diff --git a/scripts/format_code.sh b/scripts/format_code.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 727b19436..9ea3fbf95
--- a/scripts/format_code.sh
+++ b/scripts/format_code.sh
@@ -1,24 +1,38 @@
-#!/bin/sh
+#!/bin/bash
 
-ASTYLE=`which astyle`
+ASTYLE=$(which astyle)
 
-	   if [ ! -x $ASTYLE ];
+if [ ! -x $ASTYLE ]; then
+  echo "No astyle found in path, please install."
+  exit 1
+fi
 
-then
-echo "No astyle found in path, please install."
-exit 1
+# Need at least astyle 2.03 due to bugs in older versions
+# indenting headers with extern "C"
+STR_VERSION=$(($ASTYLE --version) 2>&1)
+VERSION=$(echo $STR_VERSION | cut -d ' ' -f4)
+MAJOR_VERSION=$(echo $VERSION | cut -d'.' -f1)
+MINOR_VERSION=$(echo $VERSION | cut -d'.' -f2)
+
+if [ "$MAJOR_VERSION" -lt "2" ]; then
+  echo "Your version of astyle($VERSION) is too old, need at least 2.03"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ "$MINOR_VERSION" -lt "3" ]; then
+  echo "Your version of astyle($VERSION) is too old, need at least 2.03"
+  exit 1
 fi
 
 if [ $# -le 0 ]; then
-echo "Usage:"
-echo "\t$0 <file1> [<file2> ...]"
-#  echo "\t$0 -r <directory>"
-exit 2
+  echo "Usage:"
+  echo -e "\t$0 <file1> [<file2> ...]"
+  exit 2
 fi
 
 $ASTYLE --lineend=linux --mode=c --indent=force-tab=4 --brackets=linux --pad-header \
 							   --indent-switches --indent-cases --indent-preprocessor \
 							   --indent-col1-comments --delete-empty-lines --break-closing-brackets \
 							   --align-pointer=type --indent-labels --brackets=break \
-									   --unpad-paren --break-blocks $@
-									   exit $?
+							   --unpad-paren --break-blocks $@
+							   exit $?