diff --git a/rpmlint/checks/UpdateAlternativesCheck.py b/rpmlint/checks/UpdateAlternativesCheck.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..329a5fd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rpmlint/checks/UpdateAlternativesCheck.py
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+# vim:sw=4:et
+# File          : CheckUpdateAlternatives
+# Package       : rpmlint
+# Author        : SUSE Linux Products GmbH
+# Purpose       : Check if update-alternatives is used properly
+
+from Filter import printWarning, addDetails, Config
+
+import AbstractCheck
+import os
+import rpm
+import stat
+import Pkg
+
+
+class CheckUpdateAlternatives(AbstractCheck.AbstractCheck):
+
+    """Check for compliance with SUSE's update-alternatives guidelines.
+
+    See
+    http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Packaging_Multiple_Version_guidelines
+
+    """
+
+    INSTALL = "--install"
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        AbstractCheck.AbstractCheck.__init__(self, "CheckUpdateAlternatives")
+
+    @classmethod
+    def read_ghost_files(cls, script):
+
+        if not script or 'update-alternatives' not in script:
+            return set()
+
+        ghost_files = set()
+
+        for command in (
+                c.replace('\\\n', '').replace('"', '').strip()
+                for c in script.split('update-alternatives')
+                if cls.INSTALL in c):
+
+            # parse install
+            command_args = []
+            for arg in command.split(None):
+                if not arg.startswith("--"):
+                    command_args.append(arg)
+
+            ghost_files.add(command_args[0])
+
+            SLAVE = "--slave"
+
+            if SLAVE in command:
+                for sc in (
+                        c.strip()
+                        for c in command[command.index(SLAVE):].split(SLAVE)
+                        if c.strip() != ''):
+
+                    xs = sc.split(None, 2)
+                    ghost_files.add(xs[0])
+
+        return ghost_files
+
+    def check(self, pkg):
+
+        if pkg.isSource():
+            return
+
+        alt_files = set()
+        for script in (pkg.header[tag]
+                       for tag in (rpm.RPMTAG_POSTIN,
+                                   rpm.RPMTAG_PREIN,
+                                   rpm.RPMTAG_POSTTRANS)):
+            alt_files.update(self.read_ghost_files(Pkg.b2s(script)))
+
+        files = pkg.files()
+        ghost_files = pkg.ghostFiles()
+
+        for af in alt_files:
+            # /etc/alternatives/$(basename) should be a ghost file
+            etc_alt_file = "/etc/alternatives/%s" % os.path.basename(af)
+
+            if etc_alt_file not in files:
+                printWarning(pkg,
+                             'suse-alternative-link-missing', etc_alt_file)
+            elif etc_alt_file not in ghost_files:
+                printWarning(pkg,
+                             'suse-alternative-link-not-ghost', etc_alt_file)
+
+            # generic-name should be a symlink to /etc/alternatives/$(basename)
+            if af not in files:
+                printWarning(pkg,
+                             'suse-alternative-generic-name-missing', af)
+            elif not stat.S_ISLNK(files[af].mode):
+                printWarning(pkg,
+                             'suse-alternative-generic-name-not-symlink', af)
+
+            # TODO check that %post contains --install call
+            # TODO check that %preun contains --remove call
+
+
+check = CheckUpdateAlternatives()
+
+if Config.info:
+    addDetails(
+'suse-alternative-generic-name-not-symlink',
+'''The update-alternative generic-name is not a symlink pointing to
+%{_sysconfdir}/alternatives/$(basename generic-name).
+''',
+
+'suse-alternative-link-not-ghost',
+'''The %{_sysconfdir}/alternatives/$(basename generic-name) link exists but is
+not marked as ghost. Mark it as %ghost.''',
+
+'suse-alternative-link-missing',
+'''The file %{_sysconfdir}/alternatives/$(basename generic-name) is missing
+in the file list. Mark it as %ghost and add it to the file list.''',
+
+'suse-alternative-generic-name-missing',
+'''The update-alternatives generic name is not in the filelist. Create it as
+a symlink to %{_sysconfdir}/alternatives/$(basename generic-name) and add it
+to the file list.''')