diff --git a/docs/development.md b/docs/development.md
index 56cc39bdb..229bca863 100644
--- a/docs/development.md
+++ b/docs/development.md
@@ -66,8 +66,9 @@ in the relevant package:
 ```
 bazel run //rslib:format
 bazel run //pylib:format
-bazel run //pylib/rsbridge:format
 bazel run //qt:format
+bazel run //ts:format
+bazel run //pylib/rsbridge:format
 ```
 
 If you're in one of those folders, you can use the short form:
@@ -76,13 +77,6 @@ If you're in one of those folders, you can use the short form:
 bazel run format
 ```
 
-Currently the typescript code needs to be formatted differently:
-
-```
-cd ts
-./node_modules/.bin/prettier --write .
-```
-
 ## Building redistributable wheels
 
 ```
diff --git a/ts/.prettierignore b/ts/.prettierignore
index 1facfe957..bacfa9aa7 100644
--- a/ts/.prettierignore
+++ b/ts/.prettierignore
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 src/backend/proto.d.ts
+licenses.json
+vendor
diff --git a/ts/BUILD.bazel b/ts/BUILD.bazel
index 8b0e0c60e..91f8ac7c5 100644
--- a/ts/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/ts/BUILD.bazel
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+load("//ts:prettier.bzl", "prettier")
+
+prettier()
+
 # Exported files
 #################
 
diff --git a/ts/format.sh b/ts/format.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..11131be39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ts/format.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# this is a hack to invoke prettier directly from Bazel
+ts=${BUILD_WORKSPACE_DIRECTORY}/ts
+(cd $ts && ./node_modules/.bin/prettier --config .prettierrc --write . $ts/../qt/aqt/data/web/js)
diff --git a/ts/prettier.bzl b/ts/prettier.bzl
index e02678478..447c1a0b5 100644
--- a/ts/prettier.bzl
+++ b/ts/prettier.bzl
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ load(
     _prettier_test = "prettier_test",
 )
 
-def prettier_test(name = "format", srcs = [], **kwargs):
+def prettier_test(name = "format_check", srcs = [], **kwargs):
     _prettier_test(
         name = name,
         args = [
@@ -17,3 +17,9 @@ def prettier_test(name = "format", srcs = [], **kwargs):
         ] + srcs,
         **kwargs
     )
+
+def prettier(name = "format", **kwargs):
+    native.sh_binary(
+        name = name,
+        srcs = ["format.sh"],
+    )