diff --git a/developer/docs/help/reference/kmc/cli/reference.md b/developer/docs/help/reference/kmc/cli/reference.md
index 1d5ed9fc20..662d85a0a3 100644
--- a/developer/docs/help/reference/kmc/cli/reference.md
+++ b/developer/docs/help/reference/kmc/cli/reference.md
@@ -198,6 +198,13 @@ The following parameters are available:
   project (which can also be controlled at a project level with the
   `skipMetadataFiles` option). This option is only valid for compiling projects.
 
+`--publish-only`
+
+: Skip building component files within a project, and only run the validation
+  step. Must be combined with `--for-publishing` in order to have an effect.
+  This option is only valid for compiling projects, and is mostly intended for
+  use by the IDE. Will fail if build artifacts for components are not present.
+
 ### Examples
 
 ```shell
diff --git a/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/build.ts b/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/build.ts
index 20f1092a9f..7e21f99f9c 100644
--- a/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/build.ts
+++ b/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/build.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ export function declareBuild(program: Command) {
   buildCommand.command('file [infile...]', {isDefault: true})
     .description(`Compile one or more source files or projects ('file' subcommand is default).`)
     .option('--for-publishing', 'Verify that project meets @keymanapp repository requirements')
+    .option('--publish-only', 'Only run the for-publishing validation, skip all other build steps')
     .addHelpText('after', `
 Supported file types:
 * folder: Keyman project in folder
diff --git a/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildKeyboardInfo.ts b/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildKeyboardInfo.ts
index 3109038a3a..d3d42f9ce6 100644
--- a/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildKeyboardInfo.ts
+++ b/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildKeyboardInfo.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ export class BuildKeyboardInfo extends BuildActivity {
       sourcePath: calculateSourcePath(infile),
       lastCommitDate,
       forPublishing: !!options.forPublishing,
+      publishOnly: !!options.publishOnly,
     };
     // Note: should we always ignore the passed-in output filename for .keyboard_info?
     const outputFilename = project.getOutputFilePath(KeymanFileTypes.Binary.KeyboardInfo);
diff --git a/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildModelInfo.ts b/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildModelInfo.ts
index f6a44ced5f..7f641a9b8e 100644
--- a/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildModelInfo.ts
+++ b/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildModelInfo.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ export class BuildModelInfo extends BuildActivity {
       kpsFilename: project.resolveInputFilePath(kps),
       lastCommitDate,
       forPublishing: !!options.forPublishing,
+      publishOnly: !!options.publishOnly,
     };
 
     // Note: should we always ignore the passed-in output filename for .model_info?
diff --git a/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildProject.ts b/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildProject.ts
index 82e1347aa5..76fdfe1d04 100644
--- a/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildProject.ts
+++ b/developer/src/kmc/src/commands/buildClasses/BuildProject.ts
@@ -51,15 +51,17 @@ class ProjectBuilder {
       }
     }
 
-    // Go through the various file types and build them
-    for(const builder of buildActivities) {
-      if(builder.sourceExtension == KeymanFileTypes.Source.Project) {
-        // We don't support nested projects
-        continue;
-      }
+    if(!this.options.publishOnly) {
+      // Go through the various file types and build them
+      for(const builder of buildActivities) {
+        if(builder.sourceExtension == KeymanFileTypes.Source.Project) {
+          // We don't support nested projects
+          continue;
+        }
 
-      if(!await this.buildProjectTargets(builder)) {
-        return false;
+        if(!await this.buildProjectTargets(builder)) {
+          return false;
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -113,7 +115,11 @@ class ProjectBuilder {
 
     const buildFilename = path.relative(process.cwd(), infile).replace(/\\/g, '/');
     const callbacks = new CompilerFileCallbacks(buildFilename, options, this.callbacks);
-    callbacks.reportMessage(InfrastructureMessages.Info_BuildingFile({filename: infile, relativeFilename:buildFilename}));
+    if(activity.sourceExtension == KeymanFileTypes.Source.Project) {
+      callbacks.reportMessage(InfrastructureMessages.Info_ValidatingProject({filename: infile, relativeFilename:buildFilename}));
+    } else {
+      callbacks.reportMessage(InfrastructureMessages.Info_BuildingFile({filename: infile, relativeFilename:buildFilename}));
+    }
 
     fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(outfile), {recursive:true});
 
@@ -123,12 +129,19 @@ class ProjectBuilder {
     // note: command line option here, if set, overrides project setting
     result = result && !callbacks.hasFailureMessage(this.options.compilerWarningsAsErrors ?? this.project.options.compilerWarningsAsErrors);
 
-    if(result) {
-      callbacks.reportMessage(InfrastructureMessages.Info_FileBuiltSuccessfully({filename: infile, relativeFilename:buildFilename}));
+    if(activity.sourceExtension == KeymanFileTypes.Source.Project) {
+      if(result) {
+        callbacks.reportMessage(InfrastructureMessages.Info_ProjectValidatedSuccessfully({filename: infile, relativeFilename:buildFilename}));
+      } else {
+        callbacks.reportMessage(InfrastructureMessages.Info_ProjectNotValidatedSuccessfully({filename: infile, relativeFilename:buildFilename}));
+      }
     } else {
-      callbacks.reportMessage(InfrastructureMessages.Info_FileNotBuiltSuccessfully({filename: infile, relativeFilename: buildFilename}));
+      if(result) {
+        callbacks.reportMessage(InfrastructureMessages.Info_FileBuiltSuccessfully({filename: infile, relativeFilename:buildFilename}));
+      } else {
+        callbacks.reportMessage(InfrastructureMessages.Info_FileNotBuiltSuccessfully({filename: infile, relativeFilename: buildFilename}));
+      }
     }
-
     return result;
   }
 
diff --git a/developer/src/kmc/src/messages/infrastructureMessages.ts b/developer/src/kmc/src/messages/infrastructureMessages.ts
index d384aa7d86..338af89073 100644
--- a/developer/src/kmc/src/messages/infrastructureMessages.ts
+++ b/developer/src/kmc/src/messages/infrastructureMessages.ts
@@ -197,5 +197,26 @@ export class InfrastructureMessages {
     `Failed to generate new project '${def(o.id)}'.`,
   )});
 
+  // For this message, we override the filename with the passed-in file. A bit of a hack but does the job
+  static INFO_ValidatingProject = SevInfo | 0x0029;
+  static Info_ValidatingProject = (o:{filename:string,relativeFilename:string}) => ({filename:o.filename, ...m(
+    this.INFO_ValidatingProject,
+    `Validating ${def(o.relativeFilename)}`,
+  )});
+
+  // For this message, we override the filename with the passed-in file. A bit of a hack but does the job
+  static INFO_ProjectValidatedSuccessfully = SevInfo | 0x002A;
+  static Info_ProjectValidatedSuccessfully = (o:{filename:string,relativeFilename:string}) => ({filename:o.filename, ...m(
+    this.INFO_ProjectValidatedSuccessfully,
+    `${def(o.relativeFilename)} validated successfully.`,
+  )});
+
+  // For this message, we override the filename with the passed-in file. A bit of a hack but does the job
+  static INFO_ProjectNotValidatedSuccessfully = SevInfo | 0x002B;
+  static Info_ProjectNotValidatedSuccessfully = (o:{filename:string,relativeFilename:string}) => ({filename:o.filename, ...m(
+    this.INFO_ProjectNotValidatedSuccessfully,
+    `${def(o.relativeFilename)} failed to validate.`
+  )});
+
 }
 
diff --git a/developer/src/kmc/src/util/NodeCompilerCallbacks.ts b/developer/src/kmc/src/util/NodeCompilerCallbacks.ts
index a92314aa5f..68209d95ce 100644
--- a/developer/src/kmc/src/util/NodeCompilerCallbacks.ts
+++ b/developer/src/kmc/src/util/NodeCompilerCallbacks.ts
@@ -242,22 +242,26 @@ export class NodeCompilerCallbacks implements CompilerCallbacks {
    * We treat a few certain infrastructure messages with special colours
    * @param event
    * @returns
+   * Keep in sync with: UfrmMessages.pas, TfrmMessages.Add
    */
   messageSpecialColor(event: CompilerEvent) {
     switch(event.code) {
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_BuildingFile:
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_CopyingProject:
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_GeneratingProject:
+      case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_ValidatingProject:
         return color.whiteBright;
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_FileNotBuiltSuccessfully:
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_ProjectNotBuiltSuccessfully:
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_ProjectNotCopiedSuccessfully:
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_ProjectNotGeneratedSuccessfully:
+      case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_ProjectNotValidatedSuccessfully:
         return color.red;
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_FileBuiltSuccessfully:
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_ProjectBuiltSuccessfully:
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_ProjectCopiedSuccessfully:
       case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_ProjectGeneratedSuccessfully:
+      case InfrastructureMessages.INFO_ProjectValidatedSuccessfully:
         return color.green;
     }
     return null;
diff --git a/developer/src/kmc/src/util/extendedCompilerOptions.ts b/developer/src/kmc/src/util/extendedCompilerOptions.ts
index 53f68288f0..b94be88419 100644
--- a/developer/src/kmc/src/util/extendedCompilerOptions.ts
+++ b/developer/src/kmc/src/util/extendedCompilerOptions.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ export interface ExtendedCompilerOptions extends CompilerOptions {
    * MIT
    */
   forPublishing?: boolean;
+  /**
+   * Do not build components, just do the publish phase for the project. This is
+   * used mostly by Keyman Developer IDE, which will run the .keyboard_info /
+   * .package_info validation and compilation step if skipMetadataFiles is true.
+   */
+  publishOnly?: boolean;
   /**
    * Overrides for message reporting
    */
@@ -198,6 +204,7 @@ export function commanderOptionsToCompilerOptions(options: any, callbacks: Compi
     warnDeprecatedCode: options.warnDeprecatedCode,
     // ExtendedOptions
     forPublishing: options.forPublishing,
+    publishOnly: options.publishOnly,
     messageOverrides: overrides,
   }
 }
diff --git a/developer/src/tike/compile/Keyman.Developer.System.KmcWrapper.pas b/developer/src/tike/compile/Keyman.Developer.System.KmcWrapper.pas
index 168ea8c77d..f64e961b15 100644
--- a/developer/src/tike/compile/Keyman.Developer.System.KmcWrapper.pas
+++ b/developer/src/tike/compile/Keyman.Developer.System.KmcWrapper.pas
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ type
     function Run(const parameters: TArray<string>; const path, logFilename: string; Callback: TUtilExecuteCallbackEvent): Boolean;
   public
     function Compile(ProjectFile: TProjectFile; const infile, outfile: string; debug: Boolean; Callback: TUtilExecuteCallbackEvent = nil): Boolean;
+    function CompileForPublishing(ProjectFile: TProjectFile; const projectFilename: string; debug: Boolean; Callback: TUtilExecuteCallbackEvent = nil): Boolean;
     function Copy(const source, dest, cwd: string; relocateExternal: Boolean; Callback: TUtilExecuteCallbackEvent = nil): Boolean;
   end;
 
@@ -39,6 +40,39 @@ uses
 
 { TKmcWrapper }
 
+function TKmcWrapper.CompileForPublishing(
+  ProjectFile: TProjectFile;
+  const projectFilename: string;
+  debug: Boolean;
+  Callback: TUtilExecuteCallbackEvent
+): Boolean;
+var
+  cmdline: TArray<string>;
+begin
+  cmdline := [
+    'build',
+    '--log-format', 'tsv',
+    '--log-level', 'info',
+    '--for-publishing',
+    '--publish-only',
+    projectFilename
+  ];
+
+  if Assigned(FGlobalProject) and (FGlobalProject.Options.CompilerWarningsAsErrors) then
+    cmdline := cmdline + ['--compiler-warnings-as-errors']
+  else
+    cmdline := cmdline + ['--no-compiler-warnings-as-errors'];
+
+  if not FGlobalProject.Options.WarnDeprecatedCode then
+    cmdline := cmdline + ['--no-warn-deprecated-code'];
+
+  if debug then
+    cmdline := cmdline + ['--debug'];
+
+  Result := Run(cmdline, ExtractFileDir(projectFilename), projectFilename, Callback);
+end;
+
+
 function TKmcWrapper.Compile(
   ProjectFile: TProjectFile;
   const infile: string;
diff --git a/developer/src/tike/main/UfrmMessages.pas b/developer/src/tike/main/UfrmMessages.pas
index 9a76254c96..924bec9acd 100644
--- a/developer/src/tike/main/UfrmMessages.pas
+++ b/developer/src/tike/main/UfrmMessages.pas
@@ -170,6 +170,12 @@ const // ABGR - text on white bg, Colors similar to Light+ VSCode color theme
   INFO_FileNotBuiltSuccessfully = NAMESPACE_Infrastructure or $0007;
   INFO_ProjectBuiltSuccessfully = NAMESPACE_Infrastructure or $000B;
   INFO_ProjectNotBuiltSuccessfully = NAMESPACE_Infrastructure or $000C;
+  INFO_ProjectCopiedSuccessfully = NAMESPACE_Infrastructure or $0024;
+  INFO_ProjectNotCopiedSuccessfully = NAMESPACE_Infrastructure or $0025;
+  INFO_ProjectGeneratedSuccessfully = NAMESPACE_Infrastructure or $0027;
+  INFO_ProjectNotGeneratedSuccessfully = NAMESPACE_Infrastructure or $0028;
+  INFO_ProjectValidatedSuccessfully = NAMESPACE_Infrastructure or $002A;
+  INFO_ProjectNotValidatedSuccessfully = NAMESPACE_Infrastructure or $002B;
 
   Segment_Filename           = 0;
   Segment_Filename_Separator = 1;
@@ -254,12 +260,18 @@ begin
     FColor := clBlack;
     FTextColor := Color_Text;
 
-    // Override formatting for 4 known messages
+    // Override formatting for known messages -- keep in sync with messageSpecialColor() in NodeCompilerCallbacks.ts
     if (MsgCode = INFO_FileBuiltSuccessfully) or
-       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectBuiltSuccessfully) then
+       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectBuiltSuccessfully) or
+       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectCopiedSuccessfully) or
+       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectGeneratedSuccessfully) or
+       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectValidatedSuccessfully) then
       state := plsSuccess
     else if (MsgCode = INFO_FileNotBuiltSuccessfully) or
-       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectNotBuiltSuccessfully) then
+       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectNotBuiltSuccessfully) or
+       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectNotCopiedSuccessfully) or
+       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectNotGeneratedSuccessfully) or
+       (MsgCode = INFO_ProjectNotValidatedSuccessfully) then
       state := plsFailure;
 
     case state of
diff --git a/developer/src/tike/project/Keyman.Developer.System.Project.kpsProjectFileAction.pas b/developer/src/tike/project/Keyman.Developer.System.Project.kpsProjectFileAction.pas
index c7a7cafcc5..94cb28c151 100644
--- a/developer/src/tike/project/Keyman.Developer.System.Project.kpsProjectFileAction.pas
+++ b/developer/src/tike/project/Keyman.Developer.System.Project.kpsProjectFileAction.pas
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ begin
   w := TKmcWrapper.Create;
   try
     Result := w.Compile(Self, FileName, TargetFilename, False);
+    if not OwnerProject.Options.SkipMetadataFiles then
+      Result := Result and w.CompileForPublishing(Self, OwnerProject.FileName, False);
     // TODO(lowpri): FDebug flag
   finally
     w.Free;