diff --git a/aiu_fms_testing_utils/scripts/drive_paged_programs.py b/aiu_fms_testing_utils/scripts/drive_paged_programs.py
index 033a8efe..ea50b41d 100644
--- a/aiu_fms_testing_utils/scripts/drive_paged_programs.py
+++ b/aiu_fms_testing_utils/scripts/drive_paged_programs.py
@@ -162,6 +162,11 @@
     action="store_true",
     help="set to true to save cpu validation outputs for later consumption",
 )
+parser.add_argument(
+    "--only_save_validation_output",
+    action="store_true",
+    help="set to true to ONLY save cpu validation outputs for later consumption",
+)
 parser.add_argument(
     "--prioritize_large_batch_sizes",
     action="store_true",
@@ -391,14 +396,16 @@ def __load_validation_info(
     and dist.get_world_size() == 4
 ):
     extra_kwargs["_kvcache_num_blocks_hint"] = KVCACHE_NUM_BLOCKS_HINT
-warmup_model(
-    model,
-    input_ids,
-    max_new_tokens=max_new_tokens,
-    compile_dynamic_sendnn=True,
-    stagger_update_lazyhandle=args.stagger_update_lazyhandle,
-    **extra_kwargs,
-)
+
+if not args.only_save_validation_output:
+    warmup_model(
+        model,
+        input_ids,
+        max_new_tokens=max_new_tokens,
+        compile_dynamic_sendnn=True,
+        stagger_update_lazyhandle=args.stagger_update_lazyhandle,
+        **extra_kwargs,
+    )
 
 if USE_DISTRIBUTED:
     # wait for rank0 to be finished as it is the only one generating the criteria json
@@ -659,7 +666,7 @@ def __metric_calculator(r: torch.Tensor, t: torch.Tensor):
                 **extra_kwargs,
             )
             # save the cpu validation info for later consumption
-            if save_validation_info_outputs:
+            if save_validation_info_outputs or args.only_save_validation_output:
                 cpu_validation_info.save(
                     get_validation_info_path(
                         args.validation_info_outputs_dir,
@@ -674,7 +681,7 @@ def __metric_calculator(r: torch.Tensor, t: torch.Tensor):
                     )
                 )
 
-        if args.test_type == "metrics":
+        if args.test_type == "metrics" and not args.only_save_validation_output:
             aiu_validation_info = extract_validation_information(
                 model,
                 input_ids,
@@ -718,7 +725,7 @@ def __metric_calculator(r: torch.Tensor, t: torch.Tensor):
             if failure_rate >= args.failure_rate_threshold:
                 failed_cases.append((program_id, valid_prompt, failure_rate))
 
-        elif args.test_type == "tokens":
+        elif args.test_type == "tokens" and not args.only_save_validation_output:
             aiu_validation_info = extract_validation_information(
                 model,
                 input_ids,
@@ -758,9 +765,11 @@ def __metric_calculator(r: torch.Tensor, t: torch.Tensor):
                     dprint(f"AIU tokens:\n{aiu_tokens_generated}")
                     dprint(f"CPU output:\n{tokenizer.decode(cpu_tokens_generated)}")
                     dprint(f"AIU output:\n{tokenizer.decode(aiu_tokens_generated)}")
+        elif args.only_save_validation_output:
+            pass
         else:
             raise ValueError("test type must be one of metrics or tokens")
-    else:
+    elif not args.only_save_validation_output:
         aiu_validation_info = extract_validation_information(
             model,
             input_ids,
@@ -784,7 +793,11 @@ def __metric_calculator(r: torch.Tensor, t: torch.Tensor):
                 dprint(f"AIU tokens:\n{aiu_tokens_generated}")
                 dprint(f"AIU output:\n{tokenizer.decode(aiu_tokens_generated)}")
 
-if not args.skip_validation and local_rank == 0:
+if (
+    not args.skip_validation
+    and local_rank == 0
+    and not args.only_save_validation_output
+):
     if len(failed_cases) != 0:
         dprint("the test failed with the following cases:")
         for failed_case in failed_cases: