diff --git a/libraries/chain/apply_context.cpp b/libraries/chain/apply_context.cpp
index 4a9611458c..2cdd7b5a91 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/apply_context.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/apply_context.cpp
@@ -72,51 +72,53 @@ void apply_context::exec_one()
       try {
          action_return_value.clear();
          receiver_account = &db.get<account_metadata_object,by_name>( receiver );
-         privileged = receiver_account->is_privileged();
-         auto native = control.find_apply_handler( receiver, act->account, act->name );
-         if( native ) {
-            if( trx_context.enforce_whiteblacklist && control.is_producing_block() ) {
-               control.check_contract_list( receiver );
-               control.check_action_list( act->account, act->name );
+         if( !(context_free && control.skip_trx_checks()) ) {
+            privileged = receiver_account->is_privileged();
+            auto native = control.find_apply_handler( receiver, act->account, act->name );
+            if( native ) {
+               if( trx_context.enforce_whiteblacklist && control.is_producing_block() ) {
+                  control.check_contract_list( receiver );
+                  control.check_action_list( act->account, act->name );
+               }
+               (*native)( *this );
             }
-            (*native)( *this );
-         }
 
-         if( ( receiver_account->code_hash != digest_type() ) &&
-               (  !( act->account == config::system_account_name
-                     && act->name == "setcode"_n
-                     && receiver == config::system_account_name )
-                  || control.is_builtin_activated( builtin_protocol_feature_t::forward_setcode )
-               )
-         ) {
-            if( trx_context.enforce_whiteblacklist && control.is_producing_block() ) {
-               control.check_contract_list( receiver );
-               control.check_action_list( act->account, act->name );
+            if( ( receiver_account->code_hash != digest_type() ) &&
+                  (  !( act->account == config::system_account_name
+                        && act->name == "setcode"_n
+                        && receiver == config::system_account_name )
+                     || control.is_builtin_activated( builtin_protocol_feature_t::forward_setcode )
+                  )
+            ) {
+               if( trx_context.enforce_whiteblacklist && control.is_producing_block() ) {
+                  control.check_contract_list( receiver );
+                  control.check_action_list( act->account, act->name );
+               }
+               try {
+                  control.get_wasm_interface().apply( receiver_account->code_hash, receiver_account->vm_type, receiver_account->vm_version, *this );
+               } catch( const wasm_exit& ) {}
             }
-            try {
-               control.get_wasm_interface().apply( receiver_account->code_hash, receiver_account->vm_type, receiver_account->vm_version, *this );
-            } catch( const wasm_exit& ) {}
-         }
 
-         if( !privileged && control.is_builtin_activated( builtin_protocol_feature_t::ram_restrictions ) ) {
-            const size_t checktime_interval = 10;
-            size_t counter = 0;
-            bool   not_in_notify_context = (receiver == act->account);
-            const auto end = _account_ram_deltas.end();
-            for( auto itr = _account_ram_deltas.begin(); itr != end; ++itr, ++counter ) {
-               if( counter == checktime_interval ) {
-                  trx_context.checktime();
-                  counter = 0;
-               }
-               if( itr->delta > 0 && itr->account != receiver ) {
-                  EOS_ASSERT( not_in_notify_context, unauthorized_ram_usage_increase,
-                              "unprivileged contract cannot increase RAM usage of another account within a notify context: ${account}",
-                              ("account", itr->account)
-                  );
-                  EOS_ASSERT( has_authorization( itr->account ), unauthorized_ram_usage_increase,
-                              "unprivileged contract cannot increase RAM usage of another account that has not authorized the action: ${account}",
-                              ("account", itr->account)
-                  );
+            if( !privileged && control.is_builtin_activated( builtin_protocol_feature_t::ram_restrictions ) ) {
+               const size_t checktime_interval = 10;
+               size_t counter = 0;
+               bool not_in_notify_context = (receiver == act->account);
+               const auto end = _account_ram_deltas.end();
+               for( auto itr = _account_ram_deltas.begin(); itr != end; ++itr, ++counter ) {
+                  if( counter == checktime_interval ) {
+                     trx_context.checktime();
+                     counter = 0;
+                  }
+                  if( itr->delta > 0 && itr->account != receiver ) {
+                     EOS_ASSERT( not_in_notify_context, unauthorized_ram_usage_increase,
+                                 "unprivileged contract cannot increase RAM usage of another account within a notify context: ${account}",
+                                 ("account", itr->account)
+                     );
+                     EOS_ASSERT( has_authorization( itr->account ), unauthorized_ram_usage_increase,
+                                 "unprivileged contract cannot increase RAM usage of another account that has not authorized the action: ${account}",
+                                 ("account", itr->account)
+                     );
+                  }
                }
             }
          }
diff --git a/libraries/chain/transaction_context.cpp b/libraries/chain/transaction_context.cpp
index 8e357777cf..7d28412e5c 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/transaction_context.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/transaction_context.cpp
@@ -723,12 +723,14 @@ namespace eosio { namespace chain {
       const auto& db = control.db();
       const auto& auth_manager = control.get_authorization_manager();
 
-      for( const auto& a : trx.context_free_actions ) {
-         auto* code = db.find<account_object, by_name>(a.account);
-         EOS_ASSERT( code != nullptr, transaction_exception,
-                     "action's code account '${account}' does not exist", ("account", a.account) );
-         EOS_ASSERT( a.authorization.size() == 0, transaction_exception,
-                     "context-free actions cannot have authorizations" );
+      if( !trx.context_free_actions.empty() && !control.skip_trx_checks() ) {
+         for( const auto& a : trx.context_free_actions ) {
+            auto* code = db.find<account_object, by_name>( a.account );
+            EOS_ASSERT( code != nullptr, transaction_exception,
+                        "action's code account '${account}' does not exist", ("account", a.account) );
+            EOS_ASSERT( a.authorization.size() == 0, transaction_exception,
+                        "context-free actions cannot have authorizations" );
+         }
       }
 
       flat_set<account_name> actors;
diff --git a/unittests/api_tests.cpp b/unittests/api_tests.cpp
index 45ab8896e7..ffe9a87211 100644
--- a/unittests/api_tests.cpp
+++ b/unittests/api_tests.cpp
@@ -850,6 +850,88 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(deferred_cfa_success, TESTER)  try {
    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL( validate(), true );
 } FC_LOG_AND_RETHROW()
 
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(light_validation_skip_cfa) try {
+   tester chain(setup_policy::full);
+
+   std::vector<signed_block_ptr> blocks;
+   blocks.push_back(chain.produce_block());
+
+   chain.create_account( "testapi"_n );
+   chain.create_account( "dummy"_n );
+   blocks.push_back(chain.produce_block());
+   chain.set_code( "testapi"_n, contracts::test_api_wasm() );
+   blocks.push_back(chain.produce_block());
+
+   cf_action cfa;
+   signed_transaction trx;
+   action act({}, cfa);
+   trx.context_free_actions.push_back(act);
+   trx.context_free_data.emplace_back(fc::raw::pack<uint32_t>(100)); // verify payload matches context free data
+   trx.context_free_data.emplace_back(fc::raw::pack<uint32_t>(200));
+   // add a normal action along with cfa
+   dummy_action da = { DUMMY_ACTION_DEFAULT_A, DUMMY_ACTION_DEFAULT_B, DUMMY_ACTION_DEFAULT_C };
+   action act1(vector<permission_level>{{"testapi"_n, config::active_name}}, da);
+   trx.actions.push_back(act1);
+   chain.set_transaction_headers(trx);
+   // run normal passing case
+   auto sigs = trx.sign(chain.get_private_key("testapi"_n, "active"), chain.control->get_chain_id());
+   auto trace = chain.push_transaction(trx);
+   blocks.push_back(chain.produce_block());
+
+   BOOST_REQUIRE(trace->receipt);
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(trace->receipt->status, transaction_receipt::executed);
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(2, trace->action_traces.size());
+
+   BOOST_CHECK(trace->action_traces.at(0).context_free); // cfa
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL("test\n", trace->action_traces.at(0).console); // cfa executed
+
+   BOOST_CHECK(!trace->action_traces.at(1).context_free); // non-cfa
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL("", trace->action_traces.at(1).console);
+
+
+   fc::temp_directory tempdir;
+   auto conf_genesis = tester::default_config( tempdir );
+
+   auto& cfg = conf_genesis.first;
+   cfg.trusted_producers = { "eosio"_n }; // light validation
+
+   tester other( conf_genesis.first, conf_genesis.second );
+   other.execute_setup_policy( setup_policy::full );
+
+   transaction_trace_ptr other_trace;
+   auto cc = other.control->applied_transaction.connect( [&](std::tuple<const transaction_trace_ptr&, const packed_transaction_ptr&> x) {
+      auto& t = std::get<0>(x);
+      if( t && t->id == trace->id ) {
+         other_trace = t;
+      }
+   } );
+
+   for (auto& new_block : blocks) {
+      other.push_block(new_block);
+   }
+   blocks.clear();
+
+   BOOST_REQUIRE(other_trace);
+   BOOST_REQUIRE(other_trace->receipt);
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(other_trace->receipt->status, transaction_receipt::executed);
+   BOOST_CHECK(*trace->receipt == *other_trace->receipt);
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(2, other_trace->action_traces.size());
+
+   BOOST_CHECK(other_trace->action_traces.at(0).context_free); // cfa
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL("", other_trace->action_traces.at(0).console); // cfa not executed for light validation (trusted producer)
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(trace->action_traces.at(0).receipt->global_sequence, other_trace->action_traces.at(0).receipt->global_sequence);
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(trace->action_traces.at(0).receipt->digest(), other_trace->action_traces.at(0).receipt->digest());
+
+   BOOST_CHECK(!other_trace->action_traces.at(1).context_free); // non-cfa
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL("", other_trace->action_traces.at(1).console);
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(trace->action_traces.at(1).receipt->global_sequence, other_trace->action_traces.at(1).receipt->global_sequence);
+   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(trace->action_traces.at(1).receipt->digest(), other_trace->action_traces.at(1).receipt->digest());
+
+
+   other.close();
+
+} FC_LOG_AND_RETHROW()
+
 /*************************************************************************************
  * checktime_tests test case
  *************************************************************************************/