diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 6e34f40f..3aa142b3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -133,13 +133,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
-      - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v6
-        with:
-          python-version: "3.14"
+      - name: Install Rust
+        uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
 
-      - name: Install planoai
-        run: pip install -e ./cli
+      - name: Build planoai CLI
+        working-directory: ./crates
+        run: cargo build --release -p plano-cli
 
       - name: Validate plano config
         run: bash config/validate_plano_config.sh
diff --git a/config/validate_plano_config.sh b/config/validate_plano_config.sh
index 572ac2ec..e65bf5c2 100644
--- a/config/validate_plano_config.sh
+++ b/config/validate_plano_config.sh
@@ -8,13 +8,7 @@ for file in $(find . -name config.yaml -o -name plano_config_full_reference.yaml
   rendered_file="$(pwd)/${file}_rendered"
   touch "$rendered_file"
 
-  PLANO_CONFIG_FILE="$(pwd)/${file}" \
-  PLANO_CONFIG_SCHEMA_FILE="${SCRIPT_DIR}/plano_config_schema.yaml" \
-  TEMPLATE_ROOT="${SCRIPT_DIR}" \
-  ENVOY_CONFIG_TEMPLATE_FILE="envoy.template.yaml" \
-  PLANO_CONFIG_FILE_RENDERED="$rendered_file" \
-  ENVOY_CONFIG_FILE_RENDERED="/dev/null" \
-  python -m planoai.config_generator 2>&1 > /dev/null
+  planoai validate "$(pwd)/${file}" 2>&1 > /dev/null
 
   if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "Validation failed for $file"
diff --git a/crates/plano-cli/src/commands/mod.rs b/crates/plano-cli/src/commands/mod.rs
index 380f2a64..129a8906 100644
--- a/crates/plano-cli/src/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/plano-cli/src/commands/mod.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ pub mod init;
 pub mod logs;
 pub mod self_update;
 pub mod up;
+pub mod validate;
 
 use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};
 
@@ -134,6 +135,16 @@ pub enum Command {
         list_templates: bool,
     },
 
+    /// Validate a Plano configuration file
+    Validate {
+        /// Config file path
+        file: Option<String>,
+
+        /// Path to the directory containing config.yaml
+        #[arg(long, default_value = ".")]
+        path: String,
+    },
+
     /// Update planoai to the latest version
     #[command(name = "self-update")]
     SelfUpdate {
@@ -261,6 +272,7 @@ pub async fn run(cli: Cli) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
             force,
             list_templates,
         }) => init::run(template, clean, output, force, list_templates).await,
+        Some(Command::Validate { file, path }) => validate::run(file, &path).await,
         Some(Command::SelfUpdate { version }) => self_update::run(version.as_deref()).await,
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/plano-cli/src/commands/validate.rs b/crates/plano-cli/src/commands/validate.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d1bdc9a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/plano-cli/src/commands/validate.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+use anyhow::Result;
+
+use crate::native::runner::validate_config;
+use crate::utils::find_config_file;
+
+pub async fn run(file: Option<String>, path: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    let green = console::Style::new().green();
+    let red = console::Style::new().red();
+
+    let config_path = find_config_file(path, file.as_deref());
+    if !config_path.exists() {
+        eprintln!(
+            "{} Config file not found: {}",
+            red.apply_to("✗"),
+            config_path.display()
+        );
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    }
+
+    match validate_config(&config_path) {
+        Ok(()) => {
+            eprintln!("{} Configuration valid", green.apply_to("✓"));
+            Ok(())
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("{} Validation failed", red.apply_to("✗"));
+            eprintln!("  {e:#}");
+            std::process::exit(1);
+        }
+    }
+}