diff --git a/bin/cmd.js b/bin/cmd.js
index 793e55b..a72a272 100755
--- a/bin/cmd.js
+++ b/bin/cmd.js
@@ -9,15 +9,18 @@ const url = require('url')
 const nopt = require('nopt')
 
 const pretty = require('../lib/format-pretty')
+const tap = require('../lib/format-tap')
 const Validator = require('../lib')
 
 const knownOpts = { help: Boolean
                   , version: Boolean
                   , 'validate-metadata': Boolean
+                  , tap: Boolean
                   }
 const shortHand = { h: ['--help']
                   , v: ['--version']
                   , V: ['--validate-metadata']
+                  , t: ['--tap']
                   }
 
 const parsed = nopt(knownOpts, shortHand)
@@ -73,10 +76,16 @@ function loadPatch(uri, cb) {
 
 const v = new Validator(parsed)
 
-v.on('commit', (c) => {
-  pretty(c.commit, c.messages, v)
-  run()
-})
+if (parsed.tap) {
+  v.on('commit', (c) => {
+    tap(c.commit, c.messages, v, run)
+  })
+} else {
+  v.on('commit', (c) => {
+    pretty(c.commit, c.messages, v)
+    run()
+  })
+}
 
 function run() {
   if (!args.length) {
diff --git a/lib/format-pretty.js b/lib/format-pretty.js
index de88e8e..99b1885 100644
--- a/lib/format-pretty.js
+++ b/lib/format-pretty.js
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ module.exports = function formatPretty(context, msgs, validator, opts) {
     return
   }
 
-  let level = 'warn'
+  let level = 'pass'
   for (const msg of msgs) {
-    if (msg.level === 'error') level = 'error'
+    if (msg.level === 'fail') level = 'fail'
   }
 
   msgs.sort((a, b) => {
@@ -62,19 +62,22 @@ function formatLength(msg, opts) {
   const str = msg.string
   const l = str.length
   if (!opts.detailed) return out
-  const diff = str.slice(0, msg.column) + chalk.red(str.slice(msg.column, l))
+  var col = msg.column || 0
+  const diff = str.slice(0, col) + chalk.red(str.slice(col, l))
   return `${out}
       ${diff}`
 }
 
 function formatMessage(msg) {
-  const pad = utils.rightPad(`${msg.line}:${msg.column}`, MAX_LINE_COL_LEN)
+  const l = msg.line || 0
+  const col = msg.column || 0
+  const pad = utils.rightPad(`${l}:${col}`, MAX_LINE_COL_LEN)
   const line = chalk.grey(pad)
   const id = formatId(msg.id)
   const m = msg.message
-  const icon = msg.level === 'error'
+  const icon = msg.level === 'fail'
     ? utils.X
-    : utils.WARN
+    : utils.CHECK
   return `     ${icon}  ${line}  ${utils.rightPad(m, 40)} ${id}`
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/format-tap.js b/lib/format-tap.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..579532f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/format-tap.js
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const tap = require('tap')
+
+module.exports = function formatTap(context, msgs, validator, cb) {
+  tap.test(context.sha, (t) => {
+    for (const m of msgs) {
+      switch (m.level) {
+        case 'pass':
+          const a = m.string
+            ? ` [${m.string}]`
+            : ''
+          t.pass(`${m.id}: ${m.message}${a}`)
+          break
+        case 'skip':
+          t.pass(`${m.id}: ${m.message}`, {
+            skip: true
+          })
+          break
+        case 'fail':
+          onFail(context, m, validator, t)
+          break
+      }
+    }
+
+    t.end()
+  })
+
+  tap.on('end', cb)
+}
+
+function onFail(context, m, validator, t) {
+  switch (m.id) {
+    case 'line-length':
+    case 'title-length':
+      lengthFail(context, m, validator, t)
+      break
+    case 'subsystem':
+      subsystemFail(context, m, validator, t)
+      break
+    default:
+      defaultFail(context, m, validator, t)
+      break
+  }
+}
+
+function lengthFail(context, m, validator, t) {
+  const body = m.id === 'title-length'
+    ? context.title
+    : context.body
+  t.fail(`${m.id}: ${m.message}`, {
+    found: m.string.length
+  , compare: '<='
+  , wanted: m.maxLength
+  , at: {
+      line: m.line || 0
+    , column: m.column || 0
+    , file: body
+    , function: ''
+    }
+  })
+}
+
+function subsystemFail(context, m, validator, t) {
+  t.fail(`${m.id}: ${m.message} (${m.string})`, {
+    found: m.string
+  , compare: 'indexOf() !== -1'
+  , wanted: m.wanted || ''
+  , at: {
+      line: m.line || 0
+    , column: m.column || 0
+    , file: context.title
+    , function: ''
+    }
+  })
+}
+
+function defaultFail(context, m, validator, t) {
+  const body = m.id === 'subsystem'
+    ? context.title
+    : context.body
+  t.fail(`${m.id}: ${m.message} (${m.string})`, {
+    found: m.string
+  , compare: Array.isArray(m.wanted) ? 'indexOf() !== -1' : '==='
+  , wanted: m.wanted || ''
+  , at: {
+      line: m.line || 0
+    , column: m.column || 0
+    , file: context.description
+    , function: ''
+    }
+  })
+}
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 3724521..9af4383 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ module.exports = class ValidateCommit extends EE {
       throw new Error('Invalid report. Missing commit sha')
     }
 
-    if (opts.data.level === 'error')
+    if (opts.data.level === 'fail')
       this.errors++
     const ar = this.messages.get(sha) || []
     ar.push(opts.data)
diff --git a/lib/rules/fixes-url.js b/lib/rules/fixes-url.js
index 08a4a94..953c9bb 100644
--- a/lib/rules/fixes-url.js
+++ b/lib/rules/fixes-url.js
@@ -12,8 +12,15 @@ module.exports = {
 , options: {}
 , validate: (context, rule) => {
     const parsed = context.toJSON()
-    if (!Array.isArray(parsed.fixes)) return
-    if (!parsed.fixes.length) return
+    if (!Array.isArray(parsed.fixes) || !parsed.fixes.length) {
+      context.report({
+        id: id
+      , message: 'skipping fixes-url'
+      , string: ''
+      , level: 'skip'
+      })
+      return
+    }
     for (const url of parsed.fixes) {
       if (url[0] === '#') {
         // See nodejs/node#2aa376914b621018c5784104b82c13e78ee51307
@@ -25,7 +32,17 @@ module.exports = {
         , string: url
         , line: line
         , column: column
-        , level: 'error'
+        , level: 'fail'
+        })
+      } else {
+        const { line, column } = findLineAndColumn(context.body, url)
+        context.report({
+          id: id
+        , message: 'Valid fixes url'
+        , string: url
+        , line: line
+        , column: column
+        , level: 'pass'
         })
       }
     }
diff --git a/lib/rules/line-length.js b/lib/rules/line-length.js
index 9257990..4e32f5b 100644
--- a/lib/rules/line-length.js
+++ b/lib/rules/line-length.js
@@ -19,10 +19,20 @@ module.exports = {
     const parsed = context.toJSON()
     // release commits include the notable changes from the changelog
     // in the commit message
-    if (parsed.release) return
+    if (parsed.release) {
+      context.report({
+        id: id
+      , message: 'skipping line-length for release commit'
+      , string: ''
+      , level: 'skip'
+      })
+      return
+    }
+    var failed = false
     for (let i = 0; i < parsed.body.length; i++) {
       const line = parsed.body[i]
       if (line.length > len) {
+        failed = true
         context.report({
           id: id
         , message: `Line should be <= ${len} columns.`
@@ -30,9 +40,18 @@ module.exports = {
         , maxLength: len
         , line: i
         , column: len
-        , level: 'error'
+        , level: 'fail'
         })
       }
     }
+
+    if (!failed) {
+      context.report({
+        id: id
+      , message: 'line-lengths are valid'
+      , string: ''
+      , level: 'pass'
+      })
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/rules/pr-url.js b/lib/rules/pr-url.js
index cf1772d..88562a3 100644
--- a/lib/rules/pr-url.js
+++ b/lib/rules/pr-url.js
@@ -18,28 +18,38 @@ module.exports = {
       , string: context.prUrl
       , line: 0
       , column: 0
-      , level: 'error'
+      , level: 'fail'
       })
+      return
     }
-    if (context.prUrl && context.prUrl[0] === '#') {
-      // see nodejs/node#7d3a7ea0d7df9b6f11df723dec370f49f4f87e99
-      // for an example
-      var line = -1
-      var column = -1
-      for (var i = 0; i < context.body.length; i++) {
-        const l = context.body[i]
-        if (~l.indexOf('PR-URL') && ~l.indexOf(context.prUrl)) {
-          line = i
-          column = l.indexOf(context.prUrl)
+    if (context.prUrl) {
+      if (context.prUrl[0] === '#') {
+        // see nodejs/node#7d3a7ea0d7df9b6f11df723dec370f49f4f87e99
+        // for an example
+        var line = -1
+        var column = -1
+        for (var i = 0; i < context.body.length; i++) {
+          const l = context.body[i]
+          if (~l.indexOf('PR-URL') && ~l.indexOf(context.prUrl)) {
+            line = i
+            column = l.indexOf(context.prUrl)
+          }
         }
+        context.report({
+          id: id
+        , message: 'PR-URL must be a url, not a pr number.'
+        , string: context.prUrl
+        , line: line
+        , column: column
+        , level: 'fail'
+        })
       }
+    } else {
       context.report({
         id: id
-      , message: 'PR-URL must be a url, not a pr number.'
+      , message: 'PR-URL is valid'
       , string: context.prUrl
-      , line: line
-      , column: column
-      , level: 'error'
+      , level: 'pass'
       })
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/rules/reviewers.js b/lib/rules/reviewers.js
index bff9cd9..7450210 100644
--- a/lib/rules/reviewers.js
+++ b/lib/rules/reviewers.js
@@ -13,7 +13,15 @@ module.exports = {
 , validate: (context, rule) => {
     const parsed = context.toJSON()
     // release commits generally won't have any reviewers
-    if (parsed.release) return
+    if (parsed.release) {
+      context.report({
+        id: id
+      , message: 'skipping reviewers for release commit'
+      , string: ''
+      , level: 'skip'
+      })
+      return
+    }
 
     if (!Array.isArray(parsed.reviewers) || !parsed.reviewers.length) {
       // See nodejs/node#5aac4c42da104c30d8f701f1042d61c2f06b7e6c
@@ -24,7 +32,7 @@ module.exports = {
       , string: null
       , line: 0
       , column: 0
-      , level: 'error'
+      , level: 'fail'
       })
     }
 
@@ -32,5 +40,12 @@ module.exports = {
     // This will probably be easier to do once we move gitlint-parser-node
     // over to using an array of objects with parsed reviewers vs an array
     // of strings
+
+    context.report({
+      id: id
+    , message: 'reviewers are valid'
+    , string: ''
+    , level: 'pass'
+    })
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/rules/subsystem.js b/lib/rules/subsystem.js
index 7007f6b..499334f 100644
--- a/lib/rules/subsystem.js
+++ b/lib/rules/subsystem.js
@@ -76,24 +76,44 @@ module.exports = {
         , string: parsed.title
         , line: 0
         , column: 0
-        , level: 'error'
+        , level: 'fail'
+        , wanted: subs
+        })
+      } else {
+        context.report({
+          id: id
+        , message: 'Release commits does not have subsystems'
+        , string: ''
+        , level: 'skip'
         })
       }
     } else {
+      var failed = false
       for (const sub of parsed.subsystems) {
         if (!~subs.indexOf(sub)) {
+          failed = true
           // invalid subsystem
           const column = parsed.title.indexOf(sub)
           context.report({
             id: id
-          , message: `Invalid subsystem: "${sub}".`
+          , message: `Invalid subsystem: "${sub}"`
           , string: parsed.title
           , line: 0
           , column: column
-          , level: 'warning'
+          , level: 'fail'
+          , wanted: subs
           })
         }
       }
+
+      if (!failed) {
+        context.report({
+          id: id
+        , message: 'valid subsystems'
+        , string: parsed.subsystems.join(',')
+        , level: 'pass'
+        })
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/rules/title-length.js b/lib/rules/title-length.js
index 24c946a..97b7bb8 100644
--- a/lib/rules/title-length.js
+++ b/lib/rules/title-length.js
@@ -24,8 +24,16 @@ module.exports = {
       , maxLength: len
       , line: 0
       , column: len
-      , level: 'error'
+      , level: 'fail'
       })
+      return
     }
+
+    context.report({
+      id: id
+    , message: `Title is <= ${len} columns.`
+    , string: ''
+    , level: 'pass'
+    })
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/utils.js b/lib/utils.js
index 45b5177..9f766ad 100644
--- a/lib/utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils.js
@@ -19,11 +19,13 @@ exports.rightPad = function rightPad(str, max) {
 
 exports.header = (sha, status) => {
   switch (status) {
+    case 'skip':
     case 'pass':
-      return `${CHECK}  ${chalk.underline(sha)}`
-    case 'warn':
-      return `${WARN}  ${chalk.underline(sha)}`
-    case 'error':
+      const suffix = status === 'skip'
+        ? ' # SKIPPED'
+        : ''
+      return `${CHECK}  ${chalk.underline(sha)}${suffix}`
+    case 'fail':
       return `${X}  ${chalk.underline(sha)}`
   }
 }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 36107c3..1a46638 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@
     "chalk": "~1.1.1",
     "gitlint-parser-node": "^1.0.1",
     "help": "^2.1.3",
-    "nopt": "^3.0.6"
+    "nopt": "^3.0.6",
+    "tap": "^6.3.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "lintit": "~1.0.1",
-    "tap": "~5.7.0"
+    "lintit": "~1.0.1"
   },
   "license": "MIT",
   "bin": {