diff --git a/python/tidy.py b/python/tidy.py
index 238dec69124..a474abaa0c8 100644
--- a/python/tidy.py
+++ b/python/tidy.py
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@
 # option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
 # except according to those terms.
 
+import contextlib
 import os
 import fnmatch
 import itertools
 import re
+import StringIO
 import sys
 from licenseck import licenses
 
@@ -77,7 +79,9 @@ EMACS_HEADER = "/* -*- Mode:"
 VIM_HEADER = "/* vim:"
 
 
-def check_license(contents):
+def check_license(file_name, contents):
+    if file_name.endswith(".toml"):
+        raise StopIteration
     while contents.startswith(EMACS_HEADER) or contents.startswith(VIM_HEADER):
         _, _, contents = contents.partition("\n")
     valid_license = any(contents.startswith(license) for license in licenses)
@@ -114,7 +118,7 @@ def check_whitespace(idx, line):
         yield (idx + 1, "CR on line")
 
 
-def check_by_line(contents):
+def check_by_line(file_name, contents):
     lines = contents.splitlines(True)
     for idx, line in enumerate(lines):
         errors = itertools.chain(
@@ -126,33 +130,43 @@ def check_by_line(contents):
             yield error
 
 
-def check_flake8(file_paths):
-    from flake8.main import check_file
+def check_flake8(file_name, contents):
+    from flake8.main import check_code
+
+    if not file_name.endswith(".py"):
+        raise StopIteration
+
+    @contextlib.contextmanager
+    def stdout_redirect(where):
+        sys.stdout = where
+        try:
+            yield where
+        finally:
+            sys.stdout = sys.__stdout__
 
     ignore = {
         "W291",  # trailing whitespace; the standard tidy process will enforce no trailing whitespace
         "E501",  # 80 character line length; the standard tidy process will enforce line length
     }
 
-    num_errors = 0
-
-    for file_path in file_paths:
-        if os.path.splitext(file_path)[-1].lower() != ".py":
-            continue
-
-        num_errors += check_file(file_path, ignore=ignore)
-
-    return num_errors
+    output = StringIO.StringIO()
+    with stdout_redirect(output):
+        check_code(contents, ignore=ignore)
+    for error in output.getvalue().splitlines():
+        _, line_num, _, message = error.split(":")
+        yield line_num, message.strip()
 
 
-def check_toml(contents):
+def check_toml(file_name, contents):
+    if not file_name.endswith(".toml"):
+        raise StopIteration
     contents = contents.splitlines(True)
     for idx, line in enumerate(contents):
         if line.find("*") != -1:
             yield (idx + 1, "found asterisk instead of minimum version number")
 
 
-def check_webidl_spec(contents):
+def check_webidl_spec(file_name, contents):
     # Sorted by this function (in pseudo-Rust). The idea is to group the same
     # organization together.
     # fn sort_standards(a: &Url, b: &Url) -> Ordering {
@@ -171,6 +185,8 @@ def check_webidl_spec(contents):
     #     }
     #     a_domain.path().cmp(b_domain.path())
     # }
+    if not file_name.endswith(".webidl"):
+        raise StopIteration
     standards = [
         "//www.khronos.org/registry/webgl/specs",
         "//developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API",
@@ -192,25 +208,18 @@ def check_webidl_spec(contents):
     ]
     for i in standards:
         if contents.find(i) != -1:
-            return True
-    return False
+            raise StopIteration
+    yield 0, "No specification link found."
 
 
 def collect_errors_for_files(files_to_check, checking_functions):
     for file_name in files_to_check:
         with open(file_name, "r") as fp:
             contents = fp.read()
-            if file_name.endswith(".toml"):
-                for error in check_toml(contents):
+            for check in checking_functions:
+                for error in check(file_name, contents):
+                    # filename, line, message
                     yield (file_name, error[0], error[1])
-            elif file_name.endswith(".webidl"):
-                if not check_webidl_spec(contents):
-                    yield (file_name, 0, "No specification link found.")
-            else:
-                for check in checking_functions:
-                    for error in check(contents):
-                        # filename, line, message
-                        yield (file_name, error[0], error[1])
 
 
 def check_reftest_order(files_to_check):
@@ -241,9 +250,7 @@ def scan():
     all_files = collect_file_names()
     files_to_check = filter(should_check, all_files)
 
-    num_flake8_errors = check_flake8(files_to_check)
-
-    checking_functions = [check_license, check_by_line]
+    checking_functions = [check_license, check_by_line, check_flake8, check_toml, check_webidl_spec]
     errors = collect_errors_for_files(files_to_check, checking_functions)
 
     reftest_files = collect_file_names(reftest_directories)
@@ -252,7 +259,7 @@ def scan():
 
     errors = list(itertools.chain(errors, r_errors))
 
-    if errors or num_flake8_errors:
+    if errors:
         for error in errors:
             print("{}:{}: {}".format(*error))
         return 1