diff --git a/commit_hooks/config.cfg b/commit_hooks/config.cfg
index 233d418..47fd56d 100644
--- a/commit_hooks/config.cfg
+++ b/commit_hooks/config.cfg
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 CHECK_PUPPET_LINT="enabled" # enabled, permissive or disabled (permissive runs but return code is ignored)
 USE_PUPPET_FUTURE_PARSER="enabled" # enabled or disabled
+CHECK_INITIAL_COMMIT="disabled" # enabled or disabled
 export PUPPET_LINT_OPTIONS="" # puppet-lint options to use if no rc file is present.  Defaults to "--no-80chars-check"
diff --git a/pre-receive b/pre-receive
index 7079097..1cf687a 100755
--- a/pre-receive
+++ b/pre-receive
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export TERM
 # Decide if we want the puppet future parser (already on puppet 4?)
 CHECK_PUPPET_LINT="enabled"
 USE_PUPPET_FUTURE_PARSER="enabled"
+CHECK_INITIAL_COMMIT="disabled"
 if [[ -e ${subhook_root}/config.cfg ]] ; then
     source "${subhook_root}/config.cfg"
 fi
@@ -49,7 +50,18 @@ while read -r oldrev newrev refname; do
       oldrev=$(git show-branch | grep '\*' | grep -v "$newrev" | head -n1 | sed 's/.*\[\(.*\)\].*/\1/' | sed 's/[\^~].*//')
     fi
 
-    for changedfile in $(git diff --name-only "$oldrev" "$newrev" --diff-filter=ACM); do
+    files_list=''
+    if [[ "x$oldrev" == 'x' ]]; then
+      if [[ $CHECK_INITIAL_COMMIT != "disabled" ]] ; then
+        files_list=$(git ls-tree --full-tree -r HEAD --name-only)
+      else
+        echo "Skipping file checks this is the initial commit..."
+      fi
+    else
+      files_list=$(git diff --name-only "$oldrev" "$newrev" --diff-filter=ACM)
+    fi
+
+    for changedfile in $files_list; do
         tmpmodule="$tmptree/$changedfile"
         [[ -f "$tmpmodule" ]] || continue
         #check puppet manifest syntax