diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index f33cba09..747f6029 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -15,11 +15,12 @@ matrix:
       env: TEST_SUITE=fmt
     - rvm: jruby-9.0.5.0
       env: TEST_SUITE=test
+    - rvm: 2.3.0
+      env: TEST_SUITE=default-site
 env:
   matrix:
     - TEST_SUITE=test
     - TEST_SUITE=cucumber
-
 branches:
   only:
     - master
diff --git a/script/cibuild b/script/cibuild
index 59f4d1b2..4cdb6bac 100755
--- a/script/cibuild
+++ b/script/cibuild
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ then
   script/fmt
   script/test ci
   script/cucumber
+  script/default-site
 elif [[ -x "script/$TEST_SUITE" ]]
 then
   script/$TEST_SUITE
diff --git a/script/default-site b/script/default-site
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..576f9117
--- /dev/null
+++ b/script/default-site
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Runs the `jekyll new` command and builds the default site as a sanity check
+
+set -e
+
+echo "$0: setting up tmp directory"
+mkdir -p ./tmp
+rm -Rf ./tmp/default-site
+
+echo "$0: creating new default site"
+bundle exec jekyll new tmp/default-site
+pushd tmp/default-site
+
+echo "$0: installing default site dependencies"
+bundle install
+echo "$0: building the default site"
+bundle exec jekyll build --verbose
+popd