diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/common/CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/common/CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.java
index 5976c71..7b35079 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/common/CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/common/CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.java
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
   /**
    * The code owner config file validation is enabled and invalid code owner config files are
    * rejected.
+   *
+   * <p>If the code owners functionality is disabled, no validation is performed.
    */
   TRUE,
 
@@ -30,14 +32,39 @@
 
   /**
    * Code owner config files are validated, but invalid code owner config files are not rejected.
+   *
+   * <p>If the code owners functionality is disabled, no dry-run validation is performed.
    */
-  DRY_RUN;
+  DRY_RUN,
+
+  /**
+   * Code owner config files are validated even if the code owners functionality is disabled.
+   *
+   * <p>This option is useful when the code owner config validation should be enabled as preparation
+   * to enabling the code owners functionality.
+   */
+  FORCED,
+
+  /**
+   * Code owner config files are validated even if the code owners functionality is disabled, but
+   * invalid code owner config files are not rejected.
+   *
+   * <p>This option is useful when the code owner config validation should be enabled as preparation
+   * to enabling the code owners functionality.
+   */
+  FORCED_DRY_RUN;
 
   public boolean isDryRun() {
-    return this == CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.DRY_RUN;
+    return this == CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.DRY_RUN
+        || this == CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.FORCED_DRY_RUN;
   }
 
   public boolean runValidation() {
     return this != CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.FALSE;
   }
+
+  public boolean isForced() {
+    return this == CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.FORCED
+        || this == CodeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.FORCED_DRY_RUN;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/validation/CodeOwnerConfigValidator.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/validation/CodeOwnerConfigValidator.java
index ce10743..80eece9 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/validation/CodeOwnerConfigValidator.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/validation/CodeOwnerConfigValidator.java
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@
                   receiveEvent.repoConfig,
                   receiveEvent.revWalk,
                   receiveEvent.commit,
-                  receiveEvent.user);
+                  receiveEvent.user,
+                  codeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.isForced());
         } catch (RuntimeException e) {
           if (!codeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.isDryRun()) {
             throw e;
@@ -266,7 +267,12 @@
           IdentifiedUser patchSetUploader = userFactory.create(patchSet.uploader());
           validationResult =
               validateCodeOwnerConfig(
-                  branchNameKey, repository.getConfig(), revWalk, commit, patchSetUploader);
+                  branchNameKey,
+                  repository.getConfig(),
+                  revWalk,
+                  commit,
+                  patchSetUploader,
+                  codeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.isForced());
         } catch (RuntimeException e) {
           if (!codeOwnerConfigValidationPolicy.isDryRun()) {
             throw e;
@@ -297,6 +303,8 @@
    * @param revCommit the commit for which newly added and modified code owner configs should be
    *     validated
    * @param user user for which the code owner visibility checks should be performed
+   * @param force whether the validation should be done even if the code owners functionality is
+   *     disabled for the branch
    * @return the validation result, {@link Optional#empty()} if no validation is performed because
    *     the given commit doesn't contain newly added or modified code owner configs
    */
@@ -305,10 +313,12 @@
       Config repoConfig,
       RevWalk revWalk,
       RevCommit revCommit,
-      IdentifiedUser user) {
+      IdentifiedUser user,
+      boolean force) {
     CodeOwnersPluginConfigSnapshot codeOwnersConfig =
         codeOwnersPluginConfiguration.getProjectConfig(branchNameKey.project());
-    if (codeOwnersConfig.isDisabled(branchNameKey.branch())) {
+    logger.atFine().log("force = %s", force);
+    if (!force && codeOwnersConfig.isDisabled(branchNameKey.branch())) {
       return Optional.of(
           ValidationResult.create(
               pluginName,
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CodeOwnerConfigValidatorIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CodeOwnerConfigValidatorIT.java
index c35280c..d2ce328 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CodeOwnerConfigValidatorIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/api/CodeOwnerConfigValidatorIT.java
@@ -425,6 +425,35 @@
   }
 
   @Test
+  @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.enableValidationOnCommitReceived", value = "forced")
+  public void
+      cannotUploadNonParseableConfigIfCodeOwnersFunctionalityIsDisabledButValidationIsEnforced()
+          throws Exception {
+    disableCodeOwnersForProject(project);
+
+    CodeOwnerConfig.Key codeOwnerConfigKey = createCodeOwnerConfigKey("/");
+
+    PushOneCommit.Result r =
+        createChange(
+            "Add code owners",
+            codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(codeOwnerConfigKey).getJGitFilePath(),
+            "INVALID");
+    assertFatalWithMessages(
+        r,
+        "invalid code owner config files",
+        String.format(
+            "invalid code owner config file '%s' (project = %s, branch = master):\n  %s",
+            codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(codeOwnerConfigKey).getFilePath(),
+            project,
+            getParsingErrorMessage(
+                ImmutableMap.of(
+                    FindOwnersBackend.class,
+                    "invalid line: INVALID",
+                    ProtoBackend.class,
+                    "1:8: expected \"{\""))));
+  }
+
+  @Test
   @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.enableValidationOnCommitReceived", value = "dry_run")
   public void canUploadNonParseableConfigIfValidationIsDoneAsDryRun() throws Exception {
     CodeOwnerConfig.Key codeOwnerConfigKey = createCodeOwnerConfigKey("/");
@@ -450,6 +479,37 @@
   }
 
   @Test
+  @GerritConfig(
+      name = "plugin.code-owners.enableValidationOnCommitReceived",
+      value = "forced_dry_run")
+  public void
+      canUploadNonParseableConfigIfCodeOwnersFunctionalityIsDisabledButDryRunValidationIsEnforced()
+          throws Exception {
+    disableCodeOwnersForProject(project);
+
+    CodeOwnerConfig.Key codeOwnerConfigKey = createCodeOwnerConfigKey("/");
+
+    PushOneCommit.Result r =
+        createChange(
+            "Add code owners",
+            codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(codeOwnerConfigKey).getJGitFilePath(),
+            "INVALID");
+    assertOkWithFatals(
+        r,
+        "invalid code owner config files",
+        String.format(
+            "invalid code owner config file '%s' (project = %s, branch = master):\n  %s",
+            codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(codeOwnerConfigKey).getFilePath(),
+            project,
+            getParsingErrorMessage(
+                ImmutableMap.of(
+                    FindOwnersBackend.class,
+                    "invalid line: INVALID",
+                    ProtoBackend.class,
+                    "1:8: expected \"{\""))));
+  }
+
+  @Test
   @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.readOnly", value = "true")
   public void cannotUploadConfigIfConfigsAreConfiguredToBeReadOnly() throws Exception {
     PushOneCommit.Result r =
@@ -1713,6 +1773,13 @@
     testCanSubmitNonParseableConfig();
   }
 
+  @Test
+  @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.enableValidationOnSubmit", value = "forced_dry_run")
+  public void canSubmitNonParseableConfigIfValidationIsDoneAsForcedDryRun() throws Exception {
+    disableCodeOwnersForProject(project);
+    testCanSubmitNonParseableConfig();
+  }
+
   private void testCanSubmitNonParseableConfig() throws Exception {
     setAsDefaultCodeOwners(admin);
 
@@ -1739,6 +1806,48 @@
   }
 
   @Test
+  @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.enableValidationOnSubmit", value = "forced")
+  public void
+      cannotSubmitConfigWithIssuesIfCodeOwnersFunctionalityIsDisabledButValidationIsEnforced()
+          throws Exception {
+    disableCodeOwnersForProject(project);
+
+    CodeOwnerConfig.Key codeOwnerConfigKey = createCodeOwnerConfigKey("/");
+
+    // upload a change with a code owner config that has issues (non-resolvable code owners)
+    String unknownEmail = "non-existing-email@example.com";
+    PushOneCommit.Result r =
+        createChange(
+            "Add code owners",
+            codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(codeOwnerConfigKey).getJGitFilePath(),
+            format(
+                CodeOwnerConfig.builder(codeOwnerConfigKey, TEST_REVISION)
+                    .addCodeOwnerSet(CodeOwnerSet.createWithoutPathExpressions(unknownEmail))
+                    .build()));
+    r.assertOkStatus();
+
+    // approve the change
+    approve(r.getChangeId());
+
+    // try to submit the change
+    ResourceConflictException exception =
+        assertThrows(
+            ResourceConflictException.class,
+            () -> gApi.changes().id(r.getChangeId()).current().submit());
+    assertThat(exception)
+        .hasMessageThat()
+        .isEqualTo(
+            String.format(
+                "Failed to submit 1 change due to the following problems:\n"
+                    + "Change %d: [code-owners] invalid code owner config files:\n"
+                    + "  ERROR: code owner email '%s' in '%s' cannot be resolved for %s",
+                r.getChange().getId().get(),
+                unknownEmail,
+                codeOwnerConfigOperations.codeOwnerConfig(codeOwnerConfigKey).getFilePath(),
+                identifiedUserFactory.create(admin.id()).getLoggableName()));
+  }
+
+  @Test
   @GerritConfig(name = "plugin.code-owners.enableValidationOnSubmit", value = "false")
   public void canSubmitConfigWithIssuesIfValidationIsDisabled() throws Exception {
     testCanSubmitConfigWithIssues();
diff --git a/resources/Documentation/config.md b/resources/Documentation/config.md
index 9dbb6a4..570af86 100644
--- a/resources/Documentation/config.md
+++ b/resources/Documentation/config.md
@@ -185,12 +185,38 @@
 
 <a id="pluginCodeOwnersEnableValidationOnCommitReceived">plugin.@PLUGIN@.enableValidationOnCommitReceived</a>
 :       Policy for validating code owner config files when a commit is received.
-        Allowed values are `true` (the code owner config file validation is
-        enabled and the upload of invalid code owner config files is rejected),
-        `false` (the code owner config file validation is disabled, invalid code
-        owner config files are not rejected) and `dry_run` (code owner config
-        files are validated, but invalid code owner config files are not
-        rejected).\
+        \
+        Can be `TRUE`, `FALSE`, `DRY_RUN`, `FORCED` or `FORCED_DRY_RUN`.\
+        \
+        `TRUE`:\
+        The code owner config file validation is enabled and the upload of
+        invalid code owner config files is rejected.\
+        If the code owners functionality is disabled, no validation is
+        performed.\
+        \
+        `FALSE`:\
+        The code owner config file validation is disabled, invalid code owner
+        config files are not rejected.\
+        \
+        `DRY_RUN`:\
+        Code owner config files are validated, but invalid code owner config
+        files are not rejected.\
+        If the code owners functionality is disabled, no dry-run validation is
+        performed.\
+        \
+        `FORCED`:\
+        Code owner config files are validated even if the code owners
+        functionality is disabled.\
+        This option is useful when the code owner config validation should be
+        enabled as preparation to enabling the code owners functionality.\
+        \
+        `FORCED_DRY_RUN`:\
+        Code owner config files are validated even if the code owners
+        functionality is disabled, but invalid code owner config files are not
+        rejected.\
+        This option is useful when the code owner config validation should be
+        enabled as preparation to enabling the code owners functionality.\
+        \
         Should only be disabled if there is bot that validates the code owner
         config files in open changes as part of a pre-submit validation.\
         Can be overridden per project by setting
@@ -200,12 +226,39 @@
 
 <a id="pluginCodeOwnersEnableValidationOnSubmit">plugin.@PLUGIN@.enableValidationOnSubmit</a>
 :       Policy for validating code owner config files when a change is
-        submitted. Allowed values are `true` (the code owner config file
-        validation is enabled and the submission of invalid code owner config
-        files is rejected), `false` (the code owner config file validation is
-        disabled, invalid code owner config files are not rejected) and
-        `dry_run` (code owner config files are validated, but invalid code owner
-        config files are not rejected).\
+        submitted.
+        \
+        Can be `TRUE`, `FALSE`, `DRY_RUN`, `FORCED` or `FORCED_DRY_RUN`.\
+        \
+        `TRUE`:\
+        The code owner config file validation is enabled and the submission of
+        invalid code owner config files is rejected.\
+        If the code owners functionality is disabled, no validation is
+        performed.\
+        \
+        `FALSE`:\
+        The code owner config file validation is disabled, invalid code owner
+        config files are not rejected.\
+        \
+        `DRY_RUN`:\
+        Code owner config files are validated, but invalid code owner config
+        files are not rejected.\
+        If the code owners functionality is disabled, no dry-run validation is
+        performed.\
+        \
+        `FORCED`:\
+        Code owner config files are validated even if the code owners
+        functionality is disabled.\
+        This option is useful when the code owner config validation should be
+        enabled as preparation to enabling the code owners functionality.\
+        \
+        `FORCED_DRY_RUN`:\
+        Code owner config files are validated even if the code owners
+        functionality is disabled, but invalid code owner config files are not
+        rejected.\
+        This option is useful when the code owner config validation should be
+        enabled as preparation to enabling the code owners functionality.\
+        \
         Disabling the submit validation is not recommended.\
         Can be overridden per project by setting
         [codeOwners.enableValidationOnSubmit](#codeOwnersEnableValidationOnSubmit)
@@ -592,13 +645,11 @@
         in `gerrit.config` is used.
 
 <a id="codeOwnersEnableValidationOnCommitReceived">codeOwners.enableValidationOnCommitReceived</a>
-:       Policy for validating code owner config files when a commit is received.
-        Allowed values are `true` (the code owner config file validation is
-        enabled and the upload of invalid code owner config files is rejected),
-        `false` (the code owner config file validation is disabled, invalid code
-        owner config files are not rejected) and `dry_run` (code owner config
-        files are validated, but invalid code owner config files are not
-        rejected).\
+:       Policy for validating code owner config files when a commit is
+        received.\
+        Can be `TRUE`, `FALSE`, `DRY_RUN`, `FORCED` or `FORCED_DRY_RUN`. For a
+        description of the values see
+        [plugin.@PLUGIN@.enableValidationOnCommitReceived](#pluginCodeOwnersEnableValidationOnCommitReceived).\
         Should only be disabled if there is bot that validates the code owner
         config files in open changes as part of a pre-submit validation.\
         Overrides the global setting
@@ -627,12 +678,10 @@
 
 <a id="codeOwnersEnableValidationOnSubmit">codeOwners.enableValidationOnSubmit</a>
 :       Policy for validating code owner config files when a change is
-        submitted. Allowed values are `true` (the code owner config file
-        validation is enabled and the submit of invalid code owner config files
-        is rejected), `false` (the code owner config file validation is
-        disabled, invalid code owner config files are not rejected) and
-        `dry_run` (code owner config files are validated, but invalid code owner
-        config files are not rejected).\
+        submitted.\
+        Can be `TRUE`, `FALSE`, `DRY_RUN`, `FORCED` or `FORCED_DRY_RUN`. For a
+        description of the values see
+        [plugin.@PLUGIN@.enableValidationOnSubmit](#pluginCodeOwnersEnableValidationOnSubmit).\
         Disabling the submit validation is not recommended.\
         Overrides the global setting
         [plugin.@PLUGIN@.enableValidationOnSubmit](#pluginCodeOwnersEnableValidationOnSubmit)