diff --git a/src/cmd/cmd_validate.ml b/src/cmd/cmd_validate.ml
index 25576ab96..4f0999d7a 100644
--- a/src/cmd/cmd_validate.ml
+++ b/src/cmd/cmd_validate.ml
@@ -5,9 +5,16 @@
 open Syntax
 
 let validate filename =
-  let* modul = Parse.Text.Module.from_file filename in
-  let+ _modul = Compile.Text.until_typecheck ~unsafe:false modul in
-  ()
+  let* modul = Parse.guess_from_file filename in
+  match modul with
+  | Either.Left (Either.Left text_module) ->
+    let+ _modul = Compile.Text.until_typecheck ~unsafe:false text_module in
+    ()
+  | Either.Left (Either.Right _text_script) ->
+    Error (`Msg "can not run validation on a script (.wast) file")
+  | Either.Right binary_module ->
+    let+ _module = Compile.Binary.until_typecheck ~unsafe:false binary_module in
+    ()
 
 let cmd debug files =
   if debug then Log.debug_on := true;