diff --git a/dtschema/dtb_validate.py b/dtschema/dtb_validate.py
index b8e3e53..6a02946 100755
--- a/dtschema/dtb_validate.py
+++ b/dtschema/dtb_validate.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 verbose = False
 show_unmatched = False
 match_schema_file = None
+compatible_match = False
 
 
 class schema_group():
@@ -30,7 +31,8 @@ def check_node(self, tree, node, disabled, nodename, fullname, filename):
         node['$nodename'] = [nodename]
 
         try:
-            for error in self.validator.iter_errors(node, filter=match_schema_file):
+            for error in self.validator.iter_errors(node, filter=match_schema_file,
+                                                    compatible_match=compatible_match):
 
                 # Disabled nodes might not have all the required
                 # properties filled in, such as a regulator or a
@@ -93,6 +95,7 @@ def main():
     global verbose
     global show_unmatched
     global match_schema_file
+    global compatible_match
 
     ap = argparse.ArgumentParser(fromfile_prefix_chars='@',
         epilog='Arguments can also be passed in a file prefixed with a "@" character.')
@@ -101,6 +104,8 @@ def main():
     ap.add_argument('-s', '--schema', help="preparsed schema file or path to schema files")
     ap.add_argument('-p', '--preparse', help="preparsed schema file (deprecated, use '-s')")
     ap.add_argument('-l', '--limit', help="limit validation to schemas with $id matching LIMIT substring")
+    ap.add_argument('-c', '--compatible-match', action="store_true",
+                    help="limit validation to schema matching nodes' most specific compatible string")
     ap.add_argument('-m', '--show-unmatched',
         help="Print out node 'compatible' strings which don't match any schema.",
         action="store_true")
@@ -114,6 +119,7 @@ def main():
     verbose = args.verbose
     show_unmatched = args.show_unmatched
     match_schema_file = args.limit
+    compatible_match = args.compatible_match
 
     # Maintain prior behaviour which accepted file paths by stripping the file path
     if args.url_path and args.limit:
diff --git a/dtschema/validator.py b/dtschema/validator.py
index 0ea1e94..653543b 100644
--- a/dtschema/validator.py
+++ b/dtschema/validator.py
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ def annotate_error(self, id, error):
         error.linecol = -1, -1
         error.note = None
 
-    def iter_errors(self, instance, filter=None):
+    def iter_errors(self, instance, filter=None, compatible_match=False):
         if 'compatible' in instance:
             inst_compat = instance['compatible'][0]
             if inst_compat in self.compat_map:
@@ -421,6 +421,10 @@ def iter_errors(self, instance, filter=None):
                                                   ).iter_errors(instance):
                         self.annotate_error(schema['$id'], error)
                         yield error
+
+        if compatible_match:
+            return
+
         for schema_id in self.always_schemas:
             if filter and filter not in schema_id:
                 continue