diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yml b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
index d6309513f6..0432db5fbf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
@@ -92,11 +92,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checking out repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Install addlicense
-        run: go install github.com/google/addlicense@latest
-
       - name: Run license checks
-        run: addlicense -check -ignore '.git/**' -ignore 'build/**' -ignore 'llvm*/**' .
+        run: |
+          git fetch --no-tags --prune --depth=1 origin "${GITHUB_BASE_REF?}:${GITHUB_BASE_REF?}"
+          ./build_tools/github_actions/lint_check_license.sh -b "${GITHUB_BASE_REF}"
 
   shell-script-check:
     if: "github.event_name == 'pull_request'"
diff --git a/build_tools/github_actions/lint_check_license.sh b/build_tools/github_actions/lint_check_license.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..940c0d46f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build_tools/github_actions/lint_check_license.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Copyright 2024 The StableHLO Authors.
+# 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
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+print_usage() {
+  echo "Usage: $0 [-b]"
+  echo "    -b <branch>  Base branch name, defaults to main."
+}
+
+BASE_BRANCH=main
+while getopts 'b:' flag; do
+  case "${flag}" in
+    b) BASE_BRANCH="$OPTARG" ;;
+    *) print_usage
+       exit 1 ;;
+  esac
+done
+shift $(( OPTIND - 1 ))
+
+if [[ $# -ne 0 ]] ; then
+  print_usage
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Gathering changed files..."
+echo
+mapfile -t CHANGED_FILES < <(git diff "$BASE_BRANCH" HEAD --name-only --diff-filter=d)
+if (( ${#CHANGED_FILES[@]} == 0 )); then
+  echo "Found no changed files."
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo "Checking the following files for licenses:
+$(printf "%s\n" "${CHANGED_FILES[@]}")"
+echo
+
+UNLICENSED_FILES=()
+for file in "${CHANGED_FILES[@]}"; do
+  if [[ "$file" == MODULE.bazel.lock ]]; then
+    echo "Skipping generated file: $file"
+    echo
+    continue
+  fi
+  if [[ "$file" = *.mlir ]]; then
+    echo "Skipping MLIR assembly file: $file"
+    echo
+    continue
+  fi
+  if [[ "$file" = *.md ]]; then
+    echo "Skipping Markdown file: $file"
+    echo
+    continue
+  fi
+  if ! head -20 "$file" | grep "Copyright" &>/dev/null; then
+    UNLICENSED_FILES+=("$file")
+  fi
+done
+
+if (( ${#UNLICENSED_FILES} )); then
+  echo "Found unlicensed files:
+$(printf "%s\n" "${UNLICENSED_FILES[@]}")"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Found no unlicensed files."