diff --git a/HISTORY b/HISTORY
index 2465de84..9db23055 100644
--- a/HISTORY
+++ b/HISTORY
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 4.3     2019-??
         repmgr: add --version-number command line option (Ian)
         repmgr: add --terse option to "cluster show"; GitHub #521 (Ian)
+        repmgr: add --dry-run option to "standby promote"; GitHub #522 (Ian)
         repmgrd: check binary and extension major versions match; GitHub #515 (Ian)
 
 4.2.1   2018-??-??
diff --git a/doc/appendix-release-notes.sgml b/doc/appendix-release-notes.sgml
index f674eb09..711269be 100644
--- a/doc/appendix-release-notes.sgml
+++ b/doc/appendix-release-notes.sgml
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@
             </para>
           </listitem>
 
+          <listitem>
+            <para>
+              Add <option>--dry-run</option> to <command><link linkend="repmgr-standby-promote">repmgr standby promote</link></command> (GitHub #522).
+            </para>
+          </listitem>
+
           <listitem>
             <para>
               <command>repmgr --version-number</command> outputs the &quot;raw&quot;
diff --git a/doc/repmgr-standby-promote.sgml b/doc/repmgr-standby-promote.sgml
index ac4d6404..b0598b5b 100644
--- a/doc/repmgr-standby-promote.sgml
+++ b/doc/repmgr-standby-promote.sgml
@@ -35,6 +35,20 @@
 
   </refsect1>
 
+  <refsect1>
+    <title>Options</title>
+    <variablelist>
+      <varlistentry>
+        <term><option>--dry-run</option></term>
+        <listitem>
+          <para>
+            Check if this node can be promoted, but don't carry out the promotion
+          </para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+    </variablelist>
+  </refsect1>
+
   <refsect1>
     <title>Example</title>
     <para>
diff --git a/repmgr-action-standby.c b/repmgr-action-standby.c
index 85980fb7..0bd766c8 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-standby.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-standby.c
@@ -1982,13 +1982,17 @@ do_standby_promote(void)
 			exit(ERR_DB_CONN);
 		}
 	}
+	else if (runtime_options.dry_run == true)
+	{
+		log_info(_("node is a standby"));
+	}
 
 	/* check that there's no existing primary */
 	current_primary_conn = get_primary_connection_quiet(conn, &existing_primary_id, NULL);
 
 	if (PQstatus(current_primary_conn) == CONNECTION_OK)
 	{
-		log_error(_("this cluster already has an active primary server"));
+		log_error(_("this replication cluster already has an active primary server"));
 
 		if (existing_primary_id != UNKNOWN_NODE_ID)
 		{
@@ -2005,9 +2009,19 @@ do_standby_promote(void)
 		PQfinish(conn);
 		exit(ERR_PROMOTION_FAIL);
 	}
+	else if (runtime_options.dry_run == true)
+	{
+		log_info(_("no active primary server found in this replication cluster"));
+	}
 
 	PQfinish(current_primary_conn);
 
+	if (runtime_options.dry_run == true)
+	{
+		log_info(_("prerequisites for executing STANDBY PROMOTE are met"));
+		exit(SUCCESS);
+	}
+
 	_do_standby_promote_internal(conn, server_version_num);
 }
 
diff --git a/repmgr-client.c b/repmgr-client.c
index b34b7987..013fdaf0 100644
--- a/repmgr-client.c
+++ b/repmgr-client.c
@@ -1823,6 +1823,7 @@ check_cli_parameters(const int action)
 			case STANDBY_REGISTER:
 			case STANDBY_FOLLOW:
 			case STANDBY_SWITCHOVER:
+			case STANDBY_PROMOTE:
 			case WITNESS_REGISTER:
 			case WITNESS_UNREGISTER:
 			case NODE_REJOIN: