diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index bf5298909eb..6d1bec1cc6f 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ matrix:
       script:
         - make BUILDTAGS="${BUILDTAGS}" all
         - sudo PATH="$PATH" make localintegration RUNC_USE_SYSTEMD=1
+        - make vendor-verify
   allow_failures:
     - go: tip
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c60f8237154..89a5805e175 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 .PHONY: all shell dbuild man release \
 	    localtest localunittest localintegration \
 	    test unittest integration \
-	    cross localcross
+	    cross localcross vendor vendor-verify
 
 GO := go
 
@@ -118,6 +118,17 @@ validate:
 
 ci: validate test release
 
+vendor:
+	export GO111MODULE=on \
+	$(GO) mod tidy && \
+	$(GO) mod vendor && \
+	$(GO) mod verify
+
+vendor-verify: vendor
+	@test -z "$$(git status --porcelain -- go.mod go.sum vendor/)" \
+		|| (echo -e "git status:\n $$(git status -- go.mod go.sum vendor/)\nerror: vendor/, go.mod and/or go.sum not up to date. Run \"make vendor\" to update"; exit 1) \
+		&& echo "all vendor files are up to date."
+
 cross: runcimage
 	docker run ${DOCKER_RUN_PROXY} -e BUILDTAGS="$(BUILDTAGS)" --rm -v $(CURDIR):/go/src/$(PROJECT) $(RUNC_IMAGE) make localcross