diff --git a/mysql-test/main/mysqld--help.result b/mysql-test/main/mysqld--help.result
index cb87a7ba8f1e6..9484d752947d7 100644
--- a/mysql-test/main/mysqld--help.result
+++ b/mysql-test/main/mysqld--help.result
@@ -1739,6 +1739,9 @@ The following specify which files/extra groups are read (specified before remain
  --userstat          Enables statistics gathering for USER_STATISTICS,
  CLIENT_STATISTICS, INDEX_STATISTICS and TABLE_STATISTICS
  tables in the INFORMATION_SCHEMA
+ --validate-config   Validate the server configuration specified by the user
+ and exit with an exit code of 0 for success or 1 for
+ failure, without starting the server
  -v, --verbose       Used with --help option for detailed help
  -V, --version[=name] 
  Output version information and exit
@@ -2180,6 +2183,7 @@ transaction-read-only FALSE
 updatable-views-with-limit YES
 use-stat-tables PREFERABLY_FOR_QUERIES
 userstat FALSE
+validate-config FALSE
 verbose TRUE
 wait-timeout 28800
 
diff --git a/mysql-test/main/validate_config.result b/mysql-test/main/validate_config.result
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5521eb72b92bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/main/validate_config.result
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#
+# Test 1: --validate-config with valid configuration should succeed (exit 0)
+#
+#
+# Test 2: --validate-config with unknown option should fail (exit 2)
+#
+#
+# Test 3: --validate-config should not start the server (no pid file)
+#
+#
+# Test 4: --validate-config should not produce help output
+#
+NOT FOUND /Starts the MariaDB database server/ in mdev-31527-test4.log
+#
+# Test 5: --validate-config with bad option in config file should fail
+#
+FOUND 1 /unknown variable 'zzz_bogus_option=123'/ in mdev-31527-test5.log
+#
+# Test 6: --validate-config with valid config file should succeed
+#
+FOUND 1 /Configuration is valid/ in mdev-31527-test6.log
+#
+# Test 7: --validate-config with --help (help takes precedence)
+#
+FOUND 1 /Starts the MariaDB database server/ in mdev-31527-test7.log
+#
+# Test 8: --validate-config with --verbose
+#
+FOUND 1 /Configuration is valid/ in mdev-31527-test8.log
+#
+# Test 9: --validate-config with --bootstrap (already used via MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP_CMD, test explicit)
+#
+FOUND 1 /Configuration is valid/ in mdev-31527-test9.log
diff --git a/mysql-test/main/validate_config.test b/mysql-test/main/validate_config.test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9f67cc1567bc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/main/validate_config.test
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+#
+# Test --validate-config option (MDEV-31527)
+#
+# The --validate-config flag validates the configuration and exits
+# with exit code 0 on success, or non-zero on failure, without starting
+# the server.
+#
+
+--source include/not_embedded.inc
+
+# mysqld refuses to run as root normally.
+--source include/not_as_root.inc
+
+--echo #
+--echo # Test 1: --validate-config with valid configuration should succeed (exit 0)
+--echo #
+--exec $MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP_CMD --validate-config >$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test1.log 2>&1
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test1.log
+
+--echo #
+--echo # Test 2: --validate-config with unknown option should fail (exit 2)
+--echo #
+--error 2
+--exec $MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP_CMD --validate-config --nonexistentoption >$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test2.log 2>&1
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test2.log
+
+--echo #
+--echo # Test 3: --validate-config should not start the server (no pid file)
+--echo #
+--exec $MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP_CMD --validate-config --pid-file=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-validate.pid >$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test3.log 2>&1
+--error 1
+--file_exists $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-validate.pid
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test3.log
+
+--echo #
+--echo # Test 4: --validate-config should not produce help output
+--echo #
+--exec $MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP_CMD --validate-config >$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test4.log 2>&1
+--let SEARCH_FILE=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test4.log
+--let SEARCH_PATTERN=Starts the MariaDB database server
+--source include/search_pattern_in_file.inc
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test4.log
+
+--echo #
+--echo # Test 5: --validate-config with bad option in config file should fail
+--echo #
+--write_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-bad.cnf
+[mariadb]
+zzz_bogus_option=123
+EOF
+--error 7
+--exec $MYSQLD --defaults-file=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-bad.cnf --validate-config --datadir=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp --lc-messages-dir=$MYSQL_SHAREDIR --character-sets-dir=$MYSQL_CHARSETSDIR --console >$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test5.log 2>&1
+--let SEARCH_FILE=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test5.log
+--let SEARCH_PATTERN=unknown variable 'zzz_bogus_option=123'
+--source include/search_pattern_in_file.inc
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test5.log
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-bad.cnf
+
+--echo #
+--echo # Test 6: --validate-config with valid config file should succeed
+--echo #
+--write_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-good.cnf
+[mariadb]
+max_connections=50
+EOF
+--exec $MYSQLD --defaults-file=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-good.cnf --validate-config --datadir=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp --lc-messages-dir=$MYSQL_SHAREDIR --character-sets-dir=$MYSQL_CHARSETSDIR --console >$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test6.log 2>&1
+--let SEARCH_FILE=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test6.log
+--let SEARCH_PATTERN=Configuration is valid
+--source include/search_pattern_in_file.inc
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test6.log
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-good.cnf
+
+--echo #
+--echo # Test 7: --validate-config with --help (help takes precedence)
+--echo #
+--exec $MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP_CMD --validate-config --help >$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test7.log 2>&1
+--let SEARCH_FILE=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test7.log
+--let SEARCH_PATTERN=Starts the MariaDB database server
+--source include/search_pattern_in_file.inc
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test7.log
+
+--echo #
+--echo # Test 8: --validate-config with --verbose
+--echo #
+--exec $MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP_CMD --validate-config --verbose >$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test8.log 2>&1
+--let SEARCH_FILE=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test8.log
+--let SEARCH_PATTERN=Configuration is valid
+--source include/search_pattern_in_file.inc
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test8.log
+
+--echo #
+--echo # Test 9: --validate-config with --bootstrap (already used via MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP_CMD, test explicit)
+--echo #
+--exec $MYSQLD_BOOTSTRAP_CMD --validate-config >$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test9.log 2>&1
+--let SEARCH_FILE=$MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test9.log
+--let SEARCH_PATTERN=Configuration is valid
+--source include/search_pattern_in_file.inc
+--remove_file $MYSQLTEST_VARDIR/tmp/mdev-31527-test9.log
+
diff --git a/sql/mysqld.cc b/sql/mysqld.cc
index 3f22fa1feafc1..8042fa569c01a 100644
--- a/sql/mysqld.cc
+++ b/sql/mysqld.cc
@@ -380,6 +380,7 @@ handlerton *opt_binlog_engine_hton;
 bool opt_bin_log_compress;
 uint opt_bin_log_compress_min_len;
 my_bool opt_log, debug_assert_if_crashed_table= 0, opt_help= 0;
+my_bool opt_validate_config= 0;
 my_bool debug_assert_on_not_freed_memory= 0;
 my_bool disable_log_notes, opt_support_flashback= 0;
 static my_bool opt_abort;
@@ -4131,7 +4132,7 @@ static int init_common_variables()
   sf_leaking_memory= 0; // no memory leaks from now on
 
 #ifndef EMBEDDED_LIBRARY
-  if (opt_abort && !opt_verbose)
+  if (opt_abort && !opt_verbose && !opt_validate_config)
     unireg_abort(0);
 #endif /*!EMBEDDED_LIBRARY*/
 
@@ -5576,7 +5577,11 @@ static int init_server_components()
   }
 
   if (opt_abort)
+  {
+    if (opt_validate_config)
+      sql_print_information("Configuration is valid.");
     unireg_abort(0);
+  }
 
   if (init_io_cache_encryption())
     unireg_abort(1);
@@ -6780,6 +6785,11 @@ struct my_option my_long_options[]=
   {"help", '?', "Display this help and exit", 
    &opt_help, &opt_help, 0, GET_BOOL, NO_ARG, 0, 0, 0, 0,
    0, 0},
+  {"validate-config", 0, "Validate the server configuration specified by the user "
+   "and exit with an exit code of 0 for success or 1 for failure, "
+   "without starting the server",
+   &opt_validate_config, &opt_validate_config, 0, GET_BOOL, NO_ARG, 0, 0, 0,
+   0, 0, 0},
   {"ansi", 'a', "Use ANSI SQL syntax instead of MariaDB syntax. This mode "
    "will also set transaction isolation level 'serializable'", 0, 0, 0,
    GET_NO_ARG, NO_ARG, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
@@ -9057,7 +9067,7 @@ static int get_options(int *argc_ptr, char ***argv_ptr)
                                 mysqld_get_one_option)))
     return ho_error;
 
-  if (!opt_help)
+  if (!opt_help && !opt_validate_config)
     delete_dynamic(&all_options);
   else
     opt_abort= 1;