diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 76dee2104..ff37fc07e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 -
 
 ### added
--
+- **scripts** Introduce new optional argument to compare scenario scripts ``validationConfig`` to enable plotting validation thresholds from piamValidation directly
+    into line plots of cs documents.
+    [[#2493](https://github.com/remindmodel/remind/pull/2493)]
 
 ### removed
 - **scripts** Drop the `gdxrrw`/`gdx` R dependency from REMIND scripts; GDX writes now use `gamstransfer`-based `quitte::write.gdx`
diff --git a/scripts/cs2/profiles.json b/scripts/cs2/profiles.json
index 5969d5b09..77a7c975e 100644
--- a/scripts/cs2/profiles.json
+++ b/scripts/cs2/profiles.json
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 	"_TITLE_": "Profiles for compareScenarios2",
 	"_NOTE_": "Entries on the top level with a name starting with _ are ignored.",
 	"_DESCRIPTION_": "The top level entries identify the profiles for compareScenarios2 (cs2) when called via 'Rscript output.R'. The sub-entries define the arguments passed to piamPlotComparison::compareScenarios(). See the R help page of this function for the meaning of the arguments. The values of the sub-entries are strings, i.e., they start and end with a double quote. These strings will be evaluated as R-code. Use single quotes inside these expressions when quotes are needed. The expressions may contain a variable named '.'. It refers to the value of the variable before applying the profile, e.g., setting outputFile to paste0(., '-suffix') will add a suffix to the file name. For more details, see 'scripts/cs2/run_compareScenarios2.R' and 'output/comparison/compareScenarios2.R'.",
+	"_VALIDATION_": "A profile may set validationConfig (name of or path to a piamValidation config, e.g. \"'default'\") to show validation thresholds as colored background bands in line plots. Alternatively, pass --validationConfig=<name> on the command line.",
 	"default": {
 		"projectLibrary": "'remind2'"
 	},
diff --git a/scripts/cs2/run_compareScenarios2.R b/scripts/cs2/run_compareScenarios2.R
index da53d777f..d4f5d7456 100644
--- a/scripts/cs2/run_compareScenarios2.R
+++ b/scripts/cs2/run_compareScenarios2.R
@@ -8,17 +8,19 @@
 library(piamPlotComparison)
 
 if (!exists("source_include")) {
-  lucode2::readArgs("outputdirs", "outFileName", "profileName", "aliases", "sections")
+  lucode2::readArgs("outputdirs", "outFileName", "profileName", "aliases", "sections", "validationConfig")
 }
 if (!exists("aliases"))  { aliases <- NULL }
 if (!exists("sections")) { sections <- "all" }
+if (!exists("validationConfig")) { validationConfig <- NULL }
 
 run_compareScenarios2 <- function(
   outputdirs,
   outFileName,
   profileName,
   aliases,
-  sections
+  sections,
+  validationConfig
 ) {
 
   stopifnot(length(profileName) == 1 && is.character(profileName) && !is.na(profileName))
@@ -60,6 +62,9 @@ run_compareScenarios2 <- function(
     sections = sections
   )
 
+  # show piamValidation thresholds in line plots, can be overwritten by profiles
+  args$validationConfig <- validationConfig
+
   # Load cs2 profile and change args.
   message("Applying profile ", profileName)
   profile <- profiles[[profileName]]
@@ -99,4 +104,4 @@ run_compareScenarios2 <- function(
   message("Done!\n")
 }
 
-run_compareScenarios2(outputdirs, outFileName, profileName, aliases, sections)
+run_compareScenarios2(outputdirs, outFileName, profileName, aliases, sections, validationConfig)
diff --git a/scripts/output/comparison/compareScenarios2.R b/scripts/output/comparison/compareScenarios2.R
index 9202a3fa8..f16647aa6 100644
--- a/scripts/output/comparison/compareScenarios2.R
+++ b/scripts/output/comparison/compareScenarios2.R
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 #' @param sections List of section numbers to be included in the PDF
 #' separated by commas. Default: "all".
 #' Examples: --sections=2 --sections=2,3
+#' @param validationConfig Name of or path to a piamValidation config. If
+#' given, validation thresholds are shown as colored background bands in
+#' line plots. Example: --validationConfig=default
 
 
 
@@ -48,7 +51,8 @@ startComp <- function(
   nameCore,
   profileName,
   aliases,
-  sections
+  sections,
+  validationConfig
 ) {
   if (!exists("slurmConfig")) {
     slurmConfig <- "--qos=standby"
@@ -77,6 +81,7 @@ startComp <- function(
       " --outFileName=", shQuote(outFileName),
       " --aliases=", shQuote(paste(aliases, collapse = ",")),
       " --sections=", shQuote(paste(sections, collapse = ",")),
+      if (!is.null(validationConfig)) paste0(" --validationConfig=", shQuote(validationConfig)),
       "\"")
     cat(clcom, "\n")
     system(clcom)
@@ -97,11 +102,14 @@ startComp <- function(
 # Load cs2 profiles.
 profiles <- piamPlotComparison::getCs2Profiles()
 
-lucode2::readArgs("profileNames", "sections")
+lucode2::readArgs("profileNames", "sections", "validationConfig")
 
 if (! exists("sections")) {
   sections = "all"
 }
+if (! exists("validationConfig")) {
+  validationConfig <- NULL
+}
 
 # Let user choose cs2 profile(s).
 profileNamesDefault <- determineDefaultProfiles(outputdirs[1])
@@ -137,5 +145,6 @@ for (profileName in profileNames) {
     nameCore = nameCore,
     profileName = profileName,
     aliases = aliases,
-    sections = sections)
+    sections = sections,
+    validationConfig = validationConfig)
 }