diff --git a/cmd/helm/template.go b/cmd/helm/template.go
index 1c6d88ee8..8a807bca0 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/template.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/template.go
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ faked locally. Additionally, none of the server-side testing of chart validity
 
 func newTemplateCmd(cfg *action.Configuration, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	var validate bool
+	var clientOnly bool
 	client := action.NewInstall(cfg)
 	valueOpts := &values.Options{}
 	var extraAPIs []string
@@ -58,7 +59,8 @@ func newTemplateCmd(cfg *action.Configuration, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 			client.DryRun = true
 			client.ReleaseName = "RELEASE-NAME"
 			client.Replace = true // Skip the name check
-			client.ClientOnly = !validate
+			client.NoValidate = !validate
+			client.ClientOnly = clientOnly
 			client.APIVersions = chartutil.VersionSet(extraAPIs)
 			rel, err := runInstall(args, client, valueOpts, out)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -119,7 +121,8 @@ func newTemplateCmd(cfg *action.Configuration, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	addInstallFlags(f, client, valueOpts)
 	f.StringArrayVarP(&showFiles, "show-only", "s", []string{}, "only show manifests rendered from the given templates")
 	f.StringVar(&client.OutputDir, "output-dir", "", "writes the executed templates to files in output-dir instead of stdout")
-	f.BoolVar(&validate, "validate", false, "establish a connection to Kubernetes for schema validation")
+	f.BoolVar(&validate, "validate", true, "Runs schema validation")
+	f.BoolVar(&clientOnly, "client-only", true, "Prevents establishing a connection to Kubernetes for schema validation")
 	f.StringArrayVarP(&extraAPIs, "api-versions", "a", []string{}, "Kubernetes api versions used for Capabilities.APIVersions")
 
 	return cmd
diff --git a/pkg/action/install.go b/pkg/action/install.go
index 606226500..3cf0dcefd 100644
--- a/pkg/action/install.go
+++ b/pkg/action/install.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ type Install struct {
 	ChartPathOptions
 
 	ClientOnly       bool
+	NoValidate       bool
 	DryRun           bool
 	DisableHooks     bool
 	Replace          bool
@@ -101,6 +102,10 @@ type ChartPathOptions struct {
 	Version  string // --version
 }
 
+type RenderOptions struct {
+	NoValidate bool
+}
+
 // NewInstall creates a new Install object with the given configuration.
 func NewInstall(cfg *Configuration) *Install {
 	return &Install{
@@ -151,8 +156,10 @@ func (i *Install) installCRDs(crds []*chart.File) error {
 //
 // If DryRun is set to true, this will prepare the release, but not install it
 func (i *Install) Run(chrt *chart.Chart, vals map[string]interface{}) (*release.Release, error) {
+	validate := !i.NoValidate
+
 	// Check reachability of cluster unless in client-only mode (e.g. `helm template` without `--validate`)
-	if !i.ClientOnly {
+	if validate && !i.ClientOnly {
 		if err := i.cfg.KubeClient.IsReachable(); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -164,7 +171,7 @@ func (i *Install) Run(chrt *chart.Chart, vals map[string]interface{}) (*release.
 
 	// Pre-install anything in the crd/ directory. We do this before Helm
 	// contacts the upstream server and builds the capabilities object.
-	if crds := chrt.CRDs(); !i.ClientOnly && !i.SkipCRDs && len(crds) > 0 {
+	if crds := chrt.CRDs(); validate && !i.SkipCRDs && len(crds) > 0 {
 		// On dry run, bail here
 		if i.DryRun {
 			i.cfg.Log("WARNING: This chart or one of its subcharts contains CRDs. Rendering may fail or contain inaccuracies.")
@@ -211,7 +218,7 @@ func (i *Install) Run(chrt *chart.Chart, vals map[string]interface{}) (*release.
 	rel := i.createRelease(chrt, vals)
 
 	var manifestDoc *bytes.Buffer
-	rel.Hooks, manifestDoc, rel.Info.Notes, err = i.cfg.renderResources(chrt, valuesToRender, i.OutputDir, i.SubNotes)
+	rel.Hooks, manifestDoc, rel.Info.Notes, err = i.cfg.renderResources(chrt, valuesToRender, i.OutputDir, i.SubNotes, RenderOptions{NoValidate: i.NoValidate})
 	// Even for errors, attach this if available
 	if manifestDoc != nil {
 		rel.Manifest = manifestDoc.String()
@@ -237,7 +244,7 @@ func (i *Install) Run(chrt *chart.Chart, vals map[string]interface{}) (*release.
 	// we'll end up in a state where we will delete those resources upon
 	// deleting the release because the manifest will be pointing at that
 	// resource
-	if !i.ClientOnly {
+	if validate && !i.ClientOnly {
 		if err := existingResourceConflict(resources); err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "rendered manifests contain a resource that already exists. Unable to continue with install")
 		}
@@ -409,7 +416,7 @@ func (i *Install) replaceRelease(rel *release.Release) error {
 }
 
 // renderResources renders the templates in a chart
-func (c *Configuration) renderResources(ch *chart.Chart, values chartutil.Values, outputDir string, subNotes bool) ([]*release.Hook, *bytes.Buffer, string, error) {
+func (c *Configuration) renderResources(ch *chart.Chart, values chartutil.Values, outputDir string, subNotes bool, opts RenderOptions) ([]*release.Hook, *bytes.Buffer, string, error) {
 	hs := []*release.Hook{}
 	b := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 
@@ -452,7 +459,7 @@ func (c *Configuration) renderResources(ch *chart.Chart, values chartutil.Values
 	// Sort hooks, manifests, and partials. Only hooks and manifests are returned,
 	// as partials are not used after renderer.Render. Empty manifests are also
 	// removed here.
-	hs, manifests, err := releaseutil.SortManifests(files, caps.APIVersions, releaseutil.InstallOrder)
+	hs, manifests, err := releaseutil.SortManifests(files, caps.APIVersions, releaseutil.InstallOrder, releaseutil.SortOptions{NoValidate: opts.NoValidate})
 	if err != nil {
 		// By catching parse errors here, we can prevent bogus releases from going
 		// to Kubernetes.
diff --git a/pkg/action/upgrade.go b/pkg/action/upgrade.go
index 31fcc1471..bef1d417a 100644
--- a/pkg/action/upgrade.go
+++ b/pkg/action/upgrade.go
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (u *Upgrade) prepareUpgrade(name string, chart *chart.Chart, vals map[strin
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	hooks, manifestDoc, notesTxt, err := u.cfg.renderResources(chart, valuesToRender, "", u.SubNotes)
+	hooks, manifestDoc, notesTxt, err := u.cfg.renderResources(chart, valuesToRender, "", u.SubNotes, RenderOptions{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/releaseutil/manifest_sorter.go b/pkg/releaseutil/manifest_sorter.go
index 68ba1bf5e..f30cb5015 100644
--- a/pkg/releaseutil/manifest_sorter.go
+++ b/pkg/releaseutil/manifest_sorter.go
@@ -38,9 +38,10 @@ type Manifest struct {
 
 // manifestFile represents a file that contains a manifest.
 type manifestFile struct {
-	entries map[string]string
-	path    string
-	apis    chartutil.VersionSet
+	entries  map[string]string
+	path     string
+	apis     chartutil.VersionSet
+	validate bool
 }
 
 // result is an intermediate structure used during sorting.
@@ -65,6 +66,10 @@ var events = map[string]release.HookEvent{
 	"test-success": release.HookTest,
 }
 
+type SortOptions struct {
+	NoValidate bool
+}
+
 // SortManifests takes a map of filename/YAML contents, splits the file
 // by manifest entries, and sorts the entries into hook types.
 //
@@ -74,7 +79,12 @@ var events = map[string]release.HookEvent{
 //
 // Files that do not parse into the expected format are simply placed into a map and
 // returned.
-func SortManifests(files map[string]string, apis chartutil.VersionSet, sort KindSortOrder) ([]*release.Hook, []Manifest, error) {
+func SortManifests(files map[string]string, apis chartutil.VersionSet, sort KindSortOrder, opts ...SortOptions) ([]*release.Hook, []Manifest, error) {
+	var opt SortOptions
+	if len(opts) > 0 {
+		opt = opts[0]
+	}
+
 	result := &result{}
 
 	for filePath, c := range files {
@@ -90,9 +100,10 @@ func SortManifests(files map[string]string, apis chartutil.VersionSet, sort Kind
 		}
 
 		manifestFile := &manifestFile{
-			entries: SplitManifests(c),
-			path:    filePath,
-			apis:    apis,
+			entries:  SplitManifests(c),
+			path:     filePath,
+			apis:     apis,
+			validate: !opt.NoValidate,
 		}
 
 		if err := manifestFile.sort(result); err != nil {
@@ -129,7 +140,7 @@ func (file *manifestFile) sort(result *result) error {
 			return errors.Wrapf(err, "YAML parse error on %s", file.path)
 		}
 
-		if entry.Version != "" && !file.apis.Has(entry.Version) {
+		if file.validate && entry.Version != "" && !file.apis.Has(entry.Version) {
 			return errors.Errorf("apiVersion %q in %s is not available", entry.Version, file.path)
 		}