diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 7c7ec92f3..b9095f0a1 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ Collate:
     'fixed_regex_linter.R'
     'function_argument_linter.R'
     'function_left_parentheses_linter.R'
+    'function_return_linter.R'
     'get_source_expressions.R'
     'ids_with_token.R'
     'ifelse_censor_linter.R'
diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index a9fdcf216..7c37237bb 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export(extraction_operator_linter)
 export(fixed_regex_linter)
 export(function_argument_linter)
 export(function_left_parentheses_linter)
+export(function_return_linter)
 export(get_r_string)
 export(get_source_expressions)
 export(ids_with_token)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 0f64838b6..80374cb3f 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
   can be `purrr::map(x, quantile, 0.75, na.rm = TRUE)`. Naming `probs = 0.75` can further improve readability.
 * `redundant_equals_linter()` for redundant comparisons to `TRUE` or `FALSE` like `is_treatment == TRUE` (#1500, @MichaelChirico)
 
+* `function_return_linter()` for handling issues in function `return()` statements. Currently handles assignments within the `return()`
+  clause, e.g. `return(x <- foo())` (@MichaelChirico)
+
 # lintr 3.0.1
 
 * Skip multi-byte tests in non UTF-8 locales (#1504)
diff --git a/R/function_return_linter.R b/R/function_return_linter.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4ffa8bf6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/function_return_linter.R
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#' Lint common mistakes/style issues cropping up from return statements
+#'
+#' `return(x <- ...)` is either distracting (because `x` is ignored), or
+#'   confusing (because assigning to `x` has some side effect that is muddled
+#'   by the dual-purpose expression).
+#'
+#' @evalRd rd_tags("function_return_linter")
+#' @seealso [linters] for a complete list of linters available in lintr.
+#' @export
+function_return_linter <- function() {
+  xpath <- "
+  //SYMBOL_FUNCTION_CALL[text() = 'return']
+  /parent::expr/parent::expr/expr[LEFT_ASSIGN or RIGHT_ASSIGN]
+  "
+
+  Linter(function(source_expression) {
+    if (!is_lint_level(source_expression, "expression")) {
+      return(list())
+    }
+
+    xml <- source_expression$xml_parsed_content
+
+    bad_expr <- xml2::xml_find_all(xml, xpath)
+
+    xml_nodes_to_lints(
+      bad_expr,
+      source_expression = source_expression,
+      lint_message = "Move the assignment outside of the return() clause, or skip assignment altogether.",
+      type = "warning"
+    )
+  })
+}
diff --git a/inst/lintr/linters.csv b/inst/lintr/linters.csv
index 423ce3a7f..ef06f5e57 100644
--- a/inst/lintr/linters.csv
+++ b/inst/lintr/linters.csv
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ extraction_operator_linter,style best_practices
 fixed_regex_linter,best_practices readability efficiency
 function_argument_linter,style consistency best_practices
 function_left_parentheses_linter,style readability default
+function_return_linter,readability best_practices
 ifelse_censor_linter,best_practices efficiency
 implicit_integer_linter,style consistency best_practices
 infix_spaces_linter,style readability default
diff --git a/man/best_practices_linters.Rd b/man/best_practices_linters.Rd
index 74cc203c2..7b53d924e 100644
--- a/man/best_practices_linters.Rd
+++ b/man/best_practices_linters.Rd
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ The following linters are tagged with 'best_practices':
 \item{\code{\link{extraction_operator_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{fixed_regex_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{function_argument_linter}}}
+\item{\code{\link{function_return_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{ifelse_censor_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{implicit_integer_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{literal_coercion_linter}}}
diff --git a/man/function_return_linter.Rd b/man/function_return_linter.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..13aeb519e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/function_return_linter.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/function_return_linter.R
+\name{function_return_linter}
+\alias{function_return_linter}
+\title{Lint common mistakes/style issues cropping up from return statements}
+\usage{
+function_return_linter()
+}
+\description{
+\code{return(x <- ...)} is either distracting (because \code{x} is ignored), or
+confusing (because assigning to \code{x} has some side effect that is muddled
+by the dual-purpose expression).
+}
+\seealso{
+\link{linters} for a complete list of linters available in lintr.
+}
+\section{Tags}{
+\link[=best_practices_linters]{best_practices}, \link[=readability_linters]{readability}
+}
diff --git a/man/linters.Rd b/man/linters.Rd
index 7ece255ea..14db766c0 100644
--- a/man/linters.Rd
+++ b/man/linters.Rd
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ see also \code{\link[=available_tags]{available_tags()}}.
 \section{Tags}{
 The following tags exist:
 \itemize{
-\item{\link[=best_practices_linters]{best_practices} (39 linters)}
+\item{\link[=best_practices_linters]{best_practices} (40 linters)}
 \item{\link[=common_mistakes_linters]{common_mistakes} (7 linters)}
 \item{\link[=configurable_linters]{configurable} (20 linters)}
 \item{\link[=consistency_linters]{consistency} (17 linters)}
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ The following tags exist:
 \item{\link[=efficiency_linters]{efficiency} (18 linters)}
 \item{\link[=executing_linters]{executing} (5 linters)}
 \item{\link[=package_development_linters]{package_development} (14 linters)}
-\item{\link[=readability_linters]{readability} (39 linters)}
+\item{\link[=readability_linters]{readability} (40 linters)}
 \item{\link[=robustness_linters]{robustness} (12 linters)}
 \item{\link[=style_linters]{style} (36 linters)}
 }
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ The following linters exist:
 \item{\code{\link{fixed_regex_linter}} (tags: best_practices, efficiency, readability)}
 \item{\code{\link{function_argument_linter}} (tags: best_practices, consistency, style)}
 \item{\code{\link{function_left_parentheses_linter}} (tags: default, readability, style)}
+\item{\code{\link{function_return_linter}} (tags: best_practices, readability)}
 \item{\code{\link{ifelse_censor_linter}} (tags: best_practices, efficiency)}
 \item{\code{\link{implicit_integer_linter}} (tags: best_practices, consistency, style)}
 \item{\code{\link{infix_spaces_linter}} (tags: default, readability, style)}
diff --git a/man/readability_linters.Rd b/man/readability_linters.Rd
index 3cdabf926..14a06d6e0 100644
--- a/man/readability_linters.Rd
+++ b/man/readability_linters.Rd
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ The following linters are tagged with 'readability':
 \item{\code{\link{expect_true_false_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{fixed_regex_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{function_left_parentheses_linter}}}
+\item{\code{\link{function_return_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{infix_spaces_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{inner_combine_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{line_length_linter}}}
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-function_return_linter.R b/tests/testthat/test-function_return_linter.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1436a15d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-function_return_linter.R
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+test_that("function_return_linter skips allowed usages", {
+  lines_simple <- trim_some("
+    foo <- function(x) {
+      x <- x + 1
+      return(x)
+    }
+  ")
+  expect_lint(lines_simple, NULL, function_return_linter())
+
+  # arguably an expression as complicated as this should also be assigned,
+  #   but for now that's out of the scope of this linter
+  lines_subassignment <- trim_some("
+    foo <- function(x) {
+      return(x[, {
+        col <- col + 1
+        .(grp, col)
+      }])
+    }
+  ")
+  expect_lint(lines_subassignment, NULL, function_return_linter())
+})
+
+test_that("function_return_linter blocks simple disallowed usages", {
+  linter <- function_return_linter()
+  lint_msg <- rex::rex("Move the assignment outside of the return() clause")
+
+  expect_lint(
+    trim_some("
+      foo <- function(x) {
+        return(x <- x + 1)
+      }
+    "),
+    lint_msg,
+    linter
+  )
+
+  expect_lint(
+    trim_some("
+      foo <- function(x) {
+        return(x <<- x + 1)
+      }
+    "),
+    lint_msg,
+    linter
+  )
+
+  expect_lint(
+    trim_some("
+      foo <- function(x) {
+        return(x + 1 -> x)
+      }
+    "),
+    lint_msg,
+    linter
+  )
+
+  side_effect_lines <-
+  expect_lint(
+    trim_some("
+      e <- new.env()
+      foo <- function(x) {
+        return(e$val <- x + 1)
+      }
+    "),
+    lint_msg,
+    linter
+  )
+})