diff --git a/makefiles/lint/python/pylint.mk b/makefiles/lint/python/pylint.mk
index 028f5dc..cf7e173 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/python/pylint.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/python/pylint.mk
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Copyright 2022-2024 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
 #
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License")
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 # You may obtain a copy of the License at
 #
@@ -15,40 +15,81 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
+
 ##-------------------##
 ##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
 ##-------------------##
+.PHONY: lint-pylint lint-pylint-all lint-pylint-modified
 
-# Gather sources to check
-# TODO: implement deps, only check modified files
-python-check-find := find . -name '*venv*' -prune\
-  -o \( -name '*.py' \)\
-  -type f -print0
-
-# python-check    := $(env-clean) pylint
-python-check    := pylint
-
-# python-check-args += --dry-run
-
-##-------------------##
-##---]  TARGETS  [---##
-##-------------------##
-ifndef NO-LINT-PYTHON
-  lint        : lint-python-pylint
-  lint-python : lint-python-pylint
-endif
+PYTHON_FILES      ?= $(error PYTHON_FILES= required)
 
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-## Intent: Perform a lint check on makefile sources
+## Intent: Use the pylint command to perform syntax checking.
+##   o If UNSTABLE=1 syntax check all sources
+##   o else only check sources modified by the developer.
+## Usage:
+##   % make lint UNSTABLE=1
+##   % make lint-pylint-all
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-lint-python-pylint:
-	$(HIDE)$(env-clean) $(python-check-find) \
-	    | $(xargs-n1) $(python-check) $(python-check-args)
+ifndef NO-LINT-PYLINT
+  lint-pylint-mode := $(if $(have-python-files),modified,all)
+  lint        : lint-pylint
+  lint-pylint : lint-pylint-$(lint-pylint-mode)
+endif# NO-LINT-PYLINT
 
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-## Intent: Display command help
+## Intent: exhaustive pylint syntax checking
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-help-summary ::
-	@echo '  lint-python-pylint  Syntax check python sources (*.py)'
+
+# Construct: find . \( -name '__ignored__' -o -name dir -o name dir \)
+# pylint-find-filter := $(null)
+# pylint-find-filter += -name '__ignored__'#   # for alignment
+# pylint-find-filter += $(foreach dir,$(onf-excl-dirs),-o -name $(dir)))
+
+# pylint-find-filter := $(call gen-python-find-excl,onf-excl-dirs)
+# $(error pylint-find-filter := $(pylint-find-filter))
+lint-pylint-all: $(venv-activate-script)
+	$(MAKE) --no-print-directory lint-pylint-install
+
+	$(activate) && $(call gen-python-find-cmd) | $(xargs-n1) pylint
+#	    | $(xargs-n1-clean) yamllint --strict
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: check deps for format and python3 cleanliness
+## Note:
+##   pylint --py3k option no longer supported
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+lint-pylint-modified: $(venv-activate-script)
+	$(MAKE) --no-print-directory lint-pylint-install
+
+	$(activate) && pylint $(PYTHON_FILES)
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent:
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+.PHONY: lint-pylint-install
+lint-pylint-install: $(venv-activate-script)
+	@echo
+	@echo "** -----------------------------------------------------------------------"
+	@echo "** python pylint syntax checking"
+	@echo "** -----------------------------------------------------------------------"
+	$(activate) && pip install --upgrade pylint
+	$(activate) && pylint --version
+	@echo
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Display command usage
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help::
+	@echo '  lint-pylint          Syntax check python using the pylint command'
+  ifdef VERBOSE
+	@echo '  $(MAKE) lint-pylint PYTHON_FILES=...'
+	@echo '  lint-pylint-modified  pylint checking: only modified'
+	@echo '  lint-pylint-all       pylint checking: exhaustive'
+	@echo '  lint-pylint-install   Install the pylint command'
+  endif
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
 
 # [EOF]