diff --git a/yamllint/config.py b/yamllint/config.py
index f9e4de8..995d922 100644
--- a/yamllint/config.py
+++ b/yamllint/config.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class YamlLintConfig(object):
         assert (content is None) ^ (file is None)
 
         self.ignore = None
+        self.syntax_checker = {'enabled': True, 'level': 'error'}
 
         if file is not None:
             with open(file) as f:
@@ -91,6 +92,24 @@ class YamlLintConfig(object):
             self.ignore = pathspec.PathSpec.from_lines(
                 'gitwildmatch', conf['ignore'].splitlines())
 
+        if 'syntax-checker' in conf:
+            if type(conf['syntax-checker']) != dict:
+                raise YamlLintConfigError('invalid config: syntax-checker should be dict')
+
+            syntax_checker = conf['syntax-checker']
+
+            if 'enabled' not in syntax_checker:
+                syntax_checker['enabled'] = True
+            elif type(syntax_checker['enabled']) != bool:
+                raise YamlLintConfigError('invalid config: syntax-checker.enabled should should be true or false')
+
+            if 'level' not in syntax_checker:
+                syntax_checker['level'] = 'error'
+            elif syntax_checker['level'] not in ['error', 'warning']:
+                raise YamlLintConfigError('invalid config: syntax-checker.level should be "error" or "warning"')
+
+            self.syntax_checker = syntax_checker
+
     def validate(self):
         for id in self.rules:
             try:
diff --git a/yamllint/linter.py b/yamllint/linter.py
index c8eff8d..a20770a 100644
--- a/yamllint/linter.py
+++ b/yamllint/linter.py
@@ -174,15 +174,16 @@ def get_cosmetic_problems(buffer, conf, filepath):
             cache = []
 
 
-def get_syntax_error(buffer):
+def get_syntax_error(buffer, conf):
     try:
         list(yaml.parse(buffer, Loader=yaml.BaseLoader))
     except yaml.error.MarkedYAMLError as e:
-        problem = LintProblem(e.problem_mark.line + 1,
-                              e.problem_mark.column + 1,
-                              'syntax error: ' + e.problem)
-        problem.level = 'error'
-        return problem
+        if conf.syntax_checker['enabled']:
+            problem = LintProblem(e.problem_mark.line + 1,
+                                  e.problem_mark.column + 1,
+                                  'syntax error: ' + e.problem)
+            problem.level = conf.syntax_checker['level']
+            return problem
 
 
 def _run(buffer, conf, filepath):
@@ -191,7 +192,7 @@ def _run(buffer, conf, filepath):
 
     # If the document contains a syntax error, save it and yield it at the
     # right line
-    syntax_error = get_syntax_error(buffer)
+    syntax_error = get_syntax_error(buffer, conf)
 
     for problem in get_cosmetic_problems(buffer, conf, filepath):
         # Insert the syntax error (if any) at the right place...