diff --git a/pkg/cli/compile_campaign.go b/pkg/cli/compile_campaign.go
index 31befc0cca..6fc2bc63ce 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/compile_campaign.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/compile_campaign.go
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@ import (
 var compileCampaignLog = logger.New("cli:compile_campaign")
 
 // validateCampaigns validates campaign spec files and their referenced workflows.
+// If campaignFiles is provided (non-nil), only those specific campaign files are validated.
+// If campaignFiles is nil, all campaign specs are validated.
 // Returns an error if any campaign specs are invalid or reference missing workflows.
-func validateCampaigns(workflowDir string, verbose bool) error {
+func validateCampaigns(workflowDir string, verbose bool, campaignFiles []string) error {
 	compileCampaignLog.Printf("Validating campaigns with workflow directory: %s", workflowDir)
 
 	// Get absolute path to workflows directory
@@ -81,16 +83,50 @@ func validateCampaigns(workflowDir string, verbose bool) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	compileCampaignLog.Printf("Loaded %d campaign specs for validation", len(specs))
+	// Filter specs if specific campaign files were provided
+	var specsToValidate []campaign.CampaignSpec
+	if campaignFiles != nil && len(campaignFiles) > 0 {
+		compileCampaignLog.Printf("Filtering to validate only %d specific campaign file(s)", len(campaignFiles))
+		// Create a map of absolute paths for quick lookup
+		campaignFileMap := make(map[string]bool)
+		for _, cf := range campaignFiles {
+			absPath, err := filepath.Abs(cf)
+			if err == nil {
+				campaignFileMap[absPath] = true
+			}
+		}
+		
+		for _, spec := range specs {
+			// Get absolute path of the spec's config file
+			specPath := spec.ConfigPath
+			if !filepath.IsAbs(specPath) {
+				specPath = filepath.Join(gitRoot, specPath)
+			}
+			absSpecPath, err := filepath.Abs(specPath)
+			if err == nil && campaignFileMap[absSpecPath] {
+				specsToValidate = append(specsToValidate, spec)
+			}
+		}
+		compileCampaignLog.Printf("Filtered to %d campaign spec(s) for validation", len(specsToValidate))
+	} else {
+		// Validate all specs
+		specsToValidate = specs
+		compileCampaignLog.Printf("Loaded %d campaign specs for validation", len(specs))
+	}
+
+	if len(specsToValidate) == 0 {
+		compileCampaignLog.Print("No matching campaign specs found to validate")
+		return nil
+	}
 
 	if verbose {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, console.FormatInfoMessage(fmt.Sprintf("Validating %d campaign spec(s)...", len(specs))))
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, console.FormatInfoMessage(fmt.Sprintf("Validating %d campaign spec(s)...", len(specsToValidate))))
 	}
 
 	var allProblems []string
 	hasErrors := false
 
-	for _, spec := range specs {
+	for _, spec := range specsToValidate {
 		// Validate the spec itself
 		problems := campaign.ValidateSpec(&spec)
 
@@ -115,9 +151,9 @@ func validateCampaigns(workflowDir string, verbose bool) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("found %d problem(s) in campaign specs", len(allProblems))
 	}
 
-	compileCampaignLog.Printf("All %d campaign specs validated successfully", len(specs))
+	compileCampaignLog.Printf("All %d campaign specs validated successfully", len(specsToValidate))
 	if verbose {
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, console.FormatSuccessMessage(fmt.Sprintf("All %d campaign spec(s) validated successfully", len(specs))))
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, console.FormatSuccessMessage(fmt.Sprintf("All %d campaign spec(s) validated successfully", len(specsToValidate))))
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/pkg/cli/compile_orchestration.go b/pkg/cli/compile_orchestration.go
index 8e259933c7..a62d9a52c2 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/compile_orchestration.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/compile_orchestration.go
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ func compileSpecificFiles(
 	var errorMessages []string
 	var lockFilesForActionlint []string
 	var lockFilesForZizmor []string
+	var campaignFiles []string
 
 	// Compile each specified file
 	for _, markdownFile := range config.MarkdownFiles {
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ func compileSpecificFiles(
 
 		// Handle campaign spec files separately
 		if strings.HasSuffix(resolvedFile, ".campaign.md") {
+			campaignFiles = append(campaignFiles, resolvedFile)
 			campaignResult, success := processCampaignSpec(
 				compiler, resolvedFile, config.Verbose, config.JSONOutput,
 				config.NoEmit, false, false, false, // Disable per-file security tools
@@ -171,7 +173,7 @@ func compileSpecificFiles(
 	displayScheduleWarnings(compiler, config.JSONOutput)
 
 	// Post-processing
-	if err := runPostProcessing(compiler, workflowDataList, config, compiledCount); err != nil {
+	if err := runPostProcessing(compiler, workflowDataList, config, compiledCount, campaignFiles); err != nil {
 		return workflowDataList, err
 	}
 
@@ -422,6 +424,7 @@ func runPostProcessing(
 	workflowDataList []*workflow.WorkflowData,
 	config CompileConfig,
 	successCount int,
+	campaignFiles []string,
 ) error {
 	// Get action cache
 	actionCache := compiler.GetSharedActionCache()
@@ -442,10 +445,14 @@ func runPostProcessing(
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Validate campaigns
-	if err := validateCampaignsWrapper(config.WorkflowDir, config.Verbose, config.Strict); err != nil {
-		if config.Strict {
-			return err
+	// Validate campaigns only if we're compiling campaign files
+	// When compiling specific non-campaign workflows, skip campaign validation
+	// When compiling specific campaign files, validate only those campaign files
+	if len(campaignFiles) > 0 {
+		if err := validateCampaignsWrapper(config.WorkflowDir, config.Verbose, config.Strict, campaignFiles); err != nil {
+			if config.Strict {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -491,7 +498,7 @@ func runPostProcessingForDirectory(
 	}
 
 	// Validate campaigns
-	if err := validateCampaignsWrapper(config.WorkflowDir, config.Verbose, config.Strict); err != nil {
+	if err := validateCampaignsWrapper(config.WorkflowDir, config.Verbose, config.Strict, nil); err != nil {
 		if config.Strict {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/compile_post_processing.go b/pkg/cli/compile_post_processing.go
index 1ddda6b44a..bf0e4d0ebd 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/compile_post_processing.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/compile_post_processing.go
@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ func generateMaintenanceWorkflowWrapper(
 }
 
 // validateCampaignsWrapper validates campaign specs if they exist
-func validateCampaignsWrapper(workflowDir string, verbose bool, strict bool) error {
+func validateCampaignsWrapper(workflowDir string, verbose bool, strict bool, campaignFiles []string) error {
 	compilePostProcessingLog.Print("Validating campaign specs")
 
-	if err := validateCampaigns(workflowDir, verbose); err != nil {
+	if err := validateCampaigns(workflowDir, verbose, campaignFiles); err != nil {
 		if strict {
 			return fmt.Errorf("campaign validation failed: %w", err)
 		}