diff --git a/tools/net/ynl/cli.py b/tools/net/ynl/cli.py
index 05d1f4069ce12e8b5589de3cdf63d7c4fdccf64d..e64f1478764f28896321ec7bb6f56a4d74b5e911 100755
--- a/tools/net/ynl/cli.py
+++ b/tools/net/ynl/cli.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='YNL CLI sample')
     parser.add_argument('--spec', dest='spec', type=str, required=True)
     parser.add_argument('--schema', dest='schema', type=str)
+    parser.add_argument('--no-schema', action='store_true')
     parser.add_argument('--json', dest='json_text', type=str)
     parser.add_argument('--do', dest='do', type=str)
     parser.add_argument('--dump', dest='dump', type=str)
@@ -20,6 +21,9 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('--subscribe', dest='ntf', type=str)
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    if args.no_schema:
+        args.schema = ''
+
     attrs = {}
     if args.json_text:
         attrs = json.loads(args.json_text)
diff --git a/tools/net/ynl/lib/nlspec.py b/tools/net/ynl/lib/nlspec.py
index 4aa3b1ad97f08f54d723d5118a127fc890f390bc..e204679ad8b7eb0a14b10c93749da56d978a5adc 100644
--- a/tools/net/ynl/lib/nlspec.py
+++ b/tools/net/ynl/lib/nlspec.py
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 
 import collections
-import jsonschema
+import importlib
 import os
 import traceback
 import yaml
 
 
+# To be loaded dynamically as needed
+jsonschema = None
+
+
 class SpecElement:
     """Netlink spec element.
 
@@ -197,9 +201,14 @@ class SpecFamily(SpecElement):
         if schema_path is None:
             schema_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(spec_path)) + f'/{self.proto}.yaml'
         if schema_path:
+            global jsonschema
+
             with open(schema_path, "r") as stream:
                 schema = yaml.safe_load(stream)
 
+            if jsonschema is None:
+                jsonschema = importlib.import_module("jsonschema")
+
             jsonschema.validate(self.yaml, schema)
 
         self.attr_sets = collections.OrderedDict()