diff --git a/lighthouse-core/audits/geolocation-on-start.js b/lighthouse-core/audits/geolocation-on-start.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a34c94eb406e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lighthouse-core/audits/geolocation-on-start.js
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2016 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+'use strict';
+
+const Audit = require('./audit');
+
+class GeolocationOnStart extends Audit {
+  /**
+   * @return {!AuditMeta}
+   */
+  static get meta() {
+    return {
+      category: 'UX',
+      name: 'geolocation',
+      description: 'Page does not automatically request geolocation',
+      requiredArtifacts: ['GeolocationOnStart']
+    };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @param {!Artifacts} artifacts
+   * @return {!AuditResult}
+   */
+  static audit(artifacts) {
+    if (typeof artifacts.GeolocationOnStart === 'undefined' ||
+        artifacts.GeolocationOnStart === -1) {
+      return GeolocationOnStart.generateAuditResult({
+        rawValue: false,
+        debugString: 'Unable to get geolocation values.'
+      });
+    }
+
+    return GeolocationOnStart.generateAuditResult({
+      rawValue: artifacts.GeolocationOnStart
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = GeolocationOnStart;
diff --git a/lighthouse-core/closure/typedefs/Artifacts.js b/lighthouse-core/closure/typedefs/Artifacts.js
index ab87f4fc65bd..cbd6d0c42e18 100644
--- a/lighthouse-core/closure/typedefs/Artifacts.js
+++ b/lighthouse-core/closure/typedefs/Artifacts.js
@@ -79,3 +79,6 @@ Artifacts.prototype.ContentWidth;
 
 /** @type {!Array<string>} */
 Artifacts.prototype.CacheContents;
+
+/** @type {boolean|number} */
+Artifacts.prototype.GeolocationOnStart;
diff --git a/lighthouse-core/config/default.json b/lighthouse-core/config/default.json
index 2d230bcbe9e0..064065acffc2 100644
--- a/lighthouse-core/config/default.json
+++ b/lighthouse-core/config/default.json
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
       "critical-request-chains",
       "speedline",
       "content-width",
-      "cache-contents"
+      "cache-contents",
+      "geolocation-on-start"
     ]
   },
   {
@@ -66,7 +67,8 @@
     "label",
     "tabindex",
     "content-width",
-    "cache-start-url"
+    "cache-start-url",
+    "geolocation-on-start"
   ],
 
   "aggregations": [{
@@ -277,6 +279,10 @@
           "rawValue": true,
           "weight": 1
         },
+        "geolocation-on-start": {
+          "rawValue": true,
+          "weight": 1
+        },
         "serviceworker-push": {
           "rawValue": true,
           "weight": 0,
diff --git a/lighthouse-core/driver/drivers/driver.js b/lighthouse-core/driver/drivers/driver.js
index 70a84179b9cf..4ecfd60fc3f1 100644
--- a/lighthouse-core/driver/drivers/driver.js
+++ b/lighthouse-core/driver/drivers/driver.js
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ class DriverBase {
     return Promise.reject(new Error('Not implemented'));
   }
 
+  evaluateScriptOnLoad(scriptSource) {
+    return this.sendCommand('Page.addScriptToEvaluateOnLoad', {
+      scriptSource
+    });
+  }
+
   evaluateAsync(asyncExpression) {
     return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
       let asyncTimeout;
diff --git a/lighthouse-core/driver/gatherers/geolocation-on-start.js b/lighthouse-core/driver/gatherers/geolocation-on-start.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d8134e30fdf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lighthouse-core/driver/gatherers/geolocation-on-start.js
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2016 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+'use strict';
+
+const Gather = require('./gather');
+
+/**
+ * @fileoverview Tests whether the page attempts to request geolocation on page load. This often
+ * represents a poor user experience, since it lacks context. As such, if the page requests
+ * geolocation the gatherer will intercept the call and mark a boolean flag to true. The audit that
+ * corresponds with this gatherer then checks for the flag.
+ * @author Paul Lewis
+ */
+
+/* global navigator, window, __returnResults */
+
+/* istanbul ignore next */
+function overrideGeo() {
+  window.__didNotCallGeo = true;
+  // Override the geo functions so that if they're called they're intercepted and we know about it.
+  navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition =
+  navigator.geolocation.watchPosition = function() {
+    window.__didNotCallGeo = false;
+  };
+}
+
+function collectGeoState() {
+  __returnResults(window.__didNotCallGeo);
+}
+
+class GeolocationOnStart extends Gather {
+
+  beforePass(options) {
+    return options.driver.evaluateScriptOnLoad(`(${overrideGeo.toString()}())`);
+  }
+
+  afterPass(options) {
+    return options.driver.evaluateAsync(`(${collectGeoState.toString()}())`)
+        .then(returnedValue => {
+          this.artifact = returnedValue;
+        }, _ => {
+          this.artifact = -1;
+          return;
+        });
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = GeolocationOnStart;
diff --git a/lighthouse-core/test/audits/geolocation-on-start.js b/lighthouse-core/test/audits/geolocation-on-start.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5c6a74e3e4ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lighthouse-core/test/audits/geolocation-on-start.js
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2016 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+const Audit = require('../../audits/geolocation-on-start.js');
+const assert = require('assert');
+
+/* global describe, it*/
+
+describe('UX: geolocation audit', () => {
+  it('fails when no input present', () => {
+    return assert.equal(Audit.audit({}).rawValue, false);
+  });
+
+  it('fails when no input present', () => {
+    return assert.equal(Audit.audit({
+      GeolocationOnStart: -1
+    }).rawValue, false);
+  });
+
+  it('fails when geolocation has been automatically requested', () => {
+    return assert.equal(Audit.audit({
+      GeolocationOnStart: false
+    }).rawValue, false);
+  });
+
+  it('passes when geolocation has not been automatically requested', () => {
+    return assert.equal(Audit.audit({
+      GeolocationOnStart: true
+    }).rawValue, true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/lighthouse-core/test/driver/gatherers/geolocation-on-start.js b/lighthouse-core/test/driver/gatherers/geolocation-on-start.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a6c16cfcbd9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lighthouse-core/test/driver/gatherers/geolocation-on-start.js
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2016 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+'use strict';
+
+/* eslint-env mocha */
+
+const GeolocationGatherer = require('../../../driver/gatherers/geolocation-on-start');
+const assert = require('assert');
+let geolocationGatherer;
+
+describe('Geolocation gatherer', () => {
+  // Reset the Gatherer before each test.
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    geolocationGatherer = new GeolocationGatherer();
+  });
+
+  it('returns an artifact', () => {
+    return geolocationGatherer.beforePass({
+      driver: {
+        evaluateScriptOnLoad() {
+          return Promise.resolve();
+        }
+      }
+    }).then(_ => geolocationGatherer.afterPass({
+      driver: {
+        evaluateAsync() {
+          return Promise.resolve(true);
+        }
+      }
+    })).then(_ => {
+      assert.ok(typeof geolocationGatherer.artifact === 'boolean');
+      assert.equal(geolocationGatherer.artifact, true);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('handles driver failure', () => {
+    return geolocationGatherer.beforePass({
+      driver: {
+        evaluateScriptOnLoad() {
+          return Promise.resolve();
+        }
+      }
+    }).then(_ => geolocationGatherer.afterPass({
+      driver: {
+        evaluateAsync() {
+          return Promise.reject('such a fail');
+        }
+      }
+    })).then(_ => {
+      assert(false);
+    }).catch(_ => {
+      assert.equal(geolocationGatherer.artifact, -1);
+    });
+  });
+});