diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 2a0106162..7a6694f24 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -596,6 +596,7 @@ syntax-check:
     - ansible-playbook -i inventory/local-tests.cfg -u root -e ansible_ssh_user=root  -b --become-user=root cluster.yml -vvv  --syntax-check
     - ansible-playbook -i inventory/local-tests.cfg -u root -e ansible_ssh_user=root  -b --become-user=root upgrade-cluster.yml -vvv  --syntax-check
     - ansible-playbook -i inventory/local-tests.cfg -u root -e ansible_ssh_user=root  -b --become-user=root reset.yml -vvv  --syntax-check
+    - ansible-playbook -i inventory/local-tests.cfg -u root -e ansible_ssh_user=root  -b --become-user=root extra_playbooks/upgrade-only-k8s.yml -vvv  --syntax-check
   except: ['triggers', 'master']
 
 tox-inventory-builder:
diff --git a/extra_playbooks/inventory b/extra_playbooks/inventory
new file mode 120000
index 000000000..e09e1addd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extra_playbooks/inventory
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../inventory
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/extra_playbooks/roles b/extra_playbooks/roles
new file mode 120000
index 000000000..d8c4472ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extra_playbooks/roles
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../roles
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/extra_playbooks/upgrade-only-k8s.yml b/extra_playbooks/upgrade-only-k8s.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f10259b07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extra_playbooks/upgrade-only-k8s.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+### NOTE: This playbook cannot be used to deploy any new nodes to the cluster.
+### Additional information:
+### * Will not upgrade etcd
+### * Will not upgrade network plugins
+### * Will not upgrade Docker
+### * Currently does not support Vault deployment.
+###
+### In most cases, you probably want to use upgrade-cluster.yml playbook and
+### not this one.
+
+- hosts: localhost
+  gather_facts: False
+  roles:
+    - { role: kargo-defaults}
+    - { role: bastion-ssh-config, tags: ["localhost", "bastion"]}
+
+- hosts: k8s-cluster:etcd:calico-rr
+  any_errors_fatal: "{{ any_errors_fatal | default(true) }}"
+  gather_facts: false
+  vars:
+    # Need to disable pipelining for bootstrap-os as some systems have requiretty in sudoers set, which makes pipelining
+    # fail. bootstrap-os fixes this on these systems, so in later plays it can be enabled.
+    ansible_ssh_pipelining: false
+  roles:
+    - { role: kargo-defaults}
+    - { role: bootstrap-os, tags: bootstrap-os}
+
+- hosts: k8s-cluster:etcd:calico-rr
+  any_errors_fatal: "{{ any_errors_fatal | default(true) }}"
+  vars:
+    ansible_ssh_pipelining: true
+  gather_facts: true
+
+- hosts: k8s-cluster:etcd:calico-rr
+  any_errors_fatal: "{{ any_errors_fatal | default(true) }}"
+  roles:
+    - { role: kargo-defaults}
+    - { role: kubernetes/preinstall, tags: preinstall }
+
+#Handle upgrades to master components first to maintain backwards compat.
+- hosts: kube-master
+  any_errors_fatal: "{{ any_errors_fatal | default(true) }}"
+  serial: 1
+  roles:
+    - { role: kargo-defaults}
+    - { role: upgrade/pre-upgrade, tags: pre-upgrade }
+    - { role: kubernetes/node, tags: node }
+    - { role: kubernetes/master, tags: master }
+    - { role: upgrade/post-upgrade, tags: post-upgrade }
+
+#Finally handle worker upgrades, based on given batch size
+- hosts: kube-node:!kube-master
+  any_errors_fatal: "{{ any_errors_fatal | default(true) }}"
+  serial: "{{ serial | default('20%') }}"
+  roles:
+    - { role: kargo-defaults}
+    - { role: upgrade/pre-upgrade, tags: pre-upgrade }
+    - { role: kubernetes/node, tags: node }
+    - { role: upgrade/post-upgrade, tags: post-upgrade }
+    - { role: kargo-defaults}