diff --git a/cmd/tools/vcomplete.v b/cmd/tools/vcomplete.v
index 555838250d..b3c0c7870e 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vcomplete.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vcomplete.v
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ const (
 		'-apk',
 		'-show-timings',
 		'-check-syntax',
+		'-check',
 		'-v',
 		'-progress',
 		'-silent',
diff --git a/cmd/v/help/build.txt b/cmd/v/help/build.txt
index 9291376c5c..f43605989c 100644
--- a/cmd/v/help/build.txt
+++ b/cmd/v/help/build.txt
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ NB: the build flags are shared with the run command too:
       that it uses to detect whether or not to use ANSI colors may not work in all cases.
       These options allow you to override the default detection.
 
+   -check
+      Scans, parses, and checks the files without compiling the program.
+
    -check-syntax
       Only scan and parse the files, but then stop. Useful for very quick syntax checks.
 
diff --git a/vlib/v/builder/builder.v b/vlib/v/builder/builder.v
index 12998b24c1..bc710646af 100644
--- a/vlib/v/builder/builder.v
+++ b/vlib/v/builder/builder.v
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ module builder
 import os
 import v.token
 import v.pref
+import v.errors
 import v.util
 import v.ast
 import v.vmod
@@ -26,6 +27,9 @@ mut:
 	out_name_js string
 	stats_lines int // size of backend generated source code in lines
 	stats_bytes int // size of backend generated source code in bytes
+	nr_errors   int // accumulated error count of scanner, parser, checker, and builder
+	nr_warnings int // accumulated warning count of scanner, parser, checker, and builder
+	nr_notices  int // accumulated notice count of scanner, parser, checker, and builder
 pub mut:
 	module_search_paths []string
 	parsed_files        []&ast.File
@@ -86,6 +90,9 @@ pub fn (mut b Builder) middle_stages() ? {
 	b.checker.check_files(b.parsed_files)
 	util.timing_measure('CHECK')
 	b.print_warnings_and_errors()
+	if b.pref.check_only {
+		return error('stop_after_checker')
+	}
 	util.timing_start('TRANSFORM')
 	b.transformer.transform_files(b.parsed_files)
 	util.timing_measure('TRANSFORM')
@@ -133,7 +140,8 @@ pub fn (mut b Builder) parse_imports() {
 		for imp in ast_file.imports {
 			mod := imp.mod
 			if mod == 'builtin' {
-				error_with_pos('cannot import module "builtin"', ast_file.path, imp.pos)
+				b.parsed_files[i].errors << b.error_with_pos('cannot import module "builtin"',
+					ast_file.path, imp.pos)
 				break
 			}
 			if mod in done_imports {
@@ -142,15 +150,16 @@ pub fn (mut b Builder) parse_imports() {
 			import_path := b.find_module_path(mod, ast_file.path) or {
 				// v.parsers[i].error_with_token_index('cannot import module "$mod" (not found)', v.parsers[i].import_ast.get_import_tok_idx(mod))
 				// break
-				error_with_pos('cannot import module "$mod" (not found)', ast_file.path,
-					imp.pos)
+				b.parsed_files[i].errors << b.error_with_pos('cannot import module "$mod" (not found)',
+					ast_file.path, imp.pos)
 				break
 			}
 			v_files := b.v_files_from_dir(import_path)
 			if v_files.len == 0 {
 				// v.parsers[i].error_with_token_index('cannot import module "$mod" (no .v files in "$import_path")', v.parsers[i].import_ast.get_import_tok_idx(mod))
-				error_with_pos('cannot import module "$mod" (no .v files in "$import_path")',
+				b.parsed_files[i].errors << b.error_with_pos('cannot import module "$mod" (no .v files in "$import_path")',
 					ast_file.path, imp.pos)
+				continue
 			}
 			// Add all imports referenced by these libs
 			parsed_files := parser.parse_files(v_files, b.table, b.pref)
@@ -161,7 +170,7 @@ pub fn (mut b Builder) parse_imports() {
 				}
 				if name != mod {
 					// v.parsers[pidx].error_with_token_index('bad module definition: ${v.parsers[pidx].file_path} imports module "$mod" but $file is defined as module `$p_mod`', 1
-					error_with_pos('bad module definition: $ast_file.path imports module "$mod" but $file.path is defined as module `$name`',
+					b.parsed_files[i].errors << b.error_with_pos('bad module definition: $ast_file.path imports module "$mod" but $file.path is defined as module `$name`',
 						ast_file.path, imp.pos)
 				}
 			}
@@ -335,27 +344,104 @@ pub fn (b &Builder) find_module_path(mod string, fpath string) ?string {
 }
 
 fn (b &Builder) show_total_warns_and_errors_stats() {
-	if b.checker.nr_errors == 0 && b.checker.nr_warnings == 0 && b.checker.nr_notices == 0 {
+	if b.nr_errors == 0 && b.nr_warnings == 0 && b.nr_notices == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 	if b.pref.is_stats {
-		estring := util.bold(b.checker.errors.len.str())
-		wstring := util.bold(b.checker.warnings.len.str())
-		nstring := util.bold(b.checker.nr_notices.str())
-		println('checker summary: $estring V errors, $wstring V warnings, $nstring V notices')
+		mut nr_errors := b.checker.errors.len
+		mut nr_warnings := b.checker.warnings.len
+		mut nr_notices := b.checker.notices.len
+
+		if b.pref.check_only {
+			nr_errors = b.nr_errors
+			nr_warnings = b.nr_warnings
+			nr_notices = b.nr_notices
+		}
+
+		estring := util.bold(nr_errors.str())
+		wstring := util.bold(nr_warnings.str())
+		nstring := util.bold(nr_notices.str())
+
+		if b.pref.check_only {
+			println('summary: $estring V errors, $wstring V warnings, $nstring V notices')
+		} else {
+			println('checker summary: $estring V errors, $wstring V warnings, $nstring V notices')
+		}
 	}
 }
 
-fn (b &Builder) print_warnings_and_errors() {
+fn (mut b Builder) print_warnings_and_errors() {
 	defer {
 		b.show_total_warns_and_errors_stats()
 	}
+
+	for file in b.parsed_files {
+		b.nr_errors += file.errors.len
+		b.nr_warnings += file.warnings.len
+		b.nr_notices += file.notices.len
+	}
+
 	if b.pref.output_mode == .silent {
-		if b.checker.nr_errors > 0 {
+		if b.nr_errors > 0 {
 			exit(1)
 		}
 		return
 	}
+
+	if b.pref.check_only {
+		for file in b.parsed_files {
+			if !b.pref.skip_warnings {
+				for err in file.notices {
+					kind := if b.pref.is_verbose {
+						'$err.reporter notice #$b.nr_notices:'
+					} else {
+						'notice:'
+					}
+					ferror := util.formatted_error(kind, err.message, err.file_path, err.pos)
+					eprintln(ferror)
+					if err.details.len > 0 {
+						eprintln('Details: $err.details')
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		for file in b.parsed_files {
+			for err in file.errors {
+				kind := if b.pref.is_verbose {
+					'$err.reporter error #$b.nr_errors:'
+				} else {
+					'error:'
+				}
+				ferror := util.formatted_error(kind, err.message, err.file_path, err.pos)
+				eprintln(ferror)
+				if err.details.len > 0 {
+					eprintln('Details: $err.details')
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		for file in b.parsed_files {
+			if !b.pref.skip_warnings {
+				for err in file.warnings {
+					kind := if b.pref.is_verbose {
+						'$err.reporter warning #$b.nr_warnings:'
+					} else {
+						'warning:'
+					}
+					ferror := util.formatted_error(kind, err.message, err.file_path, err.pos)
+					eprintln(ferror)
+					if err.details.len > 0 {
+						eprintln('Details: $err.details')
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		b.show_total_warns_and_errors_stats()
+		exit(1)
+	}
+
 	if b.pref.is_verbose && b.checker.nr_warnings > 1 {
 		println('$b.checker.nr_warnings warnings')
 	}
@@ -455,10 +541,19 @@ struct FunctionRedefinition {
 	f       ast.FnDecl
 }
 
-fn error_with_pos(s string, fpath string, pos token.Position) {
-	ferror := util.formatted_error('builder error:', s, fpath, pos)
-	eprintln(ferror)
-	exit(1)
+fn (b &Builder) error_with_pos(s string, fpath string, pos token.Position) errors.Error {
+	if !b.pref.check_only {
+		ferror := util.formatted_error('builder error:', s, fpath, pos)
+		eprintln(ferror)
+		exit(1)
+	}
+
+	return errors.Error{
+		file_path: fpath
+		pos: pos
+		reporter: .builder
+		message: s
+	}
 }
 
 [noreturn]
diff --git a/vlib/v/builder/cc.v b/vlib/v/builder/cc.v
index b7b0d1392b..d71b72a465 100644
--- a/vlib/v/builder/cc.v
+++ b/vlib/v/builder/cc.v
@@ -489,6 +489,12 @@ fn (mut v Builder) cc() {
 		}
 		return
 	}
+	if v.pref.check_only {
+		if v.pref.is_verbose {
+			println('builder.cc returning early, since pref.check_only is true')
+		}
+		return
+	}
 	if v.pref.should_output_to_stdout() {
 		// output to stdout
 		content := os.read_file(v.out_name_c) or { panic(err) }
diff --git a/vlib/v/builder/compile.v b/vlib/v/builder/compile.v
index ac59121a50..2ad79ad55d 100644
--- a/vlib/v/builder/compile.v
+++ b/vlib/v/builder/compile.v
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ fn (mut b Builder) run_compiled_executable_and_exit() {
 	if b.pref.skip_running {
 		return
 	}
-	if b.pref.only_check_syntax {
+	if b.pref.only_check_syntax || b.pref.check_only {
 		return
 	}
 	if b.pref.should_output_to_stdout() {
diff --git a/vlib/v/errors/errors.v b/vlib/v/errors/errors.v
index 16f31ed402..37a1fd24d3 100644
--- a/vlib/v/errors/errors.v
+++ b/vlib/v/errors/errors.v
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ pub enum Reporter {
 	scanner
 	parser
 	checker
+	builder
 	gen
 }
 
diff --git a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
index 449ad07465..80fefcdde6 100644
--- a/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
+++ b/vlib/v/parser/parser.v
@@ -273,6 +273,17 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) parse() &ast.File {
 		}
 	}
 	p.scope.end_pos = p.tok.pos
+
+	mut errors := p.errors
+	mut warnings := p.warnings
+	mut notices := p.notices
+
+	if p.pref.check_only {
+		errors << p.scanner.errors
+		warnings << p.scanner.warnings
+		notices << p.scanner.notices
+	}
+
 	return &ast.File{
 		path: p.file_name
 		path_base: p.file_base
@@ -286,8 +297,9 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) parse() &ast.File {
 		stmts: stmts
 		scope: p.scope
 		global_scope: p.table.global_scope
-		errors: p.errors
-		warnings: p.warnings
+		errors: errors
+		warnings: warnings
+		notices: notices
 		global_labels: p.global_labels
 	}
 }
@@ -1613,7 +1625,7 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) error_with_pos(s string, pos token.Position) ast.NodeError
 		exit(1)
 	}
 	mut kind := 'error:'
-	if p.pref.output_mode == .stdout {
+	if p.pref.output_mode == .stdout && !p.pref.check_only {
 		if p.pref.is_verbose {
 			print_backtrace()
 			kind = 'parser error:'
@@ -1628,6 +1640,12 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) error_with_pos(s string, pos token.Position) ast.NodeError
 			reporter: .parser
 			message: s
 		}
+
+		// To avoid getting stuck after an error, the parser
+		// will proceed to the next token.
+		if p.pref.check_only {
+			p.next()
+		}
 	}
 	if p.pref.output_mode == .silent {
 		// Normally, parser errors mean that the parser exits immediately, so there can be only 1 parser error.
@@ -1647,7 +1665,7 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) error_with_error(error errors.Error) {
 		exit(1)
 	}
 	mut kind := 'error:'
-	if p.pref.output_mode == .stdout {
+	if p.pref.output_mode == .stdout && !p.pref.check_only {
 		if p.pref.is_verbose {
 			print_backtrace()
 			kind = 'parser error:'
@@ -1679,7 +1697,7 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) warn_with_pos(s string, pos token.Position) {
 	if p.pref.skip_warnings {
 		return
 	}
-	if p.pref.output_mode == .stdout {
+	if p.pref.output_mode == .stdout && !p.pref.check_only {
 		ferror := util.formatted_error('warning:', s, p.file_name, pos)
 		eprintln(ferror)
 	} else {
@@ -1700,7 +1718,7 @@ pub fn (mut p Parser) note_with_pos(s string, pos token.Position) {
 	if p.pref.skip_warnings {
 		return
 	}
-	if p.pref.output_mode == .stdout {
+	if p.pref.output_mode == .stdout && !p.pref.check_only {
 		ferror := util.formatted_error('notice:', s, p.file_name, pos)
 		eprintln(ferror)
 	} else {
diff --git a/vlib/v/pref/pref.v b/vlib/v/pref/pref.v
index bc8a77654a..ae410f8fd3 100644
--- a/vlib/v/pref/pref.v
+++ b/vlib/v/pref/pref.v
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ pub mut:
 	is_parallel         bool
 	is_vweb             bool // skip _ var warning in templates
 	only_check_syntax   bool // when true, just parse the files, then stop, before running checker
+	check_only          bool // same as only_check_syntax, but also runs the checker
 	experimental        bool // enable experimental features
 	skip_unused         bool // skip generating C code for functions, that are not used
 	show_timings        bool // show how much time each compiler stage took
@@ -245,6 +246,9 @@ pub fn parse_args(known_external_commands []string, args []string) (&Preferences
 			'-check-syntax' {
 				res.only_check_syntax = true
 			}
+			'-check' {
+				res.check_only = true
+			}
 			'-h', '-help', '--help' {
 				// NB: help is *very important*, just respond to all variations:
 				res.is_help = true
diff --git a/vlib/v/scanner/scanner.v b/vlib/v/scanner/scanner.v
index 4b933ecf92..832ef82559 100644
--- a/vlib/v/scanner/scanner.v
+++ b/vlib/v/scanner/scanner.v
@@ -1336,7 +1336,7 @@ pub fn (mut s Scanner) note(msg string) {
 		line_nr: s.line_nr
 		pos: s.pos
 	}
-	if s.pref.output_mode == .stdout {
+	if s.pref.output_mode == .stdout && !s.pref.check_only {
 		eprintln(util.formatted_error('notice:', msg, s.file_path, pos))
 	} else {
 		s.notices << errors.Notice{
@@ -1358,7 +1358,7 @@ pub fn (mut s Scanner) warn(msg string) {
 		pos: s.pos
 		col: s.current_column() - 1
 	}
-	if s.pref.output_mode == .stdout {
+	if s.pref.output_mode == .stdout && !s.pref.check_only {
 		eprintln(util.formatted_error('warning:', msg, s.file_path, pos))
 	} else {
 		if s.pref.message_limit >= 0 && s.warnings.len >= s.pref.message_limit {
@@ -1380,7 +1380,7 @@ pub fn (mut s Scanner) error(msg string) {
 		pos: s.pos
 		col: s.current_column() - 1
 	}
-	if s.pref.output_mode == .stdout {
+	if s.pref.output_mode == .stdout && !s.pref.check_only {
 		eprintln(util.formatted_error('error:', msg, s.file_path, pos))
 		exit(1)
 	} else {