diff --git a/apps/emqx/rebar.config b/apps/emqx/rebar.config
index 0c0a09cc0..c5b591a79 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/rebar.config
+++ b/apps/emqx/rebar.config
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     {esockd, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/esockd", {tag, "5.9.3"}}},
     {ekka, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/ekka", {tag, "0.13.2"}}},
     {gen_rpc, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/gen_rpc", {tag, "2.8.1"}}},
-    {hocon, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/hocon.git", {tag, "0.28.3"}}},
+    {hocon, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/hocon.git", {tag, "0.29.0"}}},
     {pbkdf2, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/erlang-pbkdf2.git", {tag, "2.0.4"}}},
     {recon, {git, "https://github.com/ferd/recon", {tag, "2.5.1"}}},
     {snabbkaffe, {git, "https://github.com/kafka4beam/snabbkaffe.git", {tag, "1.0.0"}}}
diff --git a/apps/emqx_prometheus/rebar.config b/apps/emqx_prometheus/rebar.config
index 2a0f20495..66afda52e 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_prometheus/rebar.config
+++ b/apps/emqx_prometheus/rebar.config
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     {emqx, {path, "../emqx"}},
     %% FIXME: tag this as v3.1.3
     {prometheus, {git, "https://github.com/deadtrickster/prometheus.erl", {tag, "v4.8.1"}}},
-    {hocon, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/hocon.git", {tag, "0.28.3"}}}
+    {hocon, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/hocon.git", {tag, "0.29.0"}}}
 ]}.
 
 {edoc_opts, [{preprocess, true}]}.
diff --git a/bin/emqx b/bin/emqx
index 0d27d7168..cac5cf655 100755
--- a/bin/emqx
+++ b/bin/emqx
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ usage() {
         echo "     --no-permanent   Install release package VERSION but"
         echo "                      don't make it permanent"
         ;;
+    check_config)
+        echo "Checks the EMQX config without generating any files"
+        ;;
     *)
         echo "Usage: $REL_NAME COMMAND [help]"
         echo ''
@@ -184,6 +187,7 @@ usage() {
         echo "  Up/Down-grade: upgrade | downgrade | install | uninstall"
         echo "  Install info:  ertspath | root_dir"
         echo "  Runtime info:  pid | ping | versions"
+        echo "  Validate Config:  check_config"
         echo "  Advanced:      console_clean | escript | rpc | rpcterms | eval | eval-erl"
         echo ''
         echo "Execute '$REL_NAME COMMAND help' for more information"
@@ -211,7 +215,7 @@ fi
 
 ## IS_BOOT_COMMAND is set for later to inspect node name and cookie from hocon config (or env variable)
 case "${COMMAND}" in
-    start|console|console_clean|foreground)
+    start|console|console_clean|foreground|check_config)
         IS_BOOT_COMMAND='yes'
         ;;
     ertspath)
@@ -525,6 +529,12 @@ relx_start_command() {
            "$START_OPTION"
 }
 
+# Function to check configs without generating them
+check_config() {
+    ## this command checks the configs without generating any files
+    call_hocon -v -s "$SCHEMA_MOD" -c "$EMQX_ETC_DIR"/emqx.conf check_schema
+}
+
 # Function to generate app.config and vm.args
 # sets two environment variables CONF_FILE and ARGS_FILE
 generate_config() {
@@ -1030,6 +1040,10 @@ case "${COMMAND}" in
         shift
         relx_nodetool "eval" "$@"
         ;;
+
+    check_config)
+        check_config
+        ;;
     *)
         usage "$COMMAND"
         exit 1
diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index fc802cb5e..714279cfd 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ defmodule EMQXUmbrella.MixProject do
       # in conflict by emqtt and hocon
       {:getopt, "1.0.2", override: true},
       {:snabbkaffe, github: "kafka4beam/snabbkaffe", tag: "1.0.0", override: true},
-      {:hocon, github: "emqx/hocon", tag: "0.28.3", override: true},
+      {:hocon, github: "emqx/hocon", tag: "0.29.0", override: true},
       {:emqx_http_lib, github: "emqx/emqx_http_lib", tag: "0.5.1", override: true},
       {:esasl, github: "emqx/esasl", tag: "0.2.0"},
       {:jose, github: "potatosalad/erlang-jose", tag: "1.11.2"},
diff --git a/rebar.config b/rebar.config
index 37dce676d..58b4b079b 100644
--- a/rebar.config
+++ b/rebar.config
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
     , {system_monitor, {git, "https://github.com/ieQu1/system_monitor", {tag, "3.0.3"}}}
     , {getopt, "1.0.2"}
     , {snabbkaffe, {git, "https://github.com/kafka4beam/snabbkaffe.git", {tag, "1.0.0"}}}
-    , {hocon, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/hocon.git", {tag, "0.28.3"}}}
+    , {hocon, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/hocon.git", {tag, "0.29.0"}}}
     , {emqx_http_lib, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/emqx_http_lib.git", {tag, "0.5.1"}}}
     , {esasl, {git, "https://github.com/emqx/esasl", {tag, "0.2.0"}}}
     , {jose, {git, "https://github.com/potatosalad/erlang-jose", {tag, "1.11.2"}}}