diff --git a/docs-chef-io/content/inspec/cli.md b/docs-chef-io/content/inspec/cli.md
index 605232e96..4fb073c5d 100644
--- a/docs-chef-io/content/inspec/cli.md
+++ b/docs-chef-io/content/inspec/cli.md
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ This subcommand has the following additional options:
 
 * ``--airgap``, ``--no-airgap``
     Fallback to using local archives if fetching fails.
+* ``--check``, ``--no-check``
+    Before running archive, run `inspec check`. Default: do not check.
+* ``--export``, ``--no-check``
+    Include an inspec.json file in the archive, the results of running `inspec export`.
 * ``--ignore-errors``, ``--no-ignore-errors``
     Ignore profile warnings.
 * ``-o``, ``--output=OUTPUT``
diff --git a/lib/inspec/cli.rb b/lib/inspec/cli.rb
index c7be4fd68..5e40e8f48 100644
--- a/lib/inspec/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/inspec/cli.rb
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ class Inspec::InspecCLI < Inspec::BaseCLI
     desc: "Fallback to using local archives if fetching fails."
   option :ignore_errors, type: :boolean, default: false,
     desc: "Ignore profile warnings."
+  option :check, type: :boolean, default: false,
+    desc: "Run profile check before archiving."
+  option :export, type: :boolean, default: false,
+    desc: "Export the profile to inspec.json and include in archive"
   def archive(path)
     o = config
     diagnose(o)
@@ -203,7 +207,7 @@ class Inspec::InspecCLI < Inspec::BaseCLI
     vendor_deps(path, vendor_options)
 
     profile = Inspec::Profile.for_target(path, o)
-    result = profile.check
+    result = profile.check if o[:check]
 
     if result && !o[:ignore_errors] == false
       o[:logger].info "Profile check failed. Please fix the profile before generating an archive."
diff --git a/lib/inspec/profile.rb b/lib/inspec/profile.rb
index 1a2fafde1..18c533b73 100644
--- a/lib/inspec/profile.rb
+++ b/lib/inspec/profile.rb
@@ -617,7 +617,6 @@ module Inspec
     end
 
     # generates a archive of a folder profile
-    # assumes that the profile was checked before
     def archive(opts)
       # check if file exists otherwise overwrite the archive
       dst = archive_name(opts)
@@ -634,31 +633,34 @@ module Inspec
       # TODO ignore all .files, but add the files to debug output
 
       # Generate temporary inspec.json for archive
-      Inspec::Utils::JsonProfileSummary.produce_json(
-        info: info,
-        write_path: "#{root_path}inspec.json",
-        suppress_output: true
-      )
+      if opts[:export]
+        Inspec::Utils::JsonProfileSummary.produce_json(
+          info: info, # TODO: conditionalize and call info_from_parse
+          write_path: "#{root_path}inspec.json",
+          suppress_output: true
+        )
+      end
 
       # display all files that will be part of the archive
       @logger.debug "Add the following files to archive:"
       files.each { |f| @logger.debug "    " + f }
-      @logger.debug "    inspec.json"
+      @logger.debug "    inspec.json" if opts[:export]
 
+      archive_files = opts[:export] ? files.push("inspec.json") : files
       if opts[:zip]
         # generate zip archive
         require "inspec/archive/zip"
         zag = Inspec::Archive::ZipArchiveGenerator.new
-        zag.archive(root_path, files.push("inspec.json"), dst)
+        zag.archive(root_path, archive_files, dst)
       else
         # generate tar archive
         require "inspec/archive/tar"
         tag = Inspec::Archive::TarArchiveGenerator.new
-        tag.archive(root_path, files.push("inspec.json"), dst)
+        tag.archive(root_path, archive_files, dst)
       end
 
       # Cleanup
-      FileUtils.rm_f("#{root_path}inspec.json")
+      FileUtils.rm_f("#{root_path}inspec.json") if opts[:export]
 
       @logger.info "Finished archive generation."
       true
diff --git a/test/fixtures/profiles/eval-markers/controls/markers.rb b/test/fixtures/profiles/eval-markers/controls/markers.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..43a5344a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/profiles/eval-markers/controls/markers.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# This profile emits markers to STDERR at various points to indicate that it was evaluated
+
+$stderr.puts "TOP_LEVEL_MARKER"
+$stderr.puts "EVALUATION_MARKER"
+control "my-dummy-control" do
+  $stderr.puts "CONTROL_BODY_MARKER"
+  title "#{$stderr.puts "METADATA_MARKER"}"
+  describe true do
+    $stderr.puts "DESCRIBE_BODY_MARKER"
+    it do
+      $stderr.puts "IT_BODY_MARKER"
+      should be_truthy
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/profiles/eval-markers/inspec.yml b/test/fixtures/profiles/eval-markers/inspec.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0b5b5619c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/profiles/eval-markers/inspec.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+name: eval-markers
+title: InSpec Profile
+maintainer: The Authors
+copyright: The Authors
+copyright_email: you@example.com
+license: Apache-2.0
+summary: A profile that emits to STDERR at various points
+version: 0.1.0
+supports:
+  platform: os
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/functional/inspec_archive_test.rb b/test/functional/inspec_archive_test.rb
index fe2b48dbf..464897adf 100644
--- a/test/functional/inspec_archive_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/inspec_archive_test.rb
@@ -31,13 +31,24 @@ describe "inspec archive" do
     end
   end
 
-  it "archives an inspec.json file" do
+  it "archives an inspec.json file if export if provided --export option" do
+    prepare_examples("profile") do |dir|
+      out = inspec("archive " + dir + " --overwrite --export")
+
+      _(out.stderr).must_equal ""
+      t = Zlib::GzipReader.open(auto_dst)
+      _(Gem::Package::TarReader.new(t).entries.map(&:header).map(&:name)).must_include "inspec.json"
+      assert_exit_code 0, out
+    end
+  end
+
+  it "does not archive an inspec.json file by default" do
     prepare_examples("profile") do |dir|
       out = inspec("archive " + dir + " --overwrite")
 
       _(out.stderr).must_equal ""
       t = Zlib::GzipReader.open(auto_dst)
-      _(Gem::Package::TarReader.new(t).entries.map(&:header).map(&:name)).must_include "inspec.json"
+      _(Gem::Package::TarReader.new(t).entries.map(&:header).map(&:name)).wont_include "inspec.json"
       assert_exit_code 0, out
     end
   end
@@ -127,4 +138,18 @@ describe "inspec archive" do
       assert_exit_code 0, out
     end
   end
+
+  it "does not evaluate a profile by default" do
+    eval_marker_path = File.join(profile_path, "eval-markers")
+
+    Dir.mktmpdir do |tmpdir|
+      FileUtils.cp_r(eval_marker_path + "/.", tmpdir)
+
+      out = inspec("archive " + tmpdir + " --output " + dst.path)
+
+      _(out.stderr).wont_include "EVALUATION_MARKER"
+      _(out.stderr).must_equal ""
+      assert_exit_code 0, out
+    end
+  end
 end