diff --git a/internal/cmd/cmd.go b/internal/cmd/cmd.go
index 762e42a677..aec6eb1214 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ func Do(args []string, stdin io.Reader, stdout io.Writer, stderr io.Writer) int
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringP("file", "f", "", "specify an alternate config file (default: sqlc.yaml)")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolP("experimental", "x", false, "DEPRECATED: enable experimental features (default: false)")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Bool("no-remote", false, "disable remote execution (default: false)")
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Bool("no-database", false, "disable database connections (default: false)")
 
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(checkCmd)
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(diffCmd)
@@ -133,18 +134,21 @@ var initCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 type Env struct {
-	DryRun   bool
-	Debug    opts.Debug
-	NoRemote bool
+	DryRun     bool
+	Debug      opts.Debug
+	NoRemote   bool
+	NoDatabase bool
 }
 
 func ParseEnv(c *cobra.Command) Env {
 	dr := c.Flag("dry-run")
 	nr := c.Flag("no-remote")
+	nodb := c.Flag("no-database")
 	return Env{
-		DryRun:   dr != nil && dr.Changed,
-		Debug:    opts.DebugFromEnv(),
-		NoRemote: nr != nil && nr.Value.String() == "true",
+		DryRun:     dr != nil && dr.Changed,
+		Debug:      opts.DebugFromEnv(),
+		NoRemote:   nr != nil && nr.Value.String() == "true",
+		NoDatabase: nodb != nil && nodb.Value.String() == "true",
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/cmd/vet.go b/internal/cmd/vet.go
index 19040cf8ce..d4b2efbff0 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/vet.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/vet.go
@@ -125,13 +125,14 @@ func Vet(ctx context.Context, e Env, dir, filename string, stderr io.Writer) err
 	}
 
 	c := checker{
-		Checks: checks,
-		Conf:   conf,
-		Dir:    dir,
-		Env:    env,
-		Envmap: map[string]string{},
-		Msgs:   msgs,
-		Stderr: stderr,
+		Checks:     checks,
+		Conf:       conf,
+		Dir:        dir,
+		Env:        env,
+		Envmap:     map[string]string{},
+		Msgs:       msgs,
+		Stderr:     stderr,
+		NoDatabase: e.NoDatabase,
 	}
 	errored := false
 	for _, sql := range conf.SQL {
@@ -200,13 +201,14 @@ func (p *dbPreparer) Prepare(ctx context.Context, name, query string) error {
 }
 
 type checker struct {
-	Checks map[string]cel.Program
-	Conf   *config.Config
-	Dir    string
-	Env    *cel.Env
-	Envmap map[string]string
-	Msgs   map[string]string
-	Stderr io.Writer
+	Checks     map[string]cel.Program
+	Conf       *config.Config
+	Dir        string
+	Env        *cel.Env
+	Envmap     map[string]string
+	Msgs       map[string]string
+	Stderr     io.Writer
+	NoDatabase bool
 }
 
 func (c *checker) DSN(dsn string) (string, error) {
@@ -250,6 +252,9 @@ func (c *checker) checkSQL(ctx context.Context, s config.SQL) error {
 	// TODO: Add MySQL support
 	var prep preparer
 	if s.Database != nil {
+		if c.NoDatabase {
+			return fmt.Errorf("database: connections disabled via command line flag")
+		}
 		dburl, err := c.DSN(s.Database.URL)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err