diff --git a/.github/tooling/defunct-readme.sh b/.github/tooling/defunct-readme.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f7ef2dc39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/tooling/defunct-readme.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -eu
+# This script searches through any READMEs which have
+# been removed (or renamed) from the current branch 
+# (via a diff with master) and scans for references
+# for them in all files within the curretn working directory
+#
+# If a reference to a now deleted/renamed README is 
+# found, an error is raised (exit code 1)
+#
+# Silas Hayes-Williams, 2026
+
+if [[ "$1" =~ ^(-h|--help)$ ]]; then
+    printf "usage: defunct-readme [-h | --help] <branch>\n\n"
+    printf "Scan for all README files deleted or renamed on the
+current branch (compared to <branch>) and check for references in
+remaining files. An error is thrown if any reference is found.\n"
+    exit
+fi
+
+echo "Searching for deleted READMEs..."
+
+git diff --diff-filter DR --name-status $1 \
+    | awk '{print $2}' \
+    | grep '^doc/README/' \
+    | while read -r file; do
+    echo "$file was deleted, scanning for references"
+   
+    # remove 'doc/' and '.agda, replace / with .
+    module=${file#"doc/"}
+    module=${module%".agda"}
+    module=${module//\//.} 
+    
+    # search for *any* reference to the README
+    # be it an import, in a comment, or wherever 
+    # else. 
+    #
+    # ([^\.]*)?$ says the module must be followed 
+    # by *anything but* a '.' + any other text, or 
+    # followed by nothing at all
+    #
+    # E.g. if README.A was deleted, then it would match
+    #         "-- see README.A for some notes. :-)"
+    #      or "-- see README.A"
+    # but not "-- see README.A.Some.Sub.Module"
+    grep -r -E ".*$module([^\.].*)?$" | while read -r ref; do
+        echo "ERROR: file referenced: $ref" >&2
+        exit 1
+    done
+
+    if [[ $? == 1 ]]; then
+        exit 1
+    fi
+done