diff --git a/mappyfile/cli.py b/mappyfile/cli.py
index b3864ab..7f18e7d 100644
--- a/mappyfile/cli.py
+++ b/mappyfile/cli.py
@@ -120,8 +120,9 @@ def format(ctx, input_mapfile, output_mapfile, indent, spacer, quote, newlinecha
 @click.argument('mapfiles', nargs=-1, type=click.Path())
 @click.option('--expand/--no-expand', default=True, show_default=True, help="Expand any INCLUDE directives found in the Mapfile") # noqa
 @click.option('--version', default=7.6, show_default=True, help="The MapServer version number used to validate the Mapfile") # noqa
+@click.option('--partials', default=False, show_default=True, help="Allow validation of partial Mapfiles, for example a file containing a LAYER definition") # noqa
 @click.pass_context
-def validate(ctx, mapfiles, expand, version):
+def validate(ctx, mapfiles, expand, version, partials):
     """
     Validate Mapfile(s) against the Mapfile schema
 
@@ -157,7 +158,19 @@ def validate(ctx, mapfiles, expand, version):
             click.echo("{} failed to parse successfully".format(fn))
             continue
 
-        validation_messages = mappyfile.validate(d, version)
+        if partials is True:
+            # handle files which contain individual Mapfile classes such as LAYER, CLASS etc.
+            if isinstance(d, dict):
+                schema_name = d.get("__type__", "map")
+                validation_messages = mappyfile.validate(d, schema_name=schema_name, version=version)
+            elif isinstance(d, list):
+                validation_messages = []
+                for v in d:
+                    schema_name = v.get("__type__", "map")
+                    validation_messages += mappyfile.validate(v, schema_name=schema_name, version=version)
+        else:
+            validation_messages = mappyfile.validate(d, schema_name="map", version=version)
+
         if validation_messages:
             for v in validation_messages:
                 v["fn"] = fn
diff --git a/mappyfile/utils.py b/mappyfile/utils.py
index 79dcea4..194d3d3 100644
--- a/mappyfile/utils.py
+++ b/mappyfile/utils.py
@@ -613,11 +613,13 @@ def update(d1, d2):
     return d1
 
 
-def validate(d, version=None):
+def validate(d, schema_name="map", version=None):
     """
     Validate a mappyfile dictionary by using the Mapfile schema.
     An optional version number can be used to specify a specific
     a Mapfile is valid for a specific MapServer version.
+    A schema name can also be set so individual layers, classes, and
+    styles can be validated indepentally from a map.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
@@ -626,6 +628,8 @@ def validate(d, version=None):
         A Python dictionary based on the the mappyfile schema
    version: float
         The MapServer version number used to validate the Mapfile
+   schema_name: string
+        The MapServer schema to use for validating the dict e.g. "map", "layer", "class"
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -635,7 +639,7 @@ def validate(d, version=None):
 
     """
     v = Validator()
-    return v.validate(d, version=version)
+    return v.validate(d, schema_name=schema_name, version=version)
 
 
 def _save(output_file, string):