diff --git a/makefiles/consts.mk b/makefiles/consts.mk
index 043ec65..ce71862 100644
--- a/makefiles/consts.mk
+++ b/makefiles/consts.mk
@@ -15,14 +15,24 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
+
+##-------------------##
+##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
+##-------------------##
 null         :=#
 space        :=$(null) $(null)
 dot          :=.
+
 HIDE         ?=@
 
-# use bash for pusdh/popd and quick failures.
-# virtual env(s) activate has undefined vars so no -u
-#   ^---+ verify this is still true
-export SHELL := bash -e -o pipefail
+env-clean   = /usr/bin/env --ignore-environment
+xargs-n1    := xargs -0 -t -n1 --no-run-if-empty
+
+have-shell-bash := $(filter bash,$(subst /,$(space),$(SHELL)))
+$(if $(have-shell-bash),$(null),\
+  $(eval export SHELL := /bin/bash -euo pipefail))
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/help/include.mk b/makefiles/help/include.mk
index a3a1320..7a93bd0 100644
--- a/makefiles/help/include.mk
+++ b/makefiles/help/include.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- makefile -*-
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Copyright 2017-2022 Open Networking Foundation
+# Copyright 2017-2023 Open Networking Foundation
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
diff --git a/makefiles/help/variables.mk b/makefiles/help/variables.mk
index a50b233..80171a7 100644
--- a/makefiles/help/variables.mk
+++ b/makefiles/help/variables.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- makefile -*-
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Copyright 2017-2022 Open Networking Foundation
+# Copyright 2017-2023 Open Networking Foundation
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
diff --git a/makefiles/include.mk b/makefiles/include.mk
index d44da5d..919ddaf 100644
--- a/makefiles/include.mk
+++ b/makefiles/include.mk
@@ -22,14 +22,19 @@
 
 MAKEDIR ?= $(error MAKEDIR= is required)
 
-## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-help::
-	@echo "USAGE: $(MAKE) [options] [target] ..."
-        # @echo "  test                          Sanity check chart versions"
+NO-LINT-MAKEFILE := true    # cleanup needed
+NO-LINT-JSON     := true    # pyenv needed
+NO-LINT-PYTHON   := true    # cleanup needed
+NO-LINT-ROBOT    := true    # pyenv needed
+NO-LINT-SHELL    := true    # cleanup needed
+# NO-LINT-YAML     := true
 
+##--------------------##
+##---]  INCLUDES  [---##
+##--------------------##
 include $(MAKEDIR)/consts.mk
 include $(MAKEDIR)/help/include.mk
+include $(MAKEDIR)/help/variables.mk
 include $(MAKEDIR)/lint/include.mk
 include $(MAKEDIR)/todo.mk
 
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/include.mk b/makefiles/lint/include.mk
index 979a6fb..32beda2 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/include.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/include.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- makefile -*-
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Copyright 2017-2022 Open Networking Foundation
+# Copyright 2017-2023 Open Networking Foundation
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -19,10 +19,20 @@
 	@echo
 	@echo "[LINT]"
 
-include $(MAKEDIR)/lint/json.mk
-include $(MAKEDIR)/lint/python.mk
-include $(MAKEDIR)/lint/robot.mk
-include $(MAKEDIR)/lint/shell.mk
-include $(MAKEDIR)/lint/yaml.mk
+ONF_MAKE := $(MAKEDIR)
+
+include $(ONF_MAKE)/lint/json.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKE)/lint/makefile.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKE)/lint/python.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKE)/lint/robot.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKE)/lint/shell.mk
+
+ifndef NO-LINT-YAML
+  ifdef YAML_FILES
+    include $(ONF_MAKE)/lint/yaml/python.mk
+  else
+    include $(ONF_MAKE)/lint/yaml/yamllint.mk
+  endif
+endif
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/json.mk b/makefiles/lint/json.mk
index 0a11c71..c3d5447 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/json.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/json.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- makefile -*-
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Copyright 2017-2022 Open Networking Foundation
+# Copyright 2017-2023 Open Networking Foundation
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@
 
 .PHONY: lint-json
 
-lint : lint-json
+ifndef NO-LINT-JSON
+  lint : lint-json
+endif
 
 lint-json: vst_venv
 	source ./$</bin/activate \
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/makefile.mk b/makefiles/lint/makefile.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..61de008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/lint/makefile.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+##-------------------##
+##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+xargs-n1-local := $(subst -t,$(null),$(xargs-n1))#   inhibit cmd display
+
+# Gather sources to check
+# TODO: implement deps, only check modified files
+make-check-find := find . \( -name makefile -o -name '*.mk' \) -type f -print0
+
+make-check    := $(env-clean) $(MAKE)
+make-check-args += --dry-run
+make-check-args += --keep-going
+make-check-args += --warn-undefined-variables
+make-check-args += --no-print-directory
+
+# Quiet internal undef vars
+make-check-args += DEBUG=
+
+##-------------------##
+##---]  TARGETS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+ifndef NO-LINT-MAKEFILE
+  lint : lint-make
+endif
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+lint-make:
+	$(HIDE)$(env-clean) $(make-check-find) \
+	    | $(xargs-n1-local) $(make-check) $(make-check-args)
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help ::
+	@echo '  lint-make                     Syntax check [Mm]akefile and *.mk'
+
+# [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/python.mk b/makefiles/lint/python.mk
index 5aecd58..9252657 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/python.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/python.mk
@@ -1,34 +1,39 @@
 # -*- makefile -*-
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Copyright 2017-2022 Open Networking Foundation
-#
-# 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.
+# Copyright 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-PYTHON_FILES ?= $(error PYTHON_FILES= is required)
+##-------------------##
+##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
+##-------------------##
 
-.PHONY: lint-python
+# Gather sources to check
+# TODO: implement deps, only check modified files
+python-check-find := find . -name '*venv*' -prune\
+  -o \( -name '*.py' \)\
+  -type f -print0
 
-lint : lint-python
+# python-check    := $(env-clean) pylint
+python-check    := pylint
 
-# check deps for format and python3 cleanliness
-lint-python: vst_venv
-	source ./$</bin/activate \
-	    ; set -u \
-	    ; pylint --py3k $(PYTHON_FILES) \
-	    ; flake8 --max-line-length=99 --count $(PYTHON_FILES)
+# python-check-args += --dry-run
 
-help::
-	@echo "  lint-python          Syntax check using pylint and flake8"
+##-------------------##
+##---]  TARGETS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+ifndef NO-LINT-PYTHON
+  lint : lint-python
+endif
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+lint-python:
+	$(HIDE)$(env-clean) $(python-check-find) \
+	    | $(xargs-n1) $(python-check) $(python-check-args)
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help ::
+	@echo '  lint-python                   Syntax check python sources'
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/robot.mk b/makefiles/lint/robot.mk
index ec5579e..f33c4ba 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/robot.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/robot.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- makefile -*-
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Copyright 2017-2022 Open Networking Foundation
+# Copyright 2017-2023 Open Networking Foundation
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@
 
 .PHONY: lint-robot
 
-lint : lint-robot
+ifndef NO-LINT-ROBOT
+  lint : lint-robot
+endif
 
 lint-robot: vst_venv
 	source ./$</bin/activate \
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/shell.mk b/makefiles/lint/shell.mk
index da92921..0180e90 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/shell.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/shell.mk
@@ -1,33 +1,39 @@
 # -*- makefile -*-
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Copyright 2017-2022 Open Networking Foundation
-#
-# 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.
+# Copyright 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-JSON_FILES ?= $(error JSON_FILES= is required)
+##-------------------##
+##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
+##-------------------##
 
-.PHONY: lint-shell
+# Gather sources to check
+# TODO: implement deps, only check modified files
+shell-check-find := find . -name '*.sh' -type f -print0
 
-lint : lint-shell
+# shell-check    := $(env-clean) pylint
+shell-check      := shellcheck
 
+shell-check-args += -a
+
+##-------------------##
+##---]  TARGETS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+ifndef NO-LINT-SHELL
+  lint : lint-shell
+endif
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 lint-shell:
-	shellcheck --version
-	find . \( -name 'staging' -o -name 'vst_venv' \) -prune \
-	    -o -name '*.sh' ! -name 'activate.sh' -print0 \
-	| xargs -0 -n1 shellcheck
+	$(shell-check) -V
+	@echo
+	$(HIDE)$(env-clean) $(shell-check-find) \
+	    | $(xargs-n1) $(shell-check) $(shell-check-args)
 
-help::
-	@echo "  lint-shell           Syntax check bash,bourne,etc sources"
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help ::
+	@echo '  lint-shell                    Syntax check shell sources'
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/yaml/.yamllint b/makefiles/lint/yaml/.yamllint
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a4fc1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/lint/yaml/.yamllint
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+#
+# 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.
+#
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+---
+
+yaml-files:
+  - '*.yaml'
+  - '*.yml'
+  - '.yamllint'
+
+rules:
+  document-start: disable
+  line-length:
+    max: 160
+
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# .. seealso: https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/helm-repo-tools/+/refs/heads/master/yamllint.conf
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
+# extends: default
+#
+#rules:
+#  empty-lines:
+#    max-end: 1
+#  line-length:
+#    max: 120
+#  braces:
+#    min-spaces-inside: 0
+#    max-spaces-inside: 1
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/yaml/python.mk b/makefiles/lint/yaml/python.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..868d9b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/lint/yaml/python.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+#
+# 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.
+#
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+YAML_FILES ?= $(error YAML_FILES= is required)
+
+lint-yaml-dep = $(addsuffix ^lint-yaml,$(YAML_FILES))
+lint-yaml-src = $(firstword $(subst ^,$(space),$(1)))
+
+##-------------------##
+##---]  TARGETS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+.PHONY : lint-yaml
+lint   : lint-yaml
+
+lint-yaml: $(venv-activate)
+lint-yaml: $(lint-yaml-dep)
+
+$(lint-yaml-dep):
+	$(vst-env) && yamllint -s $(call lint-yaml-src,$@)
+
+help::
+	@echo "  lint-yaml            Syntax check yaml sources"
+
+# [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/yaml/todo b/makefiles/lint/yaml/todo
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a9367b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/lint/yaml/todo
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+##-------------------##
+##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+env-clean = /usr/bin/env --ignore-environment
+xargs-n1      := xargs -0 -t -n1 --no-run-if-empty
+
+yamllint      := $(env-clean) $(YAMLLINT)
+yamllint-args := -c .yamllint
+
+##-------------------##
+##---]  TARGETS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+lint : lint-yaml
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+lint-yaml:
+	$(HIDE)$(env-clean) find . -name '*.yaml' -type f -print0 \
+	    | $(xargs-n1) $(yamllint) $(yamllint-args)
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help:
+	@echo
+	@echo "USAGE: $(MAKE)"
+	@echo "  lint        perform syntax checks on source"
+	@echo "  test        perform syntax checks on source"
+	@echo "  pre-check   Verify tools and deps are available for testing"
+	@echo
+	@echo "[LINT]"
+	@echo "  lint-json   Syntax check .json sources"
+	@echo "  lint-yaml   Syntax check .yaml sources"
+	@echo
+# [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/yaml/urls b/makefiles/lint/yaml/urls
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8747658
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/lint/yaml/urls
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+
+https://yamllint.readthedocs.io/en/stable/configuration.html
+
+# [EOF]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/yaml.mk b/makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.helm
similarity index 65%
rename from makefiles/lint/yaml.mk
rename to makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.helm
index c9cb392..6c7787b 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/yaml.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.helm
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- makefile -*-
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Copyright 2017-2022 Open Networking Foundation
+# Copyright 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -13,20 +13,20 @@
 # 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.
+#
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+---
+# yamllint.conf
 
-YAML_FILES ?= $(error YAML_FILES= is required)
+extends: default
 
-.PHONY: lint-yaml
-
-lint : lint-yaml
-
-lint-yaml: vst_venv
-	source ./$</bin/activate \
-	    ; set -u \
-	    ; yamllint -s $(YAML_FILES)
-
-help::
-	@echo "  lint-yaml            Syntax check yaml source using yamllint"
-
-# [EOF]
+rules:
+  empty-lines:
+    max-end: 1
+  line-length:
+    max: 120
+  braces:
+    min-spaces-inside: 0
+    max-spaces-inside: 1
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.mk b/makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0cf75de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
+
+yamllint      := $(env-clean) yamllint
+
+## -------------------------------
+## Add requirement(s) for checking
+## -------------------------------
+# yamllint-cfg := .yamllint
+yamllint-cfg := yamllint.helm
+yamllint-conf = $(wildcard $(yamllint-cfg) $(MAKEDIR)/lint/yaml/$(yamllint-cfg))
+yamllint-args += $(addprefix --config-file$(space),$(yamllint-conf))
+
+# yamllint-args := --no-warnings
+# yamllint-args := --strict
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+lint lint-yaml:
+	$(HIDE)$(env-clean) find . -name '*.yaml' -type f -print0 \
+	    | xargs -0 --no-run-if-empty -t -n1 $(yamllint) $(yamllint-args)
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help::
+	@echo "  lint-yaml                     Syntax check yaml sources"
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
+
+# [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/todo.mk b/makefiles/todo.mk
index e2db848..e2e826f 100644
--- a/makefiles/todo.mk
+++ b/makefiles/todo.mk
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 	@echo "[TODO: voltha-protos]"
 	@echo "  o Cleanup lint complaints so lint target can be enabled by default."
 	@echo "  o Directory go/ is under reivsion control but go-* targets will remove content"
+	@echo "  o Update NO-LINT* targets to auto-enable based on source availability"
 
 $(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))