diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dd8208963..d5a968b2a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ To build these, run `npm run pkg` in the root.  The binaries (lint-openapi-linux
 
 #### [options]
 -  -s (--report_statistics) : Print a simple report at the end of the output showing the frequency, in percentage, of each error/warning.
+-  -e (--errors_only) : Only print the errors, ignore the warnings.
 -  -d (--default_mode) : This option turns off [configuration](#configuration) and runs the validator in [default mode](#default-mode).
 -  -p (--print_validator_modules) : Print the name of the validator source file the error/warning was caught it. This can be helpful for developing validations.
 -  -n (--no_colors) : The output is colored by default. If this bothers you, this flag will turn off the coloring.
diff --git a/src/cli-validator/index.js b/src/cli-validator/index.js
index b93cf4443..2516b9c90 100755
--- a/src/cli-validator/index.js
+++ b/src/cli-validator/index.js
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ program
   )
   .option(
     '-c, --config <file>', 'path to config file, used instead of .validaterc if provided'
+  )
+  .option(
+    '-e, --errors_only',
+    'only print the errors, ignore the warnings'
   );
 
 /* prettier-ignore */
diff --git a/src/cli-validator/runValidator.js b/src/cli-validator/runValidator.js
index d33a9a512..d96e3f8c3 100644
--- a/src/cli-validator/runValidator.js
+++ b/src/cli-validator/runValidator.js
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ const processInput = async function(program) {
   const turnOffColoring = !!program.no_colors;
   const defaultMode = !!program.default_mode;
   const jsonOutput = !!program.json;
+  const errorsOnly = !!program.errors_only;
 
   const configFileOverride = program.config;
 
@@ -231,11 +232,24 @@ const processInput = async function(program) {
       continue;
     }
 
+    // the warning property tells the user if warnings are included as part of the output
+    // if errorsOnly is true, only errors will be returned, so need to force this to false
+    if (errorsOnly) {
+      results.warning = false;
+    }
+
     if (jsonOutput) {
-      printJson(results, originalFile);
+      printJson(results, originalFile, errorsOnly);
     } else {
       if (results.error || results.warning) {
-        print(results, chalk, printValidators, reportingStats, originalFile);
+        print(
+          results,
+          chalk,
+          printValidators,
+          reportingStats,
+          originalFile,
+          errorsOnly
+        );
         // fail on errors, but not if there are only warnings
         if (results.error) exitCode = 1;
       } else {
diff --git a/src/cli-validator/utils/printJsonResults.js b/src/cli-validator/utils/printJsonResults.js
index dc5ee4692..d847a40f5 100644
--- a/src/cli-validator/utils/printJsonResults.js
+++ b/src/cli-validator/utils/printJsonResults.js
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ const getLineNumberForPath = require(__dirname + '/../../plugins/ast/ast')
   .getLineNumberForPath;
 
 // function to print the results as json to the console.
-module.exports = function printJson(results, originalFile) {
-  const types = ['errors', 'warnings'];
+module.exports = function printJson(results, originalFile, errorsOnly) {
+  const types = errorsOnly ? ['errors'] : ['errors', 'warnings'];
   types.forEach(type => {
     each(results[type], problems => {
       problems.forEach(problem => {
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ module.exports = function printJson(results, originalFile) {
       });
     });
   });
+  if (errorsOnly) {
+    delete results.warnings;
+  }
   // render the results to json in the console with 2 char spacing
   const jsonstr = JSON.stringify(results, null, 2);
   console.log(jsonstr);
diff --git a/src/cli-validator/utils/printResults.js b/src/cli-validator/utils/printResults.js
index b7028049c..976423690 100644
--- a/src/cli-validator/utils/printResults.js
+++ b/src/cli-validator/utils/printResults.js
@@ -11,9 +11,10 @@ module.exports = function print(
   chalk,
   printValidators,
   reportingStats,
-  originalFile
+  originalFile,
+  errorsOnly
 ) {
-  const types = ['errors', 'warnings'];
+  const types = errorsOnly ? ['errors'] : ['errors', 'warnings'];
   const colors = {
     errors: 'bgRed',
     warnings: 'bgYellow'
diff --git a/test/cli-validator/tests/optionHandling.js b/test/cli-validator/tests/optionHandling.js
index c8162b3e4..b332eae09 100644
--- a/test/cli-validator/tests/optionHandling.js
+++ b/test/cli-validator/tests/optionHandling.js
@@ -97,6 +97,27 @@ describe('cli tool - test option handling', function() {
     expect(validatorsPrinted).toEqual(true);
   });
 
+  it('should print only errors when the -e command is given', async function() {
+    const capturedText = [];
+
+    const unhookIntercept = intercept(function(txt) {
+      capturedText.push(stripAnsiFrom(txt));
+      return '';
+    });
+
+    const program = {};
+    program.args = ['./test/cli-validator/mockFiles/errAndWarn.yaml'];
+    program.errors_only = true;
+    program.default_mode = true;
+
+    await commandLineValidator(program);
+    unhookIntercept();
+
+    capturedText.forEach(function(line) {
+      expect(line.includes('warnings')).toEqual(false);
+    });
+  });
+
   it('should print correct statistics report when -s option is given', async function() {
     const capturedText = [];
 
@@ -223,6 +244,30 @@ describe('cli tool - test option handling', function() {
     );
   });
 
+  it('should print only errors as json output when -j -e option is given', async function() {
+    const capturedText = [];
+
+    const unhookIntercept = intercept(function(txt) {
+      capturedText.push(stripAnsiFrom(txt));
+      return '';
+    });
+
+    const program = {};
+    program.args = ['./test/cli-validator/mockFiles/errAndWarn.yaml'];
+    program.json = true;
+    program.errors_only = true;
+    program.default_mode = true;
+    await commandLineValidator(program);
+    unhookIntercept();
+
+    // capturedText should be JSON object. convert to json and check fields
+    const outputObject = JSON.parse(capturedText);
+
+    expect(outputObject.warning).toEqual(false);
+    expect(outputObject.error).toEqual(true);
+    expect(outputObject.warnings).toEqual(undefined);
+  });
+
   it('should change output for overridden options when config file is manually specified', async function() {
     const capturedText = [];