diff --git a/docs/api/module/advanced_fields.md b/docs/api/module/advanced_fields.md
index 2c18549a..e910e0a9 100644
--- a/docs/api/module/advanced_fields.md
+++ b/docs/api/module/advanced_fields.md
@@ -18,6 +18,69 @@ Equinox modules can be used as [abstract base classes](https://docs.python.org/3
     selection:
         members: false
 
+## Checking invariants
+
+Equinox extends dataclasses with a `__check_init__` method, which is automatically ran after initialisation. This can be used to check invariants like so:
+
+```python
+class Positive(eqx.Module):
+    x: int
+
+    def __check_init__(self):
+        if self.x <= 0:
+            raise ValueError("Oh no!")
+```
+
+This method has three key differences compared to the `__post_init__` provided by dataclasses:
+
+- It is not overridden by an `__init__` method of a subclass. In contrast, the following code has a silent bug:
+    
+    ```python
+    class Parent(eqx.Module):
+        x: int
+
+        def __check_init__(self):
+            if self.x <= 0:
+                raise ValueError("Oh no!")
+
+    class Child(Parent):
+        x_as_str: str
+
+        def __init__(self, x):
+            self.x = x
+            self.x_as_str = str(x)
+
+    Child(-1)  # No error!
+    ```
+
+- It is automatically called for parent classes; `super().__check_init__()` is not required:
+
+    ```python
+    class Parent(eqx.Module):
+        def __check_init__(self):
+            print("Parent")
+
+    class Child(Parent):
+        def __check_init__(self):
+            print("Child")
+
+    Child()  # prints out both Child and Parent
+    ```
+
+    As with the previous bullet point, this is to prevent child classes accidentally failing to check that the invariants of their parent hold.
+
+- Assignment is not allowed:
+    
+    ```python
+    class MyModule(eqx.Module):
+        foo: int
+
+        def __check_init__(self):
+            self.foo = 1  # will raise an error
+    ```
+
+    This is to prevent `__check_init__` from doing anything too surprising: as the name suggests, it's meant to be used for checking invariants.
+
 ## Creating wrapper modules
 
 ::: equinox.module_update_wrapper
diff --git a/equinox/_module.py b/equinox/_module.py
index 724826b7..4f4cfc54 100644
--- a/equinox/_module.py
+++ b/equinox/_module.py
@@ -196,6 +196,13 @@ def __call__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
             else:
                 setattr(self, field.name, converter(getattr(self, field.name)))
         object.__setattr__(self, "__class__", cls)
+        for kls in cls.__mro__:
+            try:
+                check = kls.__dict__["__check_init__"]
+            except KeyError:
+                pass
+            else:
+                check(self)
         return self
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_module.py b/tests/test_module.py
index 35c0e725..a235ddad 100644
--- a/tests/test_module.py
+++ b/tests/test_module.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import dataclasses
 import functools as ft
 from typing import Any
 
@@ -285,3 +286,104 @@ class B(A, foo=True):
         pass
 
     assert called
+
+
+def test_check_init():
+    class FooException(Exception):
+        pass
+
+    called_a = False
+    called_b = False
+
+    class A(eqx.Module):
+        a: int
+
+        def __check_init__(self):
+            nonlocal called_a
+            called_a = True
+            if self.a >= 0:
+                raise FooException
+
+    class B(A):
+        def __check_init__(self):
+            nonlocal called_b
+            called_b = True
+
+    class C(A):
+        pass
+
+    assert not called_a
+    assert not called_b
+    A(-1)
+    assert called_a
+    assert not called_b
+
+    called_a = False
+    with pytest.raises(FooException):
+        A(1)
+    assert called_a
+    assert not called_b
+
+    called_a = False
+    B(-1)
+    assert called_a
+    assert called_b
+
+    called_a = False
+    called_b = False
+    with pytest.raises(FooException):
+        B(1)
+    assert called_a
+    assert called_b  # B.__check_init__ is called before A.__check_init__
+
+    called_a = False
+    called_b = False
+    C(-1)
+    assert called_a
+    assert not called_b
+
+    called_a = False
+    with pytest.raises(FooException):
+        C(1)
+    assert called_a
+    assert not called_b
+
+
+def test_check_init_order():
+    called_a = False
+    called_b = False
+    called_c = False
+
+    class A(eqx.Module):
+        def __check_init__(self):
+            nonlocal called_a
+            called_a = True
+
+    class B(A):
+        def __check_init__(self):
+            nonlocal called_b
+            called_b = True
+            raise ValueError
+
+    class C(B):
+        def __check_init__(self):  # pyright: ignore
+            nonlocal called_c
+            called_c = True
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        C()
+
+    assert called_c
+    assert called_b
+    assert not called_a
+
+
+def test_check_init_no_assignment():
+    class A(eqx.Module):
+        x: int
+
+        def __check_init__(self):
+            self.x = 4
+
+    with pytest.raises(dataclasses.FrozenInstanceError):
+        A(1)