diff --git a/.changelog/14065.txt b/.changelog/14065.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..eef7084eeb2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/14065.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+cli: Fixed a bug where job validation requeset was not sent to leader
+```
diff --git a/nomad/job_endpoint.go b/nomad/job_endpoint.go
index 5c1e62a624f8..a066e82d52f5 100644
--- a/nomad/job_endpoint.go
+++ b/nomad/job_endpoint.go
@@ -464,10 +464,8 @@ func getSignalConstraint(signals []string) *structs.Constraint {
 	}
 }
 
-// Summary retrieves the summary of a job
-func (j *Job) Summary(args *structs.JobSummaryRequest,
-	reply *structs.JobSummaryResponse) error {
-
+// Summary retrieves the summary of a job.
+func (j *Job) Summary(args *structs.JobSummaryRequest, reply *structs.JobSummaryResponse) error {
 	if done, err := j.srv.forward("Job.Summary", args, args, reply); done {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -511,8 +509,14 @@ func (j *Job) Summary(args *structs.JobSummaryRequest,
 	return j.srv.blockingRPC(&opts)
 }
 
-// Validate validates a job
+// Validate validates a job.
+//
+// Must forward to the leader, because only the leader will have a live Vault
+// client with which to validate vault tokens.
 func (j *Job) Validate(args *structs.JobValidateRequest, reply *structs.JobValidateResponse) error {
+	if done, err := j.srv.forward("Job.Validate", args, args, reply); done {
+		return err
+	}
 	defer metrics.MeasureSince([]string{"nomad", "job", "validate"}, time.Now())
 
 	// defensive check; http layer and RPC requester should ensure namespaces are set consistently
diff --git a/website/content/api-docs/validate.mdx b/website/content/api-docs/validate.mdx
index d01eef268523..e5e5b839e293 100644
--- a/website/content/api-docs/validate.mdx
+++ b/website/content/api-docs/validate.mdx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ types.
 ## Validate Job
 
 This endpoint validates a Nomad job file. The local Nomad agent forwards the
-request to a server. In the event a server can't be reached the agent verifies
+request to the leader. In the event the leader cannot be reached the agent verifies
 the job file locally but skips validating driver configurations.
 
 ~> This endpoint accepts a **JSON job file**, not an HCL job file.