSA key blacklists.
 #
@@ -38,6 +50,14 @@ sub comment {
 	push(@olines, '   (' . $s . ')');
 }
 
+#
+# Process command-line options.
+#
+while (@ARGV) {
+	$arg = shift @ARGV;
+	$quiet = 1 if $arg eq '-q';
+}
+
 while (<>) {
 
 	#
@@ -246,7 +266,7 @@ sub comment {
 		#
 		# Print any interesting things related to this certificate.
 		#
-		if ($printme) {
+		if ($printme || !$quiet) {
 			foreach $oline (@olines) {
 				print $oline, "\n";
 			}