diff --git a/doorstop/core/tests/test_item_validator.py b/doorstop/core/tests/test_item_validator.py
index 28e58da63..853eeee27 100644
--- a/doorstop/core/tests/test_item_validator.py
+++ b/doorstop/core/tests/test_item_validator.py
@@ -299,3 +299,76 @@ def mock_iter2(self):  # pylint: disable=W0613
         self.item.tree = mock_tree
 
         self.assertTrue(self.item_validator.validate(self.item))
+
+    @patch("doorstop.settings.CHECK_CHILD_LINKS_STRICT", True)
+    def test_validate_strict_child_links(self):
+        """Verify root items are linked to from all child documents"""
+        root_doc = MockSimpleDocument()
+        root_doc.prefix = "ROOT"
+
+        child_doc_a = MockSimpleDocument()
+        child_doc_a.prefix = "CHILD_A"
+        child_doc_a.parent = root_doc.prefix
+
+        child_doc_b = MockSimpleDocument()
+        child_doc_b.prefix = "CHILD_B"
+        child_doc_b.parent = root_doc.prefix
+
+        root_doc.children = [child_doc_a.prefix, child_doc_b.prefix]
+
+        root_item_a = MockItem(root_doc, "ROOT001.yml")
+        root_item_b = MockItem(root_doc, "ROOT002.yml")
+        child_item_a = MockItem(child_doc_a, "CHILD_A001.yml")
+        child_item_b = MockItem(child_doc_b, "CHILD_B001.yml")
+
+        all_items = [root_item_a, root_item_b, child_item_a, child_item_b]
+
+        root_doc.set_items([root_item_a, root_item_b])
+        child_doc_a.set_items([child_item_a])
+        child_doc_b.set_items([child_item_b])
+
+        def mock_iter(seq):
+            """Create a mock __iter__ method."""
+
+            def _iter(self):  # pylint: disable=W0613
+                """Mock __iter__method."""
+                yield from seq
+
+            return _iter
+
+        mock_tree = Mock()
+        mock_tree.__iter__ = mock_iter([root_doc, child_doc_a, child_doc_b])
+        mock_tree.find_item = lambda uid: next(
+            filter(lambda item: item.uid == uid, all_items), None
+        )
+
+        for item in all_items:
+            item.text = "text"
+            item.tree = mock_tree
+
+        # Only create a link from each child document
+        # to a different item in the root document, such
+        # that not every item in the root has a child link
+        # from every document
+        child_item_a.links = [root_item_a.uid]
+        child_item_b.links = [root_item_b.uid]
+
+        self.item_validator = MockItemValidator()
+        issues = list(self.item_validator.get_issues(root_item_a))
+        self.assertEqual(len(issues), 1)
+        self.assertIn("no links from document: CHILD_B", "{}".format(issues))
+
+        issues = list(self.item_validator.get_issues(root_item_b))
+        self.assertEqual(len(issues), 1)
+        self.assertIn("no links from document: CHILD_A", "{}".format(issues))
+
+        # Now make sure that every item in the root is
+        # linked to by an item from every child document
+        child_item_a.links = [root_item_a.uid, root_item_b.uid]
+        child_item_b.links = [root_item_b.uid, root_item_a.uid]
+
+        issues = list(self.item_validator.get_issues(root_item_a))
+        self.assertEqual(len(issues), 0)
+
+        issues = list(self.item_validator.get_issues(root_item_b))
+        self.assertEqual(len(issues), 0)
diff --git a/scent.py b/scent.py
index 01ed57f9a..898af8494 100644
--- a/scent.py
+++ b/scent.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import subprocess
 
 from sniffer.api import select_runnable, file_validator, runnable
+
 try:
     from pync import Notifier
 except ImportError:
@@ -24,30 +25,30 @@ class Options:
     rerun_args = None
 
     targets = [
-        (('make', 'test-unit', 'DISABLE_COVERAGE=true'), "Unit Tests", True),
-        (('make', 'test-int'), "Integration Tests", False),
-        (('make', 'check'), "Static Analysis", True),
-        (('make', 'demo'), "Run Demo", False),
-        (('make', 'docs'), None, True),
+        (("make", "test-unit", "DISABLE_COVERAGE=true"), "Unit Tests", True),
+        (("make", "test-int"), "Integration Tests", False),
+        (("make", "check"), "Static Analysis", True),
+        (("make", "demo"), "Run Demo", False),
+        (("make", "docs"), None, True),
     ]
 
 
-@select_runnable('run_targets')
+@select_runnable("run_targets")
 @file_validator
 def python_files(filename):
-    return filename.endswith('.py')
+    return filename.endswith(".py")
 
 
-@select_runnable('run_targets')
+@select_runnable("run_targets")
 @file_validator
 def html_files(filename):
-    return filename.split('.')[-1] in ['html', 'css', 'js']
+    return filename.split(".")[-1] in ["html", "css", "js"]
 
 
 @runnable
 def run_targets(*args):
     """Run targets for Python."""
-    Options.show_coverage = 'coverage' in args
+    Options.show_coverage = "coverage" in args
 
     count = 0
     for count, (command, title, retry) in enumerate(Options.targets, start=1):
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ def call(command, title, retry):
             return False
 
     print("")
-    print("$ %s" % ' '.join(command))
+    print("$ %s" % " ".join(command))
     failure = subprocess.call(command)
 
     if failure and retry:
@@ -95,6 +96,6 @@ def show_notification(message, title):
 def show_coverage():
     """Launch the coverage report."""
     if Options.show_coverage:
-        subprocess.call(['make', 'read-coverage'])
+        subprocess.call(["make", "read-coverage"])
 
     Options.show_coverage = False