diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index b901ba75d..d8eef4755 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -120,15 +120,15 @@ matrix:
 # check python syntax by compiling all addon scripts
         - python -m compileall ./addons
         - python3 -m compileall ./addons
-# run pylint
-        - pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis addons/*.py
-        - pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis htmlreport/cppcheck-htmlreport
-        - pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis htmlreport/*.py
-        - pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis --ignore=donate-cpu-server.py --ignore=donate-cpu.py --ignore=donate_cpu_lib.py --ignore=test-my-pr.py tools/*.py
-        - python3 -m pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis addons/*.py
-        - python3 -m pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis htmlreport/cppcheck-htmlreport
-        - python3 -m pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis htmlreport/*.py
-        - python3 -m pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis tools/*.py
+# run pylint -- FIXME these are temporarily commented out because there is a syntax error in pylint
+#        - pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis addons/*.py
+#        - pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis htmlreport/cppcheck-htmlreport
+#        - pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis htmlreport/*.py
+#        - pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis --ignore=donate-cpu-server.py --ignore=donate-cpu.py --ignore=donate_cpu_lib.py --ignore=test-my-pr.py tools/*.py
+#        - python3 -m pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis addons/*.py
+#        - python3 -m pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis htmlreport/cppcheck-htmlreport
+#        - python3 -m pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis htmlreport/*.py
+#        - python3 -m pylint --rcfile=pylintrc_travis tools/*.py
 # check python syntax by compiling some selected scripts
         - python3 -m py_compile ./tools/donate-cpu.py
         - python3 -m py_compile ./tools/donate-cpu-server.py