diff --git a/build_tools/circle/linting.sh b/build_tools/circle/linting.sh
index dad7ad95ce7c1..c23cd80d3afd6 100755
--- a/build_tools/circle/linting.sh
+++ b/build_tools/circle/linting.sh
@@ -161,3 +161,14 @@ then
     echo $bad_deprecation_property_order
     exit 1
 fi
+
+# Check for default doctest directives ELLIPSIS and NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE
+
+doctest_directive="$(git grep -nw -E "# doctest\: \+(ELLIPSIS|NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE)")"
+
+if [ ! -z "$doctest_directive" ]
+then
+    echo "ELLIPSIS and NORMALIZE_WHITESPACE doctest directives are enabled by default, but were found in:"
+    echo "$doctest_directive"
+    exit 1
+fi