diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index f85fa50a8..c386b7490 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,15 @@ repos:
         language: node
         additional_dependencies: ["prettier@3.7.4"]
         stages: [manual]
+      - id: check-makefile-indentation
+        name: check Makefiles are indented with tabs
+        description: ensures that Makefiles are indented with tabs
+        entry: ./scripts/check_makefiles_for_tabs.sh
+        language: system
+        files: "(?i)^makefile$"
+        pass_filenames: true # <-- Crucial change: pass filenames to the script
+        types: [file] # Ensure only regular files are passed, not directories
+        stages: [manual]
       - id: check-zip-file-is-not-committed
         name: disallow zip files
         description: Zip files are not allowed in the repository
diff --git a/scripts/check_makefiles_for_tabs.sh b/scripts/check_makefiles_for_tabs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..5d93e0428
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check_makefiles_for_tabs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Iterate over all files passed as arguments by pre-commit
+for makefile in "$@"; do
+  # Check if the file exists and is a regular file
+  if [[ -f "$makefile" ]]; then
+    if grep -P '^\s' "$makefile" | grep -vP '^\t' > /dev/null; then
+      echo "Error: File '$makefile' contains spaces at the beginning of lines instead of tabs."
+      exit 1
+    fi
+  fi
+done
+exit 0