diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index b01601ecc5..ba79fd3541 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -260,7 +260,10 @@ test: all
 shellcheck:
 	$(top_srcdir)/scripts/maint/checkShellScripts.sh
 
-check-local: check-spaces check-changes check-includes check-best-practices shellcheck check-cocci
+check-practracker-unit-test:
+	$(top_srcdir)/scripts/maint/practracker/test_practracker.sh
+
+check-local: check-spaces check-changes check-includes check-practracker-unit-test check-best-practices shellcheck check-cocci
 
 need-chutney-path:
 	@if test ! -d "$$CHUTNEY_PATH"; then \
diff --git a/changes/ticket32609 b/changes/ticket32609
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2fc3f733f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/ticket32609
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+  o Testing:
+    - Run the practracker unit tests as part of "make check", and in the
+      pre-commit git hook. Closes ticket 32609.
diff --git a/scripts/git/pre-commit.git-hook b/scripts/git/pre-commit.git-hook
index c138d2ae21..95d566b17d 100755
--- a/scripts/git/pre-commit.git-hook
+++ b/scripts/git/pre-commit.git-hook
@@ -54,6 +54,17 @@ if [ -e scripts/maint/checkShellScripts.sh ]; then
     scripts/maint/checkShellScripts.sh
 fi
 
+# Always run the practracker unit tests
+PT_DIR=scripts/maint/practracker
+
+if [ -e "${PT_DIR}/test_practracker.sh" ]; then
+    "${PT_DIR}/test_practracker.sh"
+fi
+
+if [ -e scripts/maint/checkSpaceTest.sh ]; then
+    scripts/maint/checkSpaceTest.sh
+fi
+
 if [ ! "$CHECK_FILES" ]; then
     echo "No modified tor-owned source files, skipping further checks"
     exit 0
@@ -75,13 +86,9 @@ fi
 # Only call practracker if ${PT_DIR}/.enable_practracker_in_hooks exists
 # We do this check so that we can enable practracker in hooks in master, and
 # disable it on maint branches
-PT_DIR=scripts/maint/practracker
-
 if [ -e "${PT_DIR}/practracker.py" ]; then
     if [ -e "${PT_DIR}/.enable_practracker_in_hooks" ]; then
-        if ! python3 "${PT_DIR}/practracker.py" "$workdir"; then
-            exit 1
-        fi
+        python3 "${PT_DIR}/practracker.py" "$workdir"
     fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/scripts/maint/practracker/includes.py b/scripts/maint/practracker/includes.py
index f2d91b63a1..ed0e11ef28 100755
--- a/scripts/maint/practracker/includes.py
+++ b/scripts/maint/practracker/includes.py
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
    file in each directory.  This file contains empty lines, #-prefixed
    comments, filenames (like "lib/foo/bar.h") and file globs (like lib/*/*.h)
    for files that are permitted.
+
+   The script exits with an error if any non-permitted includes are found.
+   .may_include files that contain "!advisory" are considered advisory.
+   Advisory .may_include files only result in warnings, rather than errors.
 """
 
 
diff --git a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/.may_include b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/.may_include
index 40bf8155d9..8542a35807 100644
--- a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/.may_include
+++ b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/.may_include
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 !advisory
 
 permitted.h
+ext/good.c
diff --git a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/a.c b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/a.c
index 1939773f57..3c338ab40d 100644
--- a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/a.c
+++ b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/a.c
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 
 # include "permitted.h"
 
+#include "ext/good.c"
+#include "bad.c"
+
 int
 i_am_a_function(void)
 {
diff --git a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex0-expected.txt b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex0-expected.txt
index 5f3d9e5aec..502005edb1 100644
--- a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex0-expected.txt
+++ b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex0-expected.txt
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-problem file-size a.c 38
-problem include-count a.c 4
+problem file-size a.c 41
+problem include-count a.c 6
 problem function-size a.c:i_am_a_function() 9
 problem function-size a.c:another_function() 12
-problem dependency-violation a.c 3
+problem dependency-violation a.c 4
 problem file-size b.c 15
 problem function-size b.c:foo() 4
 problem function-size b.c:bar() 5
diff --git a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex1-overbroad-expected.txt b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex1-overbroad-expected.txt
index f69c608f40..b757202dae 100644
--- a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex1-overbroad-expected.txt
+++ b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex1-overbroad-expected.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-problem file-size a.c 40 -> 38
+problem file-size a.c 45 -> 41
 problem file-size z.c 100 -> 0
diff --git a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex1.txt b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex1.txt
index c698005d07..af8de03291 100644
--- a/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex1.txt
+++ b/scripts/maint/practracker/testdata/ex1.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
-problem file-size a.c 40
-problem include-count a.c 4
+problem file-size a.c 45
+problem include-count a.c 6
 # this problem will produce an error
 problem function-size a.c:i_am_a_function() 8
 # this problem will produce a warning
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ problem file-size b.c 15
 problem file-size z.c 100
 
 problem function-size b.c:bar() 5
-problem dependency-violation a.c 3
+problem dependency-violation a.c 4
 problem dependency-violation header.h 3
 problem file-size header.h 8
 problem include-count header.h 4
diff --git a/src/app/config/.may_include b/src/app/config/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..11c5ffbb14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/config/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*.h
+*.inc
diff --git a/src/app/main/.may_include b/src/app/main/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/main/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/api/.may_include b/src/feature/api/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/api/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/client/.may_include b/src/feature/client/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/client/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/control/.may_include b/src/feature/control/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/control/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/dirauth/.may_include b/src/feature/dirauth/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/dirauth/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/dircache/.may_include b/src/feature/dircache/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/dircache/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/dirclient/.may_include b/src/feature/dirclient/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/dirclient/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/dircommon/.may_include b/src/feature/dircommon/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/dircommon/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/dirparse/.may_include b/src/feature/dirparse/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/dirparse/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/hibernate/.may_include b/src/feature/hibernate/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/hibernate/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/hs/.may_include b/src/feature/hs/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/hs/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/hs_common/.may_include b/src/feature/hs_common/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/hs_common/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/keymgt/.may_include b/src/feature/keymgt/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/keymgt/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/nodelist/.may_include b/src/feature/nodelist/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/nodelist/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/relay/.may_include b/src/feature/relay/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/relay/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/rend/.may_include b/src/feature/rend/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/rend/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/feature/stats/.may_include b/src/feature/stats/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/feature/stats/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/test/.may_include b/src/test/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..11c5ffbb14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+*.h
+*.inc
diff --git a/src/test/fuzz/.may_include b/src/test/fuzz/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/fuzz/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/tools/.may_include b/src/tools/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tools/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/trunnel/.may_include b/src/trunnel/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/trunnel/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h
diff --git a/src/trunnel/hs/.may_include b/src/trunnel/hs/.may_include
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..424c745c12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/trunnel/hs/.may_include
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.h