diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 1d473d8cc5a18..e9bfccfb7d147 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ Never regenerate the entire Cargo.lock. When adding or changing dependencies:
 * **Never run bare `cargo update`** — it bumps every semver-compatible dep in the workspace, causing unrelated breakage from transitive dependency changes.
 * **If the lock file was regenerated**, diff it before committing (`git diff Cargo.lock | grep '^[+-]version'`) and pin back any unintended bumps with `cargo update -p <crate> --precise <old-version>`.
 
+To catch a forgotten `Cargo.lock` commit before CI does (saves ~15 min per push), install the pre-push hook once per clone:
+
+```sh
+ln -sf ../../bin/git-hook-pre-push .git/hooks/pre-push
+```
+
 ### Licensing
 
 Two files control license policy and **must be kept in sync**: `deny.toml` (`[licenses].allow`) and `about.toml` (`accepted`). When a new dependency introduces a license not already allowed, add the SPDX identifier to both files.
diff --git a/bin/git-hook-pre-push b/bin/git-hook-pre-push
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000..00f1ba15ad3a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/git-hook-pre-push
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Copyright Materialize, Inc. and contributors. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Use of this software is governed by the Business Source License
+# included in the LICENSE file at the root of this repository.
+#
+# As of the Change Date specified in that file, in accordance with
+# the Business Source License, use of this software will be governed
+# by the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+#
+# git-hook-pre-push — fast checks for the CI failures that waste the most time.
+#
+# Install:
+#   ln -sf ../../bin/git-hook-pre-push .git/hooks/pre-push
+#
+# Currently checks:
+#   - Cargo.lock is in sync with Cargo.toml files (catches the common case
+#     where a workspace dep was added but Cargo.lock wasn't committed).
+#
+# Bypass (emergencies only): git push --no-verify
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+cd "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)"
+
+cargo_changed=false
+while read -r _ local_sha _ remote_sha; do
+    if [ "$remote_sha" = "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000" ]; then
+        remote_sha="$(git merge-base HEAD origin/main 2>/dev/null || echo HEAD~1)"
+    fi
+    if git diff --name-only "$remote_sha" "$local_sha" 2>/dev/null \
+        | grep -qE '(^|/)Cargo\.(toml|lock)$'; then
+        cargo_changed=true
+        break
+    fi
+done
+
+if [ "$cargo_changed" = false ]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if ! command -v cargo &>/dev/null; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if ! cargo metadata --locked --offline --format-version 1 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo >&2 ""
+    echo >&2 "pre-push: Cargo.lock is out of sync with Cargo.toml."
+    echo >&2 ""
+    echo >&2 "  Run:  cargo check"
+    echo >&2 "  Then: git add Cargo.lock && git commit"
+    echo >&2 ""
+    echo >&2 "Bypass (if you know what you're doing): git push --no-verify"
+    echo >&2 ""
+    exit 1
+fi