diff --git a/docs/source/Compiler.md b/docs/source/Compiler.md
index 4636428c7..973c4116e 100644
--- a/docs/source/Compiler.md
+++ b/docs/source/Compiler.md
@@ -218,6 +218,8 @@ Additional options:
 
 -   `--root-type T` : Select or override the default root_type.
 
+-   `--require-explicit-ids` : When parsing schemas, require explicit ids (id: x).
+
 -   `--force-defaults` : Emit default values in binary output from JSON.
 
 -   `--force-empty` : When serializing from object API representation, force
diff --git a/include/flatbuffers/idl.h b/include/flatbuffers/idl.h
index a28745f0e..e073d4162 100644
--- a/include/flatbuffers/idl.h
+++ b/include/flatbuffers/idl.h
@@ -601,6 +601,9 @@ struct IDLOptions {
 
   MiniReflect mini_reflect;
 
+  // If set, require all fields in a table to be explicitly numbered.
+  bool require_explicit_ids;
+
   // The corresponding language bit will be set if a language is included
   // for code generation.
   unsigned long lang_to_generate;
@@ -661,6 +664,7 @@ struct IDLOptions {
         filename_extension(),
         lang(IDLOptions::kJava),
         mini_reflect(IDLOptions::kNone),
+        require_explicit_ids(false),
         lang_to_generate(0),
         set_empty_strings_to_null(true),
         set_empty_vectors_to_null(true) {}
diff --git a/src/flatc.cpp b/src/flatc.cpp
index 4a9df5f84..1233ff937 100644
--- a/src/flatc.cpp
+++ b/src/flatc.cpp
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ std::string FlatCompiler::GetUsageString(const char *program_name) const {
     "  --reflect-types        Add minimal type reflection to code generation.\n"
     "  --reflect-names        Add minimal type/name reflection.\n"
     "  --root-type T          Select or override the default root_type\n"
+    "  --require-explicit-ids When parsing schemas, require explicit ids (id: x).\n"
     "  --force-defaults       Emit default values in binary output from JSON\n"
     "  --force-empty          When serializing from object API representation,\n"
     "                         force strings and vectors to empty rather than null.\n"
@@ -345,6 +346,8 @@ int FlatCompiler::Compile(int argc, const char **argv) {
         opts.mini_reflect = IDLOptions::kTypes;
       } else if (arg == "--reflect-names") {
         opts.mini_reflect = IDLOptions::kTypesAndNames;
+      } else if (arg == "--require-explicit-ids") {
+        opts.require_explicit_ids = true;
       } else if (arg == "--root-type") {
         if (++argi >= argc) Error("missing type following: " + arg, true);
         opts.root_type = argv[argi];
diff --git a/src/idl_parser.cpp b/src/idl_parser.cpp
index a87fbce4c..3f0407734 100644
--- a/src/idl_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/idl_parser.cpp
@@ -2379,11 +2379,18 @@ CheckedError Parser::ParseDecl() {
       if ((*it)->attributes.Lookup("id")) num_id_fields++;
     }
     // If any fields have ids..
-    if (num_id_fields) {
+    if (num_id_fields || opts.require_explicit_ids) {
       // Then all fields must have them.
-      if (num_id_fields != fields.size())
-        return Error(
-            "either all fields or no fields must have an 'id' attribute");
+      if (num_id_fields != fields.size()) {
+        if (opts.require_explicit_ids) {
+          return Error(
+              "all fields must have an 'id' attribute when "
+              "--require-explicit-ids is used");
+        } else {
+          return Error(
+              "either all fields or no fields must have an 'id' attribute");
+        }
+      }
       // Simply sort by id, then the fields are the same as if no ids had
       // been specified.
       std::sort(fields.begin(), fields.end(), compareFieldDefs);