diff --git a/lib/document.js b/lib/document.js
index 2990eb8ba1c..234e32f18d4 100644
--- a/lib/document.js
+++ b/lib/document.js
@@ -2846,7 +2846,10 @@ function _getPathsToValidate(doc, pathsToValidate, pathsToSkip) {
  */
 
 Document.prototype.$__validate = function(pathsToValidate, options, callback) {
-  if (typeof pathsToValidate === 'function') {
+
+  if (this.$__.saveOptions && this.$__.saveOptions.pathsToSave && !pathsToValidate) {
+    pathsToValidate = [...this.$__.saveOptions.pathsToSave];
+  } else if (typeof pathsToValidate === 'function') {
     callback = pathsToValidate;
     options = null;
     pathsToValidate = null;
@@ -2929,8 +2932,19 @@ Document.prototype.$__validate = function(pathsToValidate, options, callback) {
   const validated = {};
   let total = 0;
 
-  for (const path of paths) {
-    validatePath(path);
+  let pathsToSave = this.$__.saveOptions?.pathsToSave;
+  if (Array.isArray(pathsToSave)) {
+    pathsToSave = new Set(pathsToSave);
+    for (const path of paths) {
+      if (!pathsToSave.has(path)) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      validatePath(path);
+    }
+  } else {
+    for (const path of paths) {
+      validatePath(path);
+    }
   }
 
   function validatePath(path) {
diff --git a/lib/model.js b/lib/model.js
index ebf03e22133..f5e4f12f967 100644
--- a/lib/model.js
+++ b/lib/model.js
@@ -298,7 +298,6 @@ Model.prototype.$__handleSave = function(options, callback) {
   if (!saveOptions.hasOwnProperty('session') && session != null) {
     saveOptions.session = session;
   }
-
   if (this.$isNew) {
     // send entire doc
     const obj = this.toObject(saveToObjectOptions);
@@ -335,6 +334,18 @@ Model.prototype.$__handleSave = function(options, callback) {
   // since it already exists
   this.$__.inserting = false;
   const delta = this.$__delta();
+
+  if (options.pathsToSave) {
+    for (const key in delta[1]['$set']) {
+      if (options.pathsToSave.includes(key)) {
+        continue;
+      } else if (options.pathsToSave.some(pathToSave => key.slice(0, pathToSave.length) === pathToSave && key.charAt(pathToSave.length) === '.')) {
+        continue;
+      } else {
+        delete delta[1]['$set'][key];
+      }
+    }
+  }
   if (delta) {
     if (delta instanceof MongooseError) {
       callback(delta);
@@ -521,6 +532,7 @@ function generateVersionError(doc, modifiedPaths) {
  * @param {Number} [options.wtimeout] sets a [timeout for the write concern](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/manual/reference/write-concern/#wtimeout). Overrides the [schema-level `writeConcern` option](https://mongoosejs.com/docs/guide.html#writeConcern).
  * @param {Boolean} [options.checkKeys=true] the MongoDB driver prevents you from saving keys that start with '$' or contain '.' by default. Set this option to `false` to skip that check. See [restrictions on field names](https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/reference/limits/#mongodb-limit-Restrictions-on-Field-Names)
  * @param {Boolean} [options.timestamps=true] if `false` and [timestamps](https://mongoosejs.com/docs/guide.html#timestamps) are enabled, skip timestamps for this `save()`.
+ * @param {Array} [options.pathsToSave] An array of paths that tell mongoose to only validate and save the paths in `pathsToSave`.
  * @throws {DocumentNotFoundError} if this [save updates an existing document](https://mongoosejs.com/docs/api/document.html#Document.prototype.isNew) but the document doesn't exist in the database. For example, you will get this error if the document is [deleted between when you retrieved the document and when you saved it](documents.html#updating).
  * @return {Promise}
  * @api public
@@ -747,7 +759,6 @@ function handleAtomics(self, where, delta, data, value) {
 
 Model.prototype.$__delta = function() {
   const dirty = this.$__dirty();
-
   const optimisticConcurrency = this.$__schema.options.optimisticConcurrency;
   if (optimisticConcurrency) {
     if (Array.isArray(optimisticConcurrency)) {
diff --git a/test/model.test.js b/test/model.test.js
index e3926b39d5e..76e8341ec1b 100644
--- a/test/model.test.js
+++ b/test/model.test.js
@@ -2537,6 +2537,95 @@ describe('Model', function() {
       assert.ok(!doc.$__.$versionError);
       assert.ok(!doc.$__.saveOptions);
     });
+    it('should only save paths specificed in the `pathsToSave` array (gh-9583)', async function() {
+      const schema = new Schema({ name: String, age: Number, weight: { type: Number, validate: v => v == null || v >= 140 }, location: String });
+      const Test = db.model('Test', schema);
+      await Test.create({ name: 'Test Testerson', age: 1, weight: 180, location: 'Florida' });
+      const doc = await Test.findOne();
+      doc.name = 'Test';
+      doc.age = 100;
+      doc.weight = 80;
+      await doc.save({ pathsToSave: ['name'] });
+      const check = await Test.findOne();
+      assert.equal(check.name, 'Test');
+      assert.equal(check.weight, 180);
+      assert.equal(check.age, 1);
+    });
+    it('should have `pathsToSave` work with subdocs (gh-9583)', async function() {
+      const locationSchema = new Schema({ state: String, city: String, zip: { type: Number, validate: v => v == null || v.toString().length == 5 } });
+      const schema = new Schema({
+        name: String,
+        nickname: String,
+        age: Number,
+        weight: { type: Number, validate: v => v == null || v >= 140 },
+        location: locationSchema
+      });
+      const Test = db.model('Test', schema);
+      await Test.create({ name: 'Test Testerson', nickname: 'test', age: 1, weight: 180, location: { state: 'FL', city: 'Miami', zip: 33330 } });
+      let doc = await Test.findOne();
+      doc.name = 'Test';
+      doc.nickname = 'Test2';
+      doc.age = 100;
+      doc.weight = 80;
+      doc.location.state = 'Ohio';
+      doc.location.zip = 0;
+      await doc.save({ pathsToSave: ['name', 'location.state'] });
+      let check = await Test.findOne();
+      assert.equal(check.name, 'Test');
+      assert.equal(check.nickname, 'test');
+      assert.equal(check.weight, 180);
+      assert.equal(check.age, 1);
+      assert.equal(check.location.state, 'Ohio');
+      assert.equal(check.location.zip, 33330);
+      check.location = { state: 'Georgia', city: 'Athens', zip: 34512 };
+      check.name = 'Quiz';
+      check.age = 50;
+      await check.save({ pathsToSave: ['name', 'location'] });
+      const nestedCheck = await Test.findOne();
+      assert.equal(nestedCheck.location.state, 'Georgia');
+      assert.equal(nestedCheck.location.city, 'Athens');
+      assert.equal(nestedCheck.location.zip, 34512);
+      assert.equal(nestedCheck.name, 'Quiz');
+
+      doc = await Test.findOne();
+      doc.name = 'foobar';
+      doc.location.city = 'Reynolds';
+      await doc.save({ pathsToSave: ['location'] });
+      check = await Test.findById(doc._id);
+      assert.equal(check.name, 'Quiz');
+      assert.equal(check.location.city, 'Reynolds');
+      assert.equal(check.location.state, 'Georgia');
+    });
+    it('should have `pathsToSave` work with doc arrays (gh-9583)', async function() {
+      const locationSchema = new Schema({ state: String, city: String, zip: { type: Number, validate: v => v == null || v.toString().length == 5 } });
+      const schema = new Schema({ name: String, age: Number, weight: { type: Number, validate: v => v == null || v >= 140 }, location: [locationSchema] });
+      const Test = db.model('Test', schema);
+      await Test.create({ name: 'Test Testerson', age: 1, weight: 180, location: [{ state: 'FL', city: 'Miami', zip: 33330 }, { state: 'New York', city: 'Albany', zip: 34567 }] });
+      const doc = await Test.findOne();
+      doc.name = 'Test';
+      doc.age = 100;
+      doc.weight = 80;
+      doc.location[0].state = 'Ohio';
+      doc.location[0].zip = 0;
+      doc.location[1].state = 'Ohio';
+      await doc.save({ pathsToSave: ['name', 'location.0.state'] });
+      const check = await Test.findOne();
+      assert.equal(check.name, 'Test');
+      assert.equal(check.weight, 180);
+      assert.equal(check.age, 1);
+      assert.equal(check.location[0].state, 'Ohio');
+      assert.equal(check.location[0].zip, 33330);
+      assert.equal(check.location[1].state, 'New York');
+      check.location[0] = { state: 'Georgia', city: 'Athens', zip: 34512 };
+      check.name = 'Quiz';
+      check.age = 50;
+      await check.save({ pathsToSave: ['name', 'location'] });
+      const nestedCheck = await Test.findOne();
+      assert.equal(nestedCheck.location[0].state, 'Georgia');
+      assert.equal(nestedCheck.location[0].city, 'Athens');
+      assert.equal(nestedCheck.location[0].zip, 34512);
+      assert.equal(nestedCheck.name, 'Quiz');
+    });
   });