diff --git a/tests/integration_tests.py b/tests/integration_tests.py
index 3ccbc1890..dfe1d86f9 100755
--- a/tests/integration_tests.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests.py
@@ -509,6 +509,17 @@ def build_test_list():
             "gradient_accumulation",
             ngpu=2,
         ),
+        OverrideDefinitions(
+            [
+                [
+                    "--validation.enabled",
+                    "--validation.dataset c4_test",
+                ],
+            ],
+            "Validation test no parallelism",
+            "validation_no_parallel",
+            ngpu=1,
+        ),
     ]
     return integration_tests_flavors
 
diff --git a/torchtitan/components/validate.py b/torchtitan/components/validate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fb1d5cabb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/torchtitan/components/validate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+# Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# This source code is licensed under the BSD-style license found in the
+# LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+
+import torch
+import torch.nn as nn
+
+from torchtitan.components.dataloader import BaseDataLoader
+from torchtitan.components.loss import LossFunction
+from torchtitan.components.tokenizer import Tokenizer
+from torchtitan.config_manager import JobConfig
+from torchtitan.datasets.hf_datasets import build_hf_validation_dataloader
+from torchtitan.tools import utils
+from torchtitan.tools.logging import logger
+
+
+class BaseValidator:
+    def __init__(self, job_config: JobConfig):
+        self.job_config = job_config
+
+    def validate(self, model_parts: list[nn.Module]) -> dict[str, float]:
+        raise NotImplementedError("validate method not implemented")
+
+
+class Validator(BaseValidator):
+    """
+    Simple validator focused on correctness and integration.
+
+    Args:
+        job_config: Job configuration
+        validation_dataloader: The validation dataloader
+        loss_fn: Loss function to use for validation
+        model: The model to validate (single model, no parallelism)
+    """
+
+    validation_dataloader: BaseDataLoader
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        job_config: JobConfig,
+        dp_world_size: int,
+        dp_rank: int,
+        tokenizer: Tokenizer,
+        loss_fn: LossFunction,
+    ):
+        self.job_config = job_config
+        self.loss_fn = loss_fn
+        self.validation_dataloader = build_hf_validation_dataloader(
+            job_config=job_config,
+            dp_world_size=dp_world_size,
+            dp_rank=dp_rank,
+            tokenizer=tokenizer,
+            infinite=False,
+        )
+
+    def should_validate(self, step: int) -> bool:
+        return step % self.job_config.validation.val_freq == 0
+
+    def validate(
+        self,
+        model_parts: list[nn.Module],
+    ) -> dict[str, float]:
+        # Set model to eval mode
+        model = model_parts[0]
+        model.eval()
+
+        total_loss = 0.0
+        num_batches = 0
+        device_type = utils.device_type
+        num_val_steps = 0
+
+        with torch.no_grad():
+            try:
+                for input_dict, labels in self.validation_dataloader:
+
+                    if (
+                        self.job_config.validation.val_steps != -1
+                        and num_val_steps >= self.job_config.validation.val_steps
+                    ):
+                        break
+
+                    for k, v in input_dict.items():
+                        input_dict[k] = v.to(device_type)
+                    labels = labels.to(device_type)
+
+                    inputs = input_dict["input"]
+                    predictions = model(inputs)
+                    loss = self.loss_fn(predictions, labels)
+
+                    total_loss += loss.item()
+                    num_batches += 1
+
+                    num_val_steps += 1
+
+            except StopIteration:
+                logger.info("Validation dataloader exhausted")
+
+        # Compute average loss
+        if num_batches > 0:
+            average_loss = total_loss / num_batches
+        else:
+            average_loss = 0.0
+            logger.warning("No validation batches processed")
+
+        logger.info(
+            f"Validation completed. Average loss: {average_loss:.4f} over {num_batches} batches"
+        )
+
+        # Set model back to train mode
+        model.train()
+
+        return {"validation_loss": average_loss}
+
+
+def build_validator(
+    job_config: JobConfig,
+    dp_world_size: int,
+    dp_rank: int,
+    tokenizer: Tokenizer,
+    loss_fn: LossFunction,
+) -> BaseValidator:
+    """Build a simple validator focused on correctness."""
+    return Validator(
+        job_config=job_config,
+        dp_world_size=dp_world_size,
+        dp_rank=dp_rank,
+        tokenizer=tokenizer,
+        loss_fn=loss_fn,
+    )
diff --git a/torchtitan/config_manager.py b/torchtitan/config_manager.py
index 3f8d25688..5caa15fbf 100644
--- a/torchtitan/config_manager.py
+++ b/torchtitan/config_manager.py
@@ -657,6 +657,30 @@ class Experimental:
     """
 
 
+@dataclass
+class Validation:
+    enabled: bool = False
+    """Enable validation to default run validation after each training loop"""
+
+    dataset: str = "c4_validation"
+    """Dataset to use for validation"""
+
+    dataset_path: str | None = None
+    """Path to dataset to use for validation"""
+
+    local_batch_size: int = 8
+    """Batch size for validation"""
+
+    seq_len: int = 2048
+    """Sequence length for validation"""
+
+    val_freq: int = 1
+    """Frequency of validation"""
+
+    val_steps: int = -1
+    """Number of validation steps, -1 means all steps"""
+
+
 @dataclass
 class JobConfig:
     """
@@ -681,6 +705,7 @@ class JobConfig:
     memory_estimation: MemoryEstimation = field(default_factory=MemoryEstimation)
     fault_tolerance: FaultTolerance = field(default_factory=FaultTolerance)
     experimental: Experimental = field(default_factory=Experimental)
+    validation: Validation = field(default_factory=Validation)
 
     def to_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
         return asdict(self)
diff --git a/torchtitan/datasets/hf_datasets.py b/torchtitan/datasets/hf_datasets.py
index 023b4a29e..818f66104 100644
--- a/torchtitan/datasets/hf_datasets.py
+++ b/torchtitan/datasets/hf_datasets.py
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ class DatasetConfig:
         loader=lambda path: load_dataset(path, split="train"),
         text_processor=_process_c4_text,
     ),
+    "c4_validation": DatasetConfig(
+        path="allenai/c4",
+        loader=lambda path: load_dataset(
+            path, name="en", split="validation", streaming=True
+        ),
+        text_processor=_process_c4_text,
+    ),
 }
 
 
@@ -193,3 +200,34 @@ def build_hf_dataloader(
         dp_world_size=dp_world_size,
         batch_size=batch_size,
     )
+
+
+def build_hf_validation_dataloader(
+    dp_world_size: int,
+    dp_rank: int,
+    tokenizer: Tokenizer,
+    job_config: JobConfig,
+    infinite: bool = True,
+) -> ParallelAwareDataloader:
+    """Build a validation data loader for HuggingFace datasets."""
+    dataset_name = job_config.validation.dataset
+    dataset_path = job_config.validation.dataset_path
+    batch_size = job_config.validation.local_batch_size
+    seq_len = job_config.validation.seq_len
+
+    hf_ds = HuggingFaceDataset(
+        dataset_name=dataset_name,
+        dataset_path=dataset_path,
+        tokenizer=tokenizer,
+        seq_len=seq_len,
+        dp_rank=dp_rank,
+        dp_world_size=dp_world_size,
+        infinite=infinite,
+    )
+
+    return ParallelAwareDataloader(
+        dataset=hf_ds,
+        dp_rank=dp_rank,
+        dp_world_size=dp_world_size,
+        batch_size=batch_size,
+    )
diff --git a/torchtitan/models/llama3/__init__.py b/torchtitan/models/llama3/__init__.py
index 7cfc03b4a..eec35cbf1 100644
--- a/torchtitan/models/llama3/__init__.py
+++ b/torchtitan/models/llama3/__init__.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from torchtitan.components.loss import build_cross_entropy_loss
 from torchtitan.components.lr_scheduler import build_lr_schedulers
 from torchtitan.components.optimizer import build_optimizers
+from torchtitan.components.validate import build_validator
 from torchtitan.datasets.hf_datasets import build_hf_dataloader
 from torchtitan.datasets.tokenizer.tiktoken import build_tiktoken_tokenizer
 from torchtitan.protocols.train_spec import register_train_spec, TrainSpec
@@ -81,5 +82,6 @@
         build_dataloader_fn=build_hf_dataloader,
         build_tokenizer_fn=build_tiktoken_tokenizer,
         build_loss_fn=build_cross_entropy_loss,
+        build_validator_fn=build_validator,
     )
 )
diff --git a/torchtitan/models/llama3/train_configs/debug_model.toml b/torchtitan/models/llama3/train_configs/debug_model.toml
index 52a362e1a..7cefaca39 100644
--- a/torchtitan/models/llama3/train_configs/debug_model.toml
+++ b/torchtitan/models/llama3/train_configs/debug_model.toml
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ tensor_parallel_degree = 1
 enable_async_tensor_parallel = false
 pipeline_parallel_degree = 1
 context_parallel_degree = 1
+disable_loss_parallel = true
 
 [checkpoint]
 enable_checkpoint = false
@@ -71,3 +72,9 @@ selective_ac_option = '2'  # 'int' = ac every positive int layer or 'op', ac bas
 enable_fsdp_float8_all_gather = false
 precompute_float8_dynamic_scale_for_fsdp = false
 filter_fqns = ["output"]
+
+[validation]
+enabled = false
+dataset = "c4_validation"
+val_freq = 5
+val_steps = 10
diff --git a/torchtitan/protocols/train_spec.py b/torchtitan/protocols/train_spec.py
index ddb6961e5..98158bca9 100644
--- a/torchtitan/protocols/train_spec.py
+++ b/torchtitan/protocols/train_spec.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 from torchtitan.components.metrics import MetricsProcessor
 from torchtitan.components.optimizer import OptimizersContainer
 from torchtitan.components.tokenizer import Tokenizer
+from torchtitan.components.validate import BaseValidator
 from torchtitan.config_manager import JobConfig
 
 DeviceType = int | str | torch.device
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ def init_weights(self, buffer_device: torch.device | None = None) -> None:
     [OptimizersContainer, JobConfig], LRSchedulersContainer
 ]
 LossFunctionBuilder: TypeAlias = Callable[..., LossFunction]
+ValidatorBuilder: TypeAlias = Callable[..., BaseValidator]
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -91,6 +93,7 @@ class TrainSpec:
     build_dataloader_fn: DataLoaderBuilder
     build_tokenizer_fn: TokenizerBuilder | None
     build_loss_fn: LossFunctionBuilder
+    build_validator_fn: ValidatorBuilder | None = None
     build_metrics_processor_fn: MetricsProcessorBuilder | None = None
 
 
diff --git a/torchtitan/train.py b/torchtitan/train.py
index ca1480f2e..7f8c723a9 100644
--- a/torchtitan/train.py
+++ b/torchtitan/train.py
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ class Trainer(torch.distributed.checkpoint.stateful.Stateful):
     optimizers: train_spec_module.OptimizersContainer
     lr_schedulers: train_spec_module.LRSchedulersContainer
 
+    validator: train_spec_module.BaseValidator | None
+
     pp_has_first_stage: bool
     pp_has_last_stage: bool
 
@@ -319,6 +321,18 @@ def __init__(self, job_config: JobConfig):
             device_type,
         )
 
+        # Build validator if validation is configured
+        if job_config.validation.enabled:
+            assert self.train_spec.build_validator_fn is not None
+
+            self.validator = self.train_spec.build_validator_fn(
+                job_config=job_config,
+                dp_world_size=dp_degree,
+                dp_rank=dp_rank,
+                tokenizer=tokenizer,
+                loss_fn=self.loss_fn,
+            )
+
         logger.info(
             "Trainer is initialized with "
             f"local batch size {job_config.training.local_batch_size}, "
@@ -463,6 +477,12 @@ def train_step(
         else:
             global_avg_loss = global_max_loss = loss.detach().item()
 
+        # Run validation if validator is available
+        if self.job_config.validation.enabled and self.validator.should_validate(
+            self.step
+        ):
+            validation_metrics = self.validator.validate(self.model_parts)
+
         self.metrics_processor.log(
             self.step,
             global_avg_loss,