diff --git a/modules/Makefile.am b/modules/Makefile.am
index 89de092cd7..3eddf9d50b 100644
--- a/modules/Makefile.am
+++ b/modules/Makefile.am
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ pkglib_LTLIBRARIES =
 noinst_HEADERS =
 check_PROGRAMS =
 pkglibexec_PROGRAMS =
-EXTRA_DIST =
+EXTRA_DIST = check_vlc_modules_list.sh
 CLEANFILES =
 
 SUBDIRS =
-TESTS =
+TESTS = check_vlc_modules_list.sh
 
 dist_noinst_SCRIPTS = module.rc.in
 EXTRA_LTLIBRARIES =
diff --git a/modules/check_vlc_modules_list.sh b/modules/check_vlc_modules_list.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..fa20a2c519
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/check_vlc_modules_list.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Copyright (C) Alexandre Janniaux <ajanni@videolabs.io>
+#
+# License: see COPYING
+#
+## Check that vlc_modules_list points to existing plugins
+set -e
+
+# When run from make check, we're in the modules build directory
+MODULE_LIST="vlc_modules_list"
+
+if [ ! -f "$MODULE_LIST" ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: $MODULE_LIST not found" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+errors=0
+
+# Parse vlc_modules_list with format: plugin_name: relative/path/to/plugin.ext
+while IFS= read -r line; do
+    [ -z "$line" ] && continue
+
+    plugin="${line%%: *}"
+    plugin_path="${line#*: }"
+
+    # Path is relative to top build directory, we're in modules/
+    full_path="../$plugin_path"
+
+    if [ ! -f "$full_path" ]; then
+        echo "MISSING: $plugin -> $full_path" >&2
+        errors=$((errors + 1))
+    fi
+done < "$MODULE_LIST"
+
+if [ $errors -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: $errors plugin(s) listed in vlc_modules_list not found" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "OK: All plugins in vlc_modules_list exist"