diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/drop_ref.rs b/clippy_lints/src/drop_forget_ref.rs
similarity index 54%
rename from clippy_lints/src/drop_ref.rs
rename to clippy_lints/src/drop_forget_ref.rs
index bddf47d3f45a..3950cdb6acf9 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/drop_ref.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/drop_forget_ref.rs
@@ -25,12 +25,32 @@ declare_lint! {
     "calls to `std::mem::drop` with a reference instead of an owned value"
 }
 
+/// **What it does:** Checks for calls to `std::mem::forget` with a reference
+/// instead of an owned value.
+///
+/// **Why is this bad?** Calling `forget` on a reference will only forget the
+/// reference itself, which is a no-op. It will not forget the underlying referenced
+/// value, which is likely what was intended.
+///
+/// **Known problems:** None.
+///
+/// **Example:**
+/// ```rust
+/// let x = Box::new(1);
+/// std::mem::forget(&x) // Should have been forget(x), x will still be dropped
+/// ```
+declare_lint! {
+    pub FORGET_REF,
+    Warn,
+    "calls to `std::mem::forget` with a reference instead of an owned value"
+}
+
 #[allow(missing_copy_implementations)]
 pub struct Pass;
 
 impl LintPass for Pass {
     fn get_lints(&self) -> LintArray {
-        lint_array!(DROP_REF)
+        lint_array!(DROP_REF, FORGET_REF)
     }
 }
 
@@ -39,17 +59,29 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> LateLintPass<'a, 'tcx> for Pass {
         if_let_chain!{[
             let ExprCall(ref path, ref args) = expr.node,
             let ExprPath(ref qpath) = path.node,
-            match_def_path(cx, cx.tcx.tables().qpath_def(qpath, path.id).def_id(), &paths::DROP),
             args.len() == 1,
         ], {
+            let def_id = cx.tcx.tables().qpath_def(qpath, path.id).def_id();
+            let lint;
+            let msg;
+            if match_def_path(cx, def_id, &paths::DROP) {
+                lint = DROP_REF;
+                msg = "call to `std::mem::drop` with a reference argument. \
+                       Dropping a reference does nothing";
+            } else if match_def_path(cx, def_id, &paths::MEM_FORGET) {
+                lint = FORGET_REF;
+                msg = "call to `std::mem::forget` with a reference argument. \
+                       Forgetting a reference does nothing";
+            } else {
+                return;
+            }
             let arg = &args[0];
             let arg_ty = cx.tcx.tables().expr_ty(arg);
             if let ty::TyRef(..) = arg_ty.sty {
                 span_note_and_lint(cx,
-                                   DROP_REF,
+                                   lint,
                                    expr.span,
-                                   "call to `std::mem::drop` with a reference argument. \
-                                   Dropping a reference does nothing",
+                                   msg,
                                    arg.span,
                                    &format!("argument has type {}", arg_ty.sty));
             }
diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/lib.rs b/clippy_lints/src/lib.rs
index 3e0aa17f0fb8..f362ff12a85c 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/lib.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/lib.rs
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ pub mod cyclomatic_complexity;
 pub mod derive;
 pub mod doc;
 pub mod double_parens;
-pub mod drop_ref;
+pub mod drop_forget_ref;
 pub mod entry;
 pub mod enum_clike;
 pub mod enum_glob_use;
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ pub fn register_plugins(reg: &mut rustc_plugin::Registry) {
     reg.register_early_lint_pass(box non_expressive_names::NonExpressiveNames {
         max_single_char_names: conf.max_single_char_names,
     });
-    reg.register_late_lint_pass(box drop_ref::Pass);
+    reg.register_late_lint_pass(box drop_forget_ref::Pass);
     reg.register_late_lint_pass(box types::AbsurdExtremeComparisons);
     reg.register_late_lint_pass(box types::InvalidUpcastComparisons);
     reg.register_late_lint_pass(box regex::Pass::default());
@@ -360,7 +360,8 @@ pub fn register_plugins(reg: &mut rustc_plugin::Registry) {
         derive::EXPL_IMPL_CLONE_ON_COPY,
         doc::DOC_MARKDOWN,
         double_parens::DOUBLE_PARENS,
-        drop_ref::DROP_REF,
+        drop_forget_ref::DROP_REF,
+        drop_forget_ref::FORGET_REF,
         entry::MAP_ENTRY,
         enum_clike::ENUM_CLIKE_UNPORTABLE_VARIANT,
         enum_variants::ENUM_VARIANT_NAMES,