diff --git a/build.py b/build.py
index 9a2cab025f..7dbc4c5540 100755
--- a/build.py
+++ b/build.py
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ SPEC = [path
         for path in ifind('test/spec')
         if path.endswith('.js')]
 
+TASKS = [path
+         for path in ifind('tasks')
+         if path.endswith('.js')]
+
 SRC = [path
        for path in ifind('src/ol')
        if path.endswith('.js')
@@ -123,14 +127,14 @@ def report_sizes(t):
 virtual('default', 'build')
 
 
-virtual('ci', 'lint', 'jshint', 'build', 'test',
+virtual('ci', 'lint', 'build', 'test',
     'build/examples/all.combined.js', 'check-examples', 'apidoc')
 
 
 virtual('build', 'build/ol.css', 'build/ol.js', 'build/ol-debug.js')
 
 
-virtual('check', 'lint', 'build/ol.js', 'jshint', 'test')
+virtual('check', 'lint', 'build/ol.js', 'test')
 
 
 virtual('todo', 'fixme')
@@ -307,7 +311,7 @@ def serve(t):
 
 
 virtual('lint', 'build/lint-timestamp', 'build/check-requires-timestamp',
-    'build/check-whitespace-timestamp')
+    'build/check-whitespace-timestamp', 'jshint')
 
 
 @target('build/lint-timestamp', SRC, EXAMPLES_SRC, SPEC, precious=True)
@@ -322,7 +326,7 @@ def build_lint_src_timestamp(t):
 
 virtual('jshint', 'build/jshint-timestamp')
 
-@target('build/jshint-timestamp', SRC, EXAMPLES_SRC, SPEC,
+@target('build/jshint-timestamp', SRC, EXAMPLES_SRC, SPEC, TASKS,
         precious=True)
 def build_jshint_timestamp(t):
     t.run(variables.JSHINT, '--verbose', t.newer(t.dependencies))
diff --git a/tasks/.jshintrc b/tasks/.jshintrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..143ea62260
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/.jshintrc
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "curly": true,
+  "eqeqeq": true,
+  "indent": 2,
+  "latedef": true,
+  "newcap": true,
+  "nonew": true,
+  "quotmark": "single",
+  "undef": true,
+  "trailing": true,
+  "maxlen": 80,
+  "globals": {
+    "__dirname": false,
+    "exports": true,
+    "module": false,
+    "process": false,
+    "require": false
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tasks/generate-exports.js b/tasks/generate-exports.js
index 95afa890f9..5547758384 100644
--- a/tasks/generate-exports.js
+++ b/tasks/generate-exports.js
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ function getConfig(configPath, callback) {
       var obj;
       try {
         obj = JSON.parse(String(data));
-      } catch (err) {
-        callback(new Error('Trouble parsing file as JSON: ' + options.config));
+      } catch (err2) {
+        callback(new Error('Trouble parsing file as JSON: ' + configPath));
         return;
       }
       var patterns = obj.exports;
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ if (require.main === module) {
     fse.outputFile.bind(fse, options.output)
   ], function(err) {
     if (err) {
-      console.error(err.message);
+      process.stderr.write(err.message + '\n');
       process.exit(1);
     } else {
       process.exit(0);
diff --git a/tasks/generate-externs.js b/tasks/generate-externs.js
index 1962883aa0..3bd5117e22 100644
--- a/tasks/generate-externs.js
+++ b/tasks/generate-externs.js
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ function generateExterns(typedefs, symbols, externs) {
 
   function nameToJS(name) {
     processedSymbols[name] = true;
-    if (name.indexOf('.') == -1) {
+    if (name.indexOf('.') === -1) {
       name = 'var ' + name;
     }
     return name;
   }
 
   function noGoogTypes(typesWithGoog) {
-    typesWithoutGoog = [];
+    var typesWithoutGoog = [];
     typesWithGoog.forEach(function(type) {
       typesWithoutGoog.push(type.replace(/^goog\..*$/, '*'));
     });
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ function generateExterns(typedefs, symbols, externs) {
     }
 
     lines.push('/**');
-    if (symbol.kind == 'class') {
+    if (symbol.kind === 'class') {
       constructors[name] = true;
       lines.push(' * @constructor');
     }
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ function generateExterns(typedefs, symbols, externs) {
       lines.push(' * @template ' + symbol.template);
     }
     lines.push(' */');
-    if (symbol.kind == 'function' || symbol.kind == 'class') {
+    if (symbol.kind === 'function' || symbol.kind === 'class') {
       lines.push(nameToJS(name) + ' = function(' + args.join(', ') + ') {};');
     } else {
       lines.push(nameToJS(name) + ';');
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ if (require.main === module) {
     fse.outputFile.bind(fse, options.output)
   ], function(err) {
     if (err) {
-      console.error(err.message);
+      process.stderr.write(err.message + '\n');
       process.exit(1);
     } else {
       process.exit(0);
diff --git a/tasks/generate-info.js b/tasks/generate-info.js
index 7f6832115b..724049553e 100644
--- a/tasks/generate-info.js
+++ b/tasks/generate-info.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ function getNewerExterns(date, callback) {
   walker.on('file', function(root, stats, next) {
     var sourcePath = path.join(root, stats.name);
     externsPaths.forEach(function(path) {
-      if (sourcePath == path && stats.mtime > date) {
+      if (sourcePath === path && stats.mtime > date) {
         newer = true;
       }
     });
@@ -97,6 +97,33 @@ function getNewer(date, newer, callback) {
 }
 
 
+/**
+ * Parse the JSDoc output.
+ * @param {string} output JSDoc output
+ * @return {Object} Symbol and define info.
+ */
+function parseOutput(output) {
+  if (!output) {
+    throw new Error('Expected JSON output');
+  }
+
+  var info;
+  try {
+    info = JSON.parse(String(output));
+  } catch (err) {
+    throw new Error('Failed to parse output as JSON: ' + output);
+  }
+  if (!Array.isArray(info.symbols)) {
+    throw new Error('Expected symbols array: ' + output);
+  }
+  if (!Array.isArray(info.defines)) {
+    throw new Error('Expected defines array: ' + output);
+  }
+
+  return info;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * Spawn JSDoc.
  * @param {Array.<string>} paths Paths to source files.
@@ -142,33 +169,6 @@ function spawnJSDoc(paths, callback) {
 }
 
 
-/**
- * Parse the JSDoc output.
- * @param {string} output JSDoc output
- * @return {Object} Symbol and define info.
- */
-function parseOutput(output) {
-  if (!output) {
-    throw new Error('Expected JSON output');
-  }
-
-  var info;
-  try {
-    info = JSON.parse(String(output));
-  } catch (err) {
-    throw new Error('Failed to parse output as JSON: ' + output);
-  }
-  if (!Array.isArray(info.symbols)) {
-    throw new Error('Expected symbols array: ' + output);
-  }
-  if (!Array.isArray(info.defines)) {
-    throw new Error('Expected defines array: ' + output);
-  }
-
-  return info;
-}
-
-
 /**
  * Given the path to a source file, get the list of provides.
  * @param {string} srcPath Path to source file.
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ function main(callback) {
 if (require.main === module) {
   main(function(err) {
     if (err) {
-      console.error(err.message);
+      process.stderr.write(err.message + '\n');
       process.exit(1);
     } else {
       process.exit(0);
diff --git a/tasks/parse-examples.js b/tasks/parse-examples.js
index 0def06131a..09e86c1b64 100644
--- a/tasks/parse-examples.js
+++ b/tasks/parse-examples.js
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ async.waterfall([
   writeExampleList
 ], function(err) {
   if (err) {
-    console.error(err);
+    process.stderr.write(err + '\n');
     process.exit(1);
   }
 });
diff --git a/tasks/test.js b/tasks/test.js
index 40ee8ae198..1028659ef1 100644
--- a/tasks/test.js
+++ b/tasks/test.js
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ function listen(min, max, server, callback) {
  */
 serve.createServer(function(err, server) {
   if (err) {
-    console.error(err.message);
+    process.stderr.write(err.message + '\n');
     process.exit(1);
   }
 
   listen(3001, 3005, server, function(err) {
     if (err) {
-      console.error('Server failed to start: ' + err.message);
+      process.stderr.write('Server failed to start: ' + err.message + '\n');
       process.exit(1);
     }