diff --git a/misc/emacs/README.md b/misc/emacs/README.md
index 1b0c5b54f7f..efee547cd08 100644
--- a/misc/emacs/README.md
+++ b/misc/emacs/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ Example:
 
 (add-to-list 'load-path "~/ql/misc/emacs")
 (require 'ql-mode-base)
+(require 'dbscheme-mode)
 
 ; ...
 ```
diff --git a/misc/emacs/dbscheme-mode.el b/misc/emacs/dbscheme-mode.el
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d84ce468029
--- /dev/null
+++ b/misc/emacs/dbscheme-mode.el
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+;;; dbscheme-mode.el --- A major mode for editing Semmle database schema files
+
+;;; Commentary:
+;;
+;; A basic major mode for editing Semmle database schema files.
+;;
+;; Provides syntax highlightning and comment support.
+
+;;; Code:
+
+(define-generic-mode
+    'dbscheme-mode ; mode name
+
+  ;; comments
+  '(("//" . nil)
+    ("/*" . "*/"))
+
+  ;; keywords
+  '("case" "ref" "unique" "of")
+
+  ;; other things to highlight
+  `((,ql--primitive-type-regex . 'font-lock-type-face)
+    ("\\<varchar([0-9]+)" . 'font-lock-type-face)
+    (,ql--at-type-regex 0 'font-lock-type-face)
+    (,ql--predicate-regex 1 'font-lock-variable-name-face))
+
+  ;; auto mode alist
+  '("\\.dbscheme$")
+
+  ;; other function to run
+  '((lambda ()
+      (modify-syntax-entry ?_ "w" (syntax-table))
+      (modify-syntax-entry ?@ "_" (syntax-table))))
+  "A mode for database schema files")
+
+(provide 'dbscheme-mode)
+;;; dbscheme-mode.el ends here
diff --git a/misc/emacs/ql-mode-base.el b/misc/emacs/ql-mode-base.el
index 1fabf6953e5..2a5e3f9c3f4 100644
--- a/misc/emacs/ql-mode-base.el
+++ b/misc/emacs/ql-mode-base.el
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 ;; A basic major mode for editing QL files, a more advanced major
 ;; mode is available for internal use at Semmle.
 ;;
-;; Provides syntax highlightning, comment support, and a mode-specific
+;; Provides syntax highlighting, comment support, and a mode-specific
 ;; keymap.
 
 ;;; Code: