diff --git a/linkml/generators/jsonschemagen.py b/linkml/generators/jsonschemagen.py
index 3d21a670..4d6158f3 100644
--- a/linkml/generators/jsonschemagen.py
+++ b/linkml/generators/jsonschemagen.py
@@ -371,11 +371,34 @@ class JsonSchemaGenerator(Generator):
                 if slot_is_inlined:
                     # If inline we have to include redefined slots
                     if slot.multivalued:
-                        range_id_slot = self.schemaview.get_identifier_slot(slot.range, use_key=True)
+                        range_id_slot, range_simple_dict_value_slot, range_required_slots = self._get_range_associated_slots(slot)
+                        # if the range class has an ID and the slot is not inlined as a list, then we need to consider
+                        # various inlined as dict formats
                         if range_id_slot is not None and not slot.inlined_as_list:
+                            # At a minimum, the inlined dict can have keys (additionalProps) that are IDs
+                            # and the values are the range class but possibly omitting the ID.
+                            additionalProps = [JsonSchema.ref_for(reference, identifier_optional=True)]
+
+                            # If the range can be collected as a simple dict, then we can also accept the value
+                            # of that simple dict directly.
+                            if range_simple_dict_value_slot is not None:
+                                additionalProps.append(self.get_subschema_for_slot(range_simple_dict_value_slot))
+
+                            # If the range has no required slots, then null is acceptable
+                            if len(range_required_slots) == 0:
+                                additionalProps.append(JsonSchema({"type": "null"}))
+
+                            # If through the above logic we identified multiple acceptable forms, then wrap them
+                            # in an "anyOf", otherwise just take the only acceptable form
+                            if len(additionalProps) == 1:
+                                additionalProps = additionalProps[0]
+                            else:
+                                additionalProps = JsonSchema({
+                                    "anyOf": additionalProps
+                                })
                             prop = JsonSchema({
                                 "type": "object",
-                                "additionalProperties": JsonSchema.ref_for(reference, identifier_optional=True)
+                                "additionalProperties": additionalProps
                             })
                             self.top_level_schema.add_lax_def(reference, self.aliased_slot_name(range_id_slot))
                         else:
@@ -453,6 +476,26 @@ class JsonSchemaGenerator(Generator):
             self.handle_class(class_definition)
 
         return self.top_level_schema.to_json(sort_keys=True, indent=self.indent if self.indent > 0 else None)
+    
+    def _get_range_associated_slots(self, slot: SlotDefinition) -> Tuple[Union[SlotDefinition, None], Union[SlotDefinition, None], Union[List[SlotDefinition], None]]:
+        range_class = self.schemaview.get_class(slot.range)
+        if range_class is None:
+            return None, None, None
+        
+        range_class_id_slot = self.schemaview.get_identifier_slot(range_class.name, use_key=True)
+        if range_class_id_slot is None:
+            return None, None, None
+        
+        non_id_slots = [
+            s for s in self.schemaview.class_induced_slots(range_class.name) if s.name != range_class_id_slot.name
+        ]
+        non_id_required_slots = [s for s in non_id_slots if s.required]
+
+        range_simple_dict_value_slot = None
+        if len(non_id_slots) == 1:
+            range_simple_dict_value_slot = non_id_slots[0]
+        
+        return range_class_id_slot, range_simple_dict_value_slot, non_id_required_slots
 
 
 @shared_arguments(JsonSchemaGenerator)
diff --git a/linkml/linter/cli.py b/linkml/linter/cli.py
index 7f5b9fbd..6bdaf3f3 100644
--- a/linkml/linter/cli.py
+++ b/linkml/linter/cli.py
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ def get_yaml_files(root: Path) -> Iterable[str]:
     help="Report format.",
     show_default=True,
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--validate",
+    is_flag=True,
+    default=False,
+    help="Validate the schema against the LinkML Metamodel before linting.",
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--validate-only",
+    is_flag=True,
+    default=False,
+    help="Validate the schema against the LinkML Metamodel and then exit without checking linter rules.",
+)
 @click.option("-v", "--verbose", is_flag=True)
 @click.option(
     "-o", "--output", type=click.File("w"), default="-", help="Report file name."
@@ -77,10 +89,12 @@ def main(
     fix: bool,
     config: str,
     format: str,
+    validate: bool,
+    validate_only: bool,
     output,
     ignore_warnings: bool,
     max_warnings: int,
-    verbose: bool
+    verbose: bool,
 ):
     """Run linter on SCHEMA.
 
@@ -117,7 +131,9 @@ def main(
     formatter.start_report()
     for path in get_yaml_files(schema):
         formatter.start_schema(path)
-        report = linter.lint(path, fix=fix)
+        report = linter.lint(
+            path, fix=fix, validate_schema=validate, validate_only=validate_only
+        )
         for problem in report:
             if str(problem.level) is RuleLevel.error.text:
                 error_count += 1
diff --git a/linkml/linter/formatters/terminal_formatter.py b/linkml/linter/formatters/terminal_formatter.py
index 1c284c9f..a4833209 100644
--- a/linkml/linter/formatters/terminal_formatter.py
+++ b/linkml/linter/formatters/terminal_formatter.py
@@ -60,3 +60,5 @@ class TerminalFormatter(Formatter):
                 + " "
                 + plural("schema", problem_schemas)
             )
+        else:
+            self.write(click.style("\u2713", fg="green") + " No problems found")
diff --git a/linkml/linter/linter.py b/linkml/linter/linter.py
index c4eb92e5..f4d3c8b5 100644
--- a/linkml/linter/linter.py
+++ b/linkml/linter/linter.py
@@ -1,15 +1,21 @@
 import inspect
+import json
 from copy import deepcopy
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from functools import lru_cache
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Dict, Iterable, Union
 
+import jsonschema
 import yaml
+from jsonschema.exceptions import best_match
 from linkml_runtime import SchemaView
 from linkml_runtime.dumpers import yaml_dumper
 from linkml_runtime.linkml_model import SchemaDefinition
 
+from linkml.generators.jsonschemagen import JsonSchemaGenerator
+
+from .. import LOCAL_METAMODEL_YAML_FILE
 from .config.datamodel.config import Config, ExtendableConfigs, RuleLevel
 
 
@@ -29,6 +35,14 @@ def get_named_config(name: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         return yaml.safe_load(config_file)
 
 
+@lru_cache
+def get_metamodel_validator() -> jsonschema.Validator:
+    meta_json_gen = JsonSchemaGenerator(LOCAL_METAMODEL_YAML_FILE, not_closed=False)
+    meta_json_schema = json.loads(meta_json_gen.serialize())
+    validator = jsonschema.Draft7Validator(meta_json_schema)
+    return validator
+
+
 def merge_configs(original: dict, other: dict):
     result = deepcopy(original)
     for key, value in other.items():
@@ -39,6 +53,18 @@ def merge_configs(original: dict, other: dict):
     return result
 
 
+def _format_path_component(value):
+    if isinstance(value, int):
+        return f"[{value}]"
+    return value
+
+
+def _format_path(path):
+    if not path:
+        return "<root>"
+    return " > ".join(_format_path_component(p) for p in path)
+
+
 class Linter:
     def __init__(self, config: Dict[str, Any] = {}) -> None:
         default_config = deepcopy(get_named_config("default"))
@@ -61,17 +87,45 @@ class Linter:
             ]
         )
 
+    def validate_schema(self, schema_path: str):
+        with open(schema_path) as schema_file:
+            schema = yaml.safe_load(schema_file)
+
+        validator = get_metamodel_validator()
+        for err in validator.iter_errors(schema):
+            best_err = best_match([err])
+            message = f"In {_format_path(best_err.absolute_path)}: {best_err.message}"
+            if best_err.context:
+                message += f" ({', '.join(e.message for e in best_err.context)})"
+            yield LinterProblem(
+                rule_name="valid-schema",
+                message=message,
+                level=RuleLevel(RuleLevel.error),
+                schema_source=schema,
+            )
+
     def lint(
-        self, schema=Union[str, SchemaDefinition], fix: bool = False
+        self,
+        schema: Union[str, SchemaDefinition],
+        fix: bool = False,
+        validate_schema: bool = False,
+        validate_only: bool = False,
     ) -> Iterable[LinterProblem]:
+        if (validate_schema or validate_only) and isinstance(schema, str):
+            yield from self.validate_schema(schema)
+
+        if validate_only:
+            return
+
         try:
             schema_view = SchemaView(schema)
         except:
-            yield LinterProblem(
-                message="File is not a valid LinkML schema",
-                level=RuleLevel(RuleLevel.error),
-                schema_source=(schema if isinstance(schema, str) else None),
-            )
+            if not validate_schema:
+                yield LinterProblem(
+                    message="File is not a valid LinkML schema. Use --validate for more details.",
+                    level=RuleLevel(RuleLevel.error),
+                    schema_source=(schema if isinstance(schema, str) else None),
+                )
             return
 
         for rule_id, rule_config in self.config.rules.__dict__.items():
diff --git a/linkml/linter/rules.py b/linkml/linter/rules.py
index 9deef5d4..89f17b80 100644
--- a/linkml/linter/rules.py
+++ b/linkml/linter/rules.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ from .linter import LinterProblem
 
 
 class LinterRule(ABC):
-
     PATTERNS = {
         "snake": re.compile(r"[a-z][_a-z0-9]+"),
         "uppersnake": re.compile(r"[A-Z][_A-Z0-9]+"),
@@ -52,7 +51,6 @@ class LinterRule(ABC):
 
 
 class NoEmptyTitleRule(LinterRule):
-
     id = "no_empty_title"
 
     def check(
@@ -71,7 +69,6 @@ class NoEmptyTitleRule(LinterRule):
 
 
 class NoXsdIntTypeRule(LinterRule):
-
     id = "no_xsd_int_type"
 
     def check(self, schema_view: SchemaView, fix: bool = False):
@@ -86,7 +83,6 @@ class NoXsdIntTypeRule(LinterRule):
 
 
 class PermissibleValuesFormatRule(LinterRule):
-
     id = "permissible_values_format"
 
     def check(
@@ -114,7 +110,6 @@ def _get_recommended_metamodel_slots() -> List[str]:
 
 
 class RecommendedRule(LinterRule):
-
     id = "recommended"
 
     def __init__(self, config: RecommendedRuleConfig) -> None:
@@ -138,7 +133,6 @@ class RecommendedRule(LinterRule):
 
 
 class TreeRootClassRule(LinterRule):
-
     id = "tree_root_class"
 
     def __init__(self, config: TreeRootClassRuleConfig) -> None:
@@ -224,7 +218,6 @@ class TreeRootClassRule(LinterRule):
 
 
 class NoInvalidSlotUsageRule(LinterRule):
-
     id = "no_invalid_slot_usage"
 
     def check(
@@ -245,7 +238,6 @@ class NoInvalidSlotUsageRule(LinterRule):
 
 
 class StandardNamingRule(LinterRule):
-
     id = "standard_naming"
 
     def __init__(self, config: StandardNamingConfig) -> None:
@@ -283,7 +275,6 @@ class StandardNamingRule(LinterRule):
 
 
 class CanonicalPrefixesRule(LinterRule):
-
     id = "canonical_prefixes"
 
     def __init__(self, config: CanonicalPrefixesConfig) -> None:

diff --git a/tests/test_generators/input/jsonschema_collection_forms.yaml b/tests/test_generators/input/jsonschema_collection_forms.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2ad0872
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_generators/input/jsonschema_collection_forms.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+schema:
+  id: http://example.org/test_collection_forms
+  name: test_collection_forms
+  imports:
+    - https://w3id.org/linkml/types
+  default_range: string
+
+  slots:
+    key:
+      key: true
+    value:
+    value2:
+    key_value_pairs:
+      range: KeyValuePair
+      multivalued: true
+      inlined: true
+    more_than_one_non_key_slots:
+      range: MoreThanOneNonKeySlot
+      multivalued: true
+      inlined: true
+
+  classes:
+    Test:
+      tree_root: true
+      slots:
+        - key_value_pairs
+        - more_than_one_non_key_slots
+    KeyValuePair:
+      slots:
+        - key
+        - value
+    MoreThanOneNonKeySlot:
+      slots:
+        - key
+        - value
+        - value2
+
+data_cases:
+  - data:
+      key_value_pairs:
+        k1:
+          key: k1
+          value: v1
+        k2:
+          key: k2
+          value: v2
+  - data:
+      key_value_pairs:
+        k1:
+          value: v1
+        k2:
+          value: v2
+  - data:
+      key_value_pairs:
+        k1: v1
+        k2: v2
+  - data:
+      more_than_one_non_key_slots:
+        k1:
+          key: k1
+          value: v1
+          value2: v12
+        k2:
+          key: k2
+          value: v2
+          value2: v22
+  - data:
+      more_than_one_non_key_slots:
+        k1:
+          value: v1
+          value2: v12
+        k2:
+          value: v2
+          value2: v22
+  - data:
+      more_than_one_non_key_slots:
+        k1: v1
+        k2: v2  
+    error_message: "not valid under any of the given schemas"
diff --git a/tests/test_generators/input/jsonschema_empty_inlined_as_dict_objects.yaml b/tests/test_generators/input/jsonschema_empty_inlined_as_dict_objects.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d748ac2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_generators/input/jsonschema_empty_inlined_as_dict_objects.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+schema:
+  id: http://example.org/test_empty_inlined_as_dict_objects
+  name: test_empty_inlined_as_dict_objects
+  imports:
+    - https://w3id.org/linkml/types
+  default_range: string
+
+  slots:
+    id:
+      key: true
+    s1:
+    s2:
+      required: true
+    no_non_key_required_slots:
+      range: HasNoNonKeyRequiredSlots
+      multivalued: true
+      inlined: true
+    non_key_required_slots:
+      range: HasNonKeyRequiredSlots
+      multivalued: true
+      inlined: true
+  
+  classes:
+    Test:
+      tree_root: true
+      slots:
+        - no_non_key_required_slots
+        - non_key_required_slots
+    HasNoNonKeyRequiredSlots:
+      slots:
+        - id
+        - s1
+    HasNonKeyRequiredSlots:
+      slots:
+        - id
+        - s1
+        - s2
+
+data_cases:
+  - data:
+      no_non_key_required_slots:
+        id1:
+          s1: value1
+        id2:
+          s1: value2
+  - data:
+      no_non_key_required_slots:
+        id1:
+        id2:
+  - data:
+      non_key_required_slots:
+        id1:
+          s2: value1
+        id2:
+          s2: value2
+  - data:
+      non_key_required_slots:
+        id1:
+        id2:
+    error_message: "None is not of type 'object'"
diff --git a/tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py b/tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py
index 5c1100fd..62e93b75 100644
--- a/tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py
+++ b/tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py
@@ -229,6 +229,17 @@ class JsonSchemaTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.externalFileTest("jsonschema_multivalued_element_constraints.yaml")
 
+    def test_collection_forms(self):
+        """Tests that expanded, compact, and simple dicts can be validated"""
+
+        self.externalFileTest("jsonschema_collection_forms.yaml")
+
+    def test_empty_inlined_as_dict_objects(self):
+        """Tests that inlined objects with no non-key required slots can be null/empty"""
+
+        self.externalFileTest("jsonschema_empty_inlined_as_dict_objects.yaml")
+
+
     # **********************************************************
     #
     #    Utility methods
diff --git a/tests/test_issues/test_issue_129.py b/tests/test_issues/test_issue_129.py
index 5315e207..7d2336a8 100644
--- a/tests/test_issues/test_issue_129.py
+++ b/tests/test_issues/test_issue_129.py
@@ -39,11 +39,17 @@ class IssueJSONSchemaTypesTestCase(TestEnvironmentTestCase):
         assert props["has_ds"]["items"]["$ref"] == "#/$defs/D"
 
         # multi-valued, inlined (as dict) #411
-        D_id_opt = props["has_ds2"]["additionalProperties"]["$ref"].replace(
+        D_id_any_of = props["has_ds2"]["additionalProperties"]["anyOf"]
+        D_id_with_ref = next(d for d in D_id_any_of if "$ref" in d)
+        assert D_id_with_ref
+        D_id_opt = D_id_with_ref["$ref"].replace(
             "#/$defs/", ""
         )
         assert D_id_opt in defs
         assert defs[D_id_opt]["required"] == []
+        # D has no required slots other than the id, so the inlined value can also be null
+        D_type_null = next(d for d in D_id_any_of if "type" in d and d.type == 'null')
+        assert D_type_null
 
         # single-valued, non-inlined (foreign key)
         assert props["parent"]["type"] == "string"
diff --git a/tests/test_linter/test_cli.py b/tests/test_linter/test_cli.py
index 09bfafd1..3e4494d0 100644
--- a/tests/test_linter/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_linter/test_cli.py
@@ -236,3 +236,42 @@ slots:
             self.assertIn("Class has name 'person'", result.stdout)
             self.assertIn(str(schema_b), result.stdout)
             self.assertIn("Slot has name 'a slot'", result.stdout)
+
+    def test_validate_schema(self):
+        with self.runner.isolated_filesystem():
+            with open(SCHEMA_FILE, "w") as f:
+                f.write("""
+id: http://example.org/test
+classes:
+    person:
+        description: a person
+""")
+
+            result = self.runner.invoke(main, ['--validate', SCHEMA_FILE])
+            self.assertEqual(result.exit_code, 2)
+            self.assertIn(
+                "error    In <root>: 'name' is a required property  (valid-schema)",
+                result.stdout,
+            )
+            self.assertIn(
+                "warning  Class has name 'person'  (standard_naming)",
+                result.stdout,
+            )
+
+    def test_validate_schema_only(self):
+        with self.runner.isolated_filesystem():
+            with open(SCHEMA_FILE, "w") as f:
+                f.write("""
+id: http://example.org/test
+classes:
+    person:
+        description: a person
+""")
+
+            result = self.runner.invoke(main, ['--validate-only', SCHEMA_FILE])
+            self.assertEqual(result.exit_code, 2)
+            self.assertIn(
+                "error    In <root>: 'name' is a required property  (valid-schema)",
+                result.stdout,
+            )
+            self.assertNotIn("(standard_naming)", result.stdout)

Add command line tool: linkml-schema-validate
Currently we get schema validation indirectly, whenever any command in the gen-X suite is executed, but it would be good to have a more direct command, `linkml-schema-validate`

This would be a convenience wrapper for running `linkml-validate` on the schema, using the version of the metamodel distributed with linkml-runtime (there could be an option for passing an explicit metamodel version but then this becomes nearly identical to the generic linkml-validate)

We may still want to include some of the procedural checks that are performed by SchemaLoader right now, but ultimately these should all be translated to declarative form in the metamodel.
tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_collection_forms tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_empty_inlined_as_dict_objects tests/test_issues/test_issue_129.py::IssueJSONSchemaTypesTestCase::test_issue_types tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_validate_schema tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_validate_schema_only
tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_class_uri_any tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_jsonschema_integration tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_multivalued_element_constraints tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_multivalued_slot_cardinality tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_range_unions tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_rules_in_non_root_class tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_top_class_identifier tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_type_inheritance tests/test_generators/test_jsonschemagen.py::JsonSchemaTestCase::test_value_constraints tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_config_extends_recommended tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_directory_of_files tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_exceeded_max_warnings_flag tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_explicit_config_file tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_ignore_warnings_flag tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_implicit_config_file tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_max_warnings_flag tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_no_config tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_no_schema_errors tests/test_linter/test_cli.py::TestLinterCli::test_warning_exit_code