diff --git a/makefiles/lint/python/find_utils.mk b/makefiles/lint/python/find_utils.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ab4c4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/lint/python/find_utils.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Intent:
+#   o Construct a find command able to gather python files with filtering.
+#   o Used by library makefiles flake8.mk and pylint.mk for iteration.
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Construct a string for invoking find \( excl-pattern \) -prune
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+gen-python-find-excl = \
+  $(strip \
+	-name '__ignored__' \
+	$(foreach dir,$($(1)),-o -name $(dir)) \
+  )
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Construct a find command to gather a list of python files
+##         with exclusions.
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Usage:
+#	$(activate) & $(call gen-python-find-cmd) | $(args-n1) pylint
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+gen-python-find-cmd = \
+  $(strip \
+    find . \
+      \( $(call gen-python-find-excl,onf-excl-dirs) \) -prune \
+      -o -name '*.py' \
+      -print0 \
+  )
+
+# [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/python/flake8 b/makefiles/lint/python/flake8
index 4283c3c..763b942 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/python/flake8
+++ b/makefiles/lint/python/flake8
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@
 
 lint : lint-python
 
-lint-python: vst_venv
-	-source ./$</bin/activate \
-	    && set -u \
+lint-python: $(venv-activate-script)
+	-$(activate) \
 	    && pylint $(PYTHON_FILES) \
 	    && flake8 --max-line-length=99 --count $(PYTHON_FILE)S
 
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/python/flake8.mk b/makefiles/lint/python/flake8.mk
index 7a36aaf..6b2b561 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/python/flake8.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/python/flake8.mk
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Copyright 2022-2024 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
 #
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# 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
 #
@@ -15,35 +15,80 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
+
 ##-------------------##
 ##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
 ##-------------------##
+.PHONY: lint-flake8 lint-flake8-all lint-flake8-modified
 
-# Gather sources to check
-# TODO: implement deps, only check modified files
-python-check-find := find . -name '*venv*' -prune\
-  -o \( -name '*.py' \)\
-  -type f -print0
-
-##-------------------##
-##---]  TARGETS  [---##
-##-------------------##
-ifndef NO-LINT-PYTHON-FLAKE8
-  lint        : lint-python-flake8
-  lint-python : lint-python-flake8
-endif
+PYTHON_FILES      ?= $(error PYTHON_FILES= required)
 
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-## Intent: Perform a lint check on makefile sources
+## Intent: Use the flake8 command to perform syntax checking.
+## Usage:
+##   % make lint
+##   % make lint-flake8-all
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-lint-python-flake8:
-	$(HIDE)$(env-clean) $(python-check-find) \
+ifndef NO-LINT-FLAKE8
+  lint-flake8-mode := $(if $(have-python-files),modified,all)
+  lint        : lint-flake8
+  lint-flake8 : lint-flake8-$(lint-flake8-mode)
+endif# NO-LINT-FLAKE8
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: exhaustive flake8 syntax checking
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Construct: find . \( -name '__ignored__' -o -name dir -o name dir \)
+# flake8-find-filter := $(null)
+# flake8-find-filter += -name '__ignored__'#    # for alignment
+# flake8-find-filter += $(foreach dir,$(onf-excl-dirs),-o -name $(dir)))
+
+lint-flake8-all: $(venv-activate-script)
+	$(HIDE)$(MAKE) --no-print-directory lint-flake8-install
+
+	$(activate) && $(call gen-python-find-cmd) \
 	    | $(xargs-n1) flake8 --max-line-length=99 --count
 
+#  && find . \( $(flake8-find-filter) \) -prune -o -name '*.py' -print0 \
+# 	| $(xargs-n1) flake8 --max-line-length=99 --count
+
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-## Intent: Display command help
+## Intent: check deps for format and python3 cleanliness
+## Note:
+##   pylint --py3k option no longer supported
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-help-summary ::
-	@echo '  lint-python-flake8  Syntax check python sources (*.py)'
+lint-flake8-modified: $(venv-activate-script)
+	$(HIDE)$(MAKE) --no-print-directory lint-flake8-install
+
+	$(activate)\
+ && flake8 --max-line-length=99 --count $(PYTHON_FILES)
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent:
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+.PHONY: lint-flake8-install
+lint-flake8-install: $(venv-activate-script)
+	@echo
+	@echo "** -----------------------------------------------------------------------"
+	@echo "** python flake8 syntax checking"
+	@echo "** -----------------------------------------------------------------------"
+	$(activate) && pip install --upgrade flake8
+	$(activate) && flake8 --version
+	@echo
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Display command usage
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help::
+	@echo '  lint-flake8          Syntax check python using the flake8 command'
+  ifdef VERBOSE
+	@echo '  $(MAKE) lint-pylint PYTHON_FILES=...'
+	@echo '  lint-flake8-modified  flake8 checking: only modified'
+	@echo '  lint-flake8-all       flake8 checking: exhaustive'
+	@echo '  lint-flake8-install   Install the flake8 command'
+  endif
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/python/include.mk b/makefiles/lint/python/include.mk
index b052d84..57dfd8b 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/python/include.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/python/include.mk
@@ -15,31 +15,17 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-ifndef mk-include--onf-lint-python#       # one-time loader
-
 $(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
 
-## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-## Intent: Display early so lint targets are grouped
-## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-help ::
-#	@echo
-#	@echo '[PYTHON]'
-	@echo '  lint-python         Syntax check python sources (*.py)'
-#	@echo '  help-lint-python-flake8'
-#	@echo '  help-lint-python-pylint'
+##-------------------##
+##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+$(if $(UNSTABLE),$(eval lint-python-all := true))
 
-## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-  ifndef NO-LINT-PYTHON
-    include $(ONF_MAKEDIR)/lint/python/flake8.mk
-    include $(ONF_MAKEDIR)/lint/python/pylint.mk
-  endif
-
-  mk-include--onf-lint-python := true
+include $(ONF_MAKEDIR)/lint/python/find_utils.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKEDIR)/lint/python/flake8.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKEDIR)/lint/python/pylint.mk
 
 $(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
 
-endif # mk-include--onf-lint-license
-
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/python/pylint.mk b/makefiles/lint/python/pylint.mk
index 028f5dc..cf7e173 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/python/pylint.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/python/pylint.mk
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Copyright 2022-2024 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
 #
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# 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
 #
@@ -15,40 +15,81 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
+
 ##-------------------##
 ##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
 ##-------------------##
+.PHONY: lint-pylint lint-pylint-all lint-pylint-modified
 
-# Gather sources to check
-# TODO: implement deps, only check modified files
-python-check-find := find . -name '*venv*' -prune\
-  -o \( -name '*.py' \)\
-  -type f -print0
-
-# python-check    := $(env-clean) pylint
-python-check    := pylint
-
-# python-check-args += --dry-run
-
-##-------------------##
-##---]  TARGETS  [---##
-##-------------------##
-ifndef NO-LINT-PYTHON
-  lint        : lint-python-pylint
-  lint-python : lint-python-pylint
-endif
+PYTHON_FILES      ?= $(error PYTHON_FILES= required)
 
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-## Intent: Perform a lint check on makefile sources
+## Intent: Use the pylint command to perform syntax checking.
+##   o If UNSTABLE=1 syntax check all sources
+##   o else only check sources modified by the developer.
+## Usage:
+##   % make lint UNSTABLE=1
+##   % make lint-pylint-all
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-lint-python-pylint:
-	$(HIDE)$(env-clean) $(python-check-find) \
-	    | $(xargs-n1) $(python-check) $(python-check-args)
+ifndef NO-LINT-PYLINT
+  lint-pylint-mode := $(if $(have-python-files),modified,all)
+  lint        : lint-pylint
+  lint-pylint : lint-pylint-$(lint-pylint-mode)
+endif# NO-LINT-PYLINT
 
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-## Intent: Display command help
+## Intent: exhaustive pylint syntax checking
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-help-summary ::
-	@echo '  lint-python-pylint  Syntax check python sources (*.py)'
+
+# Construct: find . \( -name '__ignored__' -o -name dir -o name dir \)
+# pylint-find-filter := $(null)
+# pylint-find-filter += -name '__ignored__'#   # for alignment
+# pylint-find-filter += $(foreach dir,$(onf-excl-dirs),-o -name $(dir)))
+
+# pylint-find-filter := $(call gen-python-find-excl,onf-excl-dirs)
+# $(error pylint-find-filter := $(pylint-find-filter))
+lint-pylint-all: $(venv-activate-script)
+	$(MAKE) --no-print-directory lint-pylint-install
+
+	$(activate) && $(call gen-python-find-cmd) | $(xargs-n1) pylint
+#	    | $(xargs-n1-clean) yamllint --strict
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: check deps for format and python3 cleanliness
+## Note:
+##   pylint --py3k option no longer supported
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+lint-pylint-modified: $(venv-activate-script)
+	$(MAKE) --no-print-directory lint-pylint-install
+
+	$(activate) && pylint $(PYTHON_FILES)
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent:
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+.PHONY: lint-pylint-install
+lint-pylint-install: $(venv-activate-script)
+	@echo
+	@echo "** -----------------------------------------------------------------------"
+	@echo "** python pylint syntax checking"
+	@echo "** -----------------------------------------------------------------------"
+	$(activate) && pip install --upgrade pylint
+	$(activate) && pylint --version
+	@echo
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Display command usage
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help::
+	@echo '  lint-pylint          Syntax check python using the pylint command'
+  ifdef VERBOSE
+	@echo '  $(MAKE) lint-pylint PYTHON_FILES=...'
+	@echo '  lint-pylint-modified  pylint checking: only modified'
+	@echo '  lint-pylint-all       pylint checking: exhaustive'
+	@echo '  lint-pylint-install   Install the pylint command'
+  endif
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
 
 # [EOF]