diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index ba17731..6c7a34c 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -420,9 +420,11 @@ program
   .command("validate")
   .description("Validate whether a string fits given commit conventions")
   .argument("[message]", "string for validation")
-  .action(async (string: string) => {
+  .option("-C, --code-only", "return code only")
+  .action(async (string: string, options) => {
     try {
       const message = string || fs.readFileSync(0, "utf-8");
+      const codeOnly = options.codeOnly ? true : false;
 
       const config = await GetConfig();
 
@@ -439,11 +441,15 @@ program
         "gm"
       );
 
-      console.log(
-        testRegex.test(message)
-          ? "[rcz]: valid message"
-          : "[rcz]: invalid message"
-      );
+      if (codeOnly) {
+        console.log(testRegex.test(message) ? 0 : 1);
+      } else {
+        console.log(
+          testRegex.test(message)
+            ? "[rcz]: valid message"
+            : "[rcz]: invalid message"
+        );
+      }
     } catch (err) {
       console.log("[rcz]: no stdin found");
     }