diff --git a/d2cli/main.go b/d2cli/main.go
index 02ef4f3a9..f879bf6d8 100644
--- a/d2cli/main.go
+++ b/d2cli/main.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package d2cli
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/util-go/go2"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/util-go/xmain"
 
+	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2ast"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2graph"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2lib"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2parser"
@@ -430,6 +432,26 @@ func compile(ctx context.Context, ms *xmain.State, plugins []d2plugin.Plugin, fs
 		FS:             fs,
 	}
 
+	if os.Getenv("D2_LSP_MODE") == "1" {
+		// only the parse result is needed if running d2 for lsp
+		ast, err := d2lib.Parse(ctx, string(input), opts)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, false, err
+		}
+
+		type LspOutputData struct {
+			Ast *d2ast.Map
+			Err error
+		}
+		jsonOutput, err := json.Marshal(LspOutputData{Ast: ast, Err: err})
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, false, err
+		}
+		fmt.Print(string(jsonOutput))
+		os.Exit(42)
+		return nil, false, nil
+	}
+
 	cancel := background.Repeat(func() {
 		ms.Log.Info.Printf("compiling & running layout algorithms...")
 	}, time.Second*5)
diff --git a/d2lib/d2.go b/d2lib/d2.go
index 3713d5967..50d64945a 100644
--- a/d2lib/d2.go
+++ b/d2lib/d2.go
@@ -7,11 +7,13 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 
+	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2ast"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2compiler"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2exporter"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2graph"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2layouts"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2layouts/d2dagrelayout"
+	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2parser"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2renderers/d2fonts"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2renderers/d2svg"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2target"
@@ -40,6 +42,17 @@ type CompileOptions struct {
 	InputPath string
 }
 
+func Parse(ctx context.Context, input string, compileOpts *CompileOptions) (*d2ast.Map, error) {
+	if compileOpts == nil {
+		compileOpts = &CompileOptions{}
+	}
+
+	ast, err := d2parser.Parse(compileOpts.InputPath, strings.NewReader(input), &d2parser.ParseOptions{
+		UTF16Pos: compileOpts.UTF16Pos,
+	})
+	return ast, err
+}
+
 func Compile(ctx context.Context, input string, compileOpts *CompileOptions, renderOpts *d2svg.RenderOpts) (*d2target.Diagram, *d2graph.Graph, error) {
 	if compileOpts == nil {
 		compileOpts = &CompileOptions{}