diff --git a/src/boot/boot.janet b/src/boot/boot.janet
index c937052c..53ab18a6 100644
--- a/src/boot/boot.janet
+++ b/src/boot/boot.janet
@@ -1458,6 +1458,7 @@
   :env - the environment to compile against - default is the current env\n\t
   :source - string path of source for better errors - default is \"<anonymous>\"\n\t
   :on-compile-error - callback when compilation fails - default is bad-compile\n\t
+  :compile-only - only compile the souce, do not execute it - default is false\n\t
   :on-status - callback when a value is evaluated - default is debug/stacktrace\n\t
   :fiber-flags - what flags to wrap the compilation fiber with. Default is :ia."
   [opts]
@@ -1468,9 +1469,11 @@
         :on-compile-error on-compile-error
         :on-parse-error on-parse-error
         :fiber-flags guard
+        :compile-only compile-only
         :source where} opts)
   (default env (fiber/getenv (fiber/current)))
   (default chunks getline)
+  (default compile-only false)
   (default onstatus debug/stacktrace)
   (default on-compile-error bad-compile)
   (default on-parse-error bad-parse)
@@ -1490,7 +1493,7 @@
         (fn []
           (def res (compile source env where))
           (if (= (type res) :function)
-            (res)
+            (unless compile-only (res))
             (do
               (set good false)
               (def {:error err :start start :end end :fiber errf} res)
@@ -1658,7 +1661,8 @@
 (defn dofile
   "Evaluate a file in a new environment and return the new environment."
   [path & args]
-  (def {:exit exit-on-error} (table ;args))
+  (def {:exit exit-on-error
+        :compile-only compile-only} (table ;args))
   (def f (file/open path))
   (def newenv (make-env))
   (defn chunks [buf _] (file/read f 2048 buf))
@@ -1678,6 +1682,7 @@
                              (when (not= (fiber/status f) :dead)
                                (debug/stacktrace f x)
                                (if exit-on-error (os/exit 1))))
+                :compile-only compile-only
                 :source path})
   (file/close f)
   (table/setproto newenv nil))
diff --git a/src/mainclient/init.janet b/src/mainclient/init.janet
index 02159718..1ac7b8de 100644
--- a/src/mainclient/init.janet
+++ b/src/mainclient/init.janet
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
   (var *handleopts* true)
   (var *exit-on-error* true)
   (var *colorize* true)
+  (var *compile-only* false)
 
   (if-let [jp (os/getenv "JANET_PATH")] (set module/*syspath* jp))
 
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
   -r : Enter the repl after running all scripts
   -p : Keep on executing if there is a top level error (persistent)
   -q : Hide prompt, logo, and repl output (quiet)
+  -k : Compile scripts but do not execute
   -m syspath : Set system path for loading global modules
   -c source output : Compile janet source code into an image
   -n : Disable ANSI color output in the repl
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@
      "r" (fn [&] (set *should-repl* true) 1)
      "p" (fn [&] (set *exit-on-error* false) 1)
      "q" (fn [&] (set *quiet* true) 1)
+     "k" (fn [&] (set *compile-only* true) 1)
      "n" (fn [&] (set *colorize* false) 1)
      "m" (fn [i &] (set module/*syspath* (get process/args (+ i 1))) 2)
      "c" (fn [i &]
@@ -67,10 +70,10 @@
       (+= i (dohandler (string/slice arg 1 2) i))
       (do
         (set *no-file* false)
-        (import* arg :prefix "" :exit *exit-on-error*)
+        (import* arg :prefix "" :exit *exit-on-error* :compile-only *compile-only*)
         (set i lenargs))))
 
-  (when (or *should-repl* *no-file*)
+  (when (and (not *compile-only*) (or *should-repl* *no-file*))
     (if-not *quiet*
       (print "Janet " janet/version "-" janet/build "  Copyright (C) 2017-2019 Calvin Rose"))
     (defn noprompt [_] "")