diff --git a/doc/meson.build b/doc/meson.build
index 5219c179f..57a0cbef8 100644
--- a/doc/meson.build
+++ b/doc/meson.build
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ if pandoc.found()
         command: [pandoc, '-s', '--metadata', 'title="Netplan reference"', '--toc', '-o', '@OUTPUT@', '@INPUT@'],
         install: true,
         install_dir: join_paths(get_option('datadir'), 'doc', 'netplan'))
-    foreach doc : ['netplan-apply', 'netplan-dbus', 'netplan-generate', 'netplan-get', 'netplan-set', 'netplan-try']
+    foreach doc : ['netplan-apply', 'netplan-dbus', 'netplan-generate', 'netplan-get', 'netplan-set', 'netplan-try', 'netplan-validate']
         markdown = files(doc + '.md')
         manpage = doc + '.8'
         custom_target(
diff --git a/doc/netplan-validate.md b/doc/netplan-validate.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d4d1426fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/netplan-validate.md
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+---
+title: netplan-validate
+section: 8
+author:
+- Danilo Egea Gondolfo (danilo.egea.gondolfo@canonical.com)
+...
+
+## NAME
+
+netplan-validate - parse and validate your configuration without applying it
+
+## SYNOPSIS
+
+  **netplan** [--debug] **validate** -h | --help
+
+  **netplan** [--debug] **validate** [--root-dir=ROOT_DIR]
+
+## DESCRIPTION
+
+**netplan validate** reads and parses all YAML files from ``/{etc,lib,run}/netplan/*.yaml`` and shows any issues found with them.
+
+It doesn't generate nor apply the configuration to the running system.
+
+You can specify ``--debug`` to see what files are processed by Netplan in the order they are parsed.
+It will also show what files were shadowed, if any.
+
+For details of the configuration file format, see **netplan**(5).
+
+## OPTIONS
+
+  -h, --help
+:    Print basic help.
+
+  --debug
+:    Print debugging output during the process.
+
+  --root-dir
+:    Read YAML files from this root instead of /
+
+## RETURN VALUE
+
+On success, no issues were found, 0 is returned to the shell.
+
+On error, 1 is returned.
+
+## SEE ALSO
+
+  **netplan**(5), **netplan-generate**(8), **netplan-apply**(8)
diff --git a/netplan.completions b/netplan.completions
index c544f7dbe..2ad7b12f2 100644
--- a/netplan.completions
+++ b/netplan.completions
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ _netplan_completions() {
       while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_netplan_completions_filter "-h --help --debug --root-dir --mapping")" -- "$cur" )
       ;;
 
+    'validate'*)
+      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_netplan_completions_filter "-h --help --debug --root-dir")" -- "$cur" )
+      ;;
+
     'rebind'*)
       while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_netplan_completions_filter "-h --help --debug")" -- "$cur" )
       ;;
@@ -69,7 +73,7 @@ _netplan_completions() {
       ;;
 
     *)
-      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_netplan_completions_filter "-h --help --debug help apply generate get info ip set rebind status try")" -- "$cur" )
+      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_netplan_completions_filter "-h --help --debug help apply generate get info ip set rebind status try validate")" -- "$cur" )
       ;;
 
   esac
diff --git a/netplan/cli/commands/__init__.py b/netplan/cli/commands/__init__.py
index 67541869f..721af8977 100644
--- a/netplan/cli/commands/__init__.py
+++ b/netplan/cli/commands/__init__.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 from netplan.cli.commands.get import NetplanGet
 from netplan.cli.commands.sriov_rebind import NetplanSriovRebind
 from netplan.cli.commands.status import NetplanStatus
+from netplan.cli.commands.validate import NetplanValidate
 
 __all__ = [
     'NetplanApply',
@@ -37,4 +38,5 @@
     'NetplanGet',
     'NetplanSriovRebind',
     'NetplanStatus',
+    'NetplanValidate',
 ]
diff --git a/netplan/cli/commands/generate.py b/netplan/cli/commands/generate.py
index 4900d8f5b..f7c645be1 100644
--- a/netplan/cli/commands/generate.py
+++ b/netplan/cli/commands/generate.py
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ def command_generate(self):
             if res != 0:
                 if res == 130:
                     raise PermissionError(
-                        "failed to communicate with dbus service")
+                        "PermissionError: failed to communicate with dbus service")
                 else:
                     raise RuntimeError(
-                        "failed to communicate with dbus service: error %s" % res)
+                        "RuntimeError: failed to communicate with dbus service: error %s" % res)
             else:
                 return
 
diff --git a/netplan/cli/commands/validate.py b/netplan/cli/commands/validate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ecfe0297f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/netplan/cli/commands/validate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2023 Canonical, Ltd.
+# Author: Danilo Egea Gondolfo <danilo.egea.gondolfo@canonical.com>
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; version 3.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+'''netplan validate command line'''
+
+import glob
+import os
+
+from netplan.cli.utils import NetplanCommand
+import netplan.libnetplan as libnetplan
+
+
+class ValidationException(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
+class NetplanValidate(NetplanCommand):
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__(command_id='validate',
+                         description='Load, parse and validate your configuration without applying it',
+                         leaf=True)
+
+    def run(self):
+        self.parser.add_argument('--root-dir', default='/',
+                                 help='Validate configuration files in this root directory instead of /')
+
+        self.func = self.command_validate
+
+        self.parse_args()
+        self.run_command()
+
+    def command_validate(self):
+
+        if self.debug:
+            # Replicates the behavior of src/util.c:netplan_parser_load_yaml_hierarchy()
+
+            lib_glob = 'lib/netplan/*.yaml'
+            etc_glob = 'etc/netplan/*.yaml'
+            run_glob = 'run/netplan/*.yaml'
+
+            lib_files = glob.glob(lib_glob, root_dir=self.root_dir)
+            etc_files = glob.glob(etc_glob, root_dir=self.root_dir)
+            run_files = glob.glob(run_glob, root_dir=self.root_dir)
+
+            # Order of priority: lib -> etc -> run
+            files = lib_files + etc_files + run_files
+            files_dict = {}
+            shadows = []
+
+            # Shadowing files with the same name and lower priority
+            for file in files:
+                basename = os.path.basename(file)
+                filepath = os.path.join(self.root_dir, file)
+
+                if key := files_dict.get(basename):
+                    shadows.append((key, filepath))
+
+                files_dict[basename] = filepath
+
+            files = sorted(files_dict.keys())
+            if files:
+                print('Order in which your files are parsed:')
+                for file in files:
+                    print(files_dict.get(file))
+
+            if shadows:
+                print('\nThe following files were shadowed:')
+                for shadow in shadows:
+                    print(f'{shadow[0]} shadowed by {shadow[1]}')
+
+        try:
+            # Parse the full, existing YAML config hierarchy
+            parser = libnetplan.Parser()
+            parser.load_yaml_hierarchy(self.root_dir)
+
+            # Validate the final parser state
+            state = libnetplan.State()
+            state.import_parser_results(parser)
+        except Exception as e:
+            raise ValidationException(e)
diff --git a/netplan/cli/core.py b/netplan/cli/core.py
index 3d6c392d3..bdbe6fbd9 100644
--- a/netplan/cli/core.py
+++ b/netplan/cli/core.py
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@
 
 import logging
 import os
+import sys
 
+from netplan.cli.commands.validate import ValidationException
 import netplan.cli.utils as utils
 
 
@@ -47,4 +49,10 @@ def main(self):
         else:
             logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO, format='%(message)s')
 
-        self.run_command()
+        try:
+            self.run_command()
+        except ValidationException as e:
+            logging.warning(f'Validation failed: {e}')
+            sys.exit(1)
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.warning(f'Command failed: {e}')
diff --git a/netplan/meson.build b/netplan/meson.build
index 7ebcdeeb4..8e196a7f8 100644
--- a/netplan/meson.build
+++ b/netplan/meson.build
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@ commands_sources = files(
     'cli/commands/set.py',
     'cli/commands/sriov_rebind.py',
     'cli/commands/status.py',
-    'cli/commands/try_command.py')
+    'cli/commands/try_command.py',
+    'cli/commands/validate.py',
+    )
 
 install_data(netplan_sources, install_dir: netplan_module)
 install_data(cli_sources, install_dir: join_paths(netplan_module, 'cli'))
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_validate.py b/tests/cli/test_validate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c4da94d6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cli/test_validate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+# Functional tests of netplan CLI. These are run during "make check" and don't
+# touch the system configuration at all.
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2023 Canonical, Ltd.
+# Author: Danilo Egea Gondolfo <danilo.egea.gondolfo@canonical.com>
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; version 3.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+import os
+import unittest
+from unittest.mock import patch
+import tempfile
+import shutil
+import sys
+
+
+from netplan.cli.commands.validate import ValidationException
+from netplan.cli.core import Netplan
+
+from tests.test_utils import call_cli
+
+
+class TestValidate(unittest.TestCase):
+    '''Test netplan set'''
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.workdir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix='netplan_')
+        self.file = '70-netplan-set.yaml'
+        self.path = os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'etc', 'netplan', self.file)
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'etc', 'netplan'))
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        shutil.rmtree(self.workdir.name)
+
+    def _validate(self, debug=False):
+        args = ['validate', '--root-dir', self.workdir.name]
+        if debug:
+            args.append('--debug')
+        return call_cli(args)
+
+    def test_validate_raises_no_exceptions(self):
+        with open(self.path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0:
+                  dhcp4: false''')
+
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_validate_raises_exception(self):
+        with open(self.path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0:
+                  dhcp4: nothanks''')
+
+        with self.assertRaises(ValidationException) as e:
+            self._validate()
+        self.assertIn('invalid boolean value', str(e.exception))
+
+    def test_validate_raises_exception_main_function(self):
+        with open(self.path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0:
+                  dhcp4: nothanks''')
+
+        with patch('logging.warning') as log, patch('sys.exit') as exit_mock:
+            exit_mock.return_value = 1
+
+            old_argv = sys.argv
+            args = ['validate', '--root-dir', self.workdir.name]
+            sys.argv = [old_argv[0]] + args
+
+            Netplan().main()
+
+            # The idea was to capture stderr here but for some reason
+            # any attempt to mock sys.stderr didn't work with pytest
+            args = log.call_args.args
+            self.assertIn('invalid boolean value', args[0])
+
+            sys.argv = old_argv
+
+    def test_validate_debug_single_file(self):
+        with open(self.path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0:
+                  dhcp4: false''')
+
+        output = self._validate(debug=True)
+        self.assertIn('70-netplan-set.yaml', output)
+
+    def test_validate_debug_with_shadow(self):
+        with open(self.path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0:
+                  dhcp4: false''')
+
+        path = os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'run', 'netplan', self.file)
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'run', 'netplan'))
+
+        with open(path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0:
+                  dhcp4: false''')
+
+        output = self._validate(debug=True)
+
+        lines = output.split('\n')
+        highest_priority_file = lines[1]
+        self.assertIn('run/netplan/70-netplan-set.yaml', highest_priority_file)
+
+        self.assertIn('The following files were shadowed', output)
+
+    def test_validate_debug_order(self):
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'run', 'netplan'))
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'lib', 'netplan'))
+
+        path = os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'etc', 'netplan', self.file)
+        with open(self.path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0: {}''')
+
+        path = os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'run', 'netplan', '90-config.yaml')
+        with open(path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0: {}''')
+
+        path = os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'lib', 'netplan', '99-zzz.yaml')
+        with open(path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0: {}''')
+
+        path = os.path.join(self.workdir.name, 'run', 'netplan', '00-aaa.yaml')
+        with open(path, 'w') as f:
+            f.write('''network:
+              ethernets:
+                eth0: {}''')
+
+        output = self._validate(debug=True)
+        lines = output.split('\n')
+
+        self.assertIn('run/netplan/00-aaa.yaml', lines[1])
+        self.assertIn('etc/netplan/70-netplan-set.yaml', lines[2])
+        self.assertIn('run/netplan/90-config.yaml', lines[3])
+        self.assertIn('lib/netplan/99-zzz.yaml', lines[4])
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index d5375e1ba..f1c1f63a5 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -104,7 +104,9 @@ def call_cli(args):
     f = io.StringIO()
     try:
         with redirect_stdout(f):
-            Netplan().main()
+            netplan = Netplan()
+            netplan.parse_args()
+            netplan.run_command()
             return f.getvalue()
     finally:
         sys.argv = old_sys_argv
diff --git a/tools/completely.yaml b/tools/completely.yaml
index ce0dddd5c..40eaafc83 100644
--- a/tools/completely.yaml
+++ b/tools/completely.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ netplan:
 - rebind
 - status
 - try
+- validate
 
 netplan help:
 - -h
@@ -89,3 +90,9 @@ netplan try:
 - --config-file
 - --timeout
 - --state
+
+netplan validate:
+- -h
+- --help
+- --debug
+- --root-dir