diff --git a/pipeline/container.go b/pipeline/container.go
index 395fce02..b4ecc4a9 100644
--- a/pipeline/container.go
+++ b/pipeline/container.go
@@ -191,8 +191,9 @@ func (c *Container) Execute(r *RuleData) bool {
 		execute = false
 
 		// check if you need to run a status failure ruleset
-		if !(c.Ruleset.If.Empty() && c.Ruleset.Unless.Empty()) &&
-			!(c.Ruleset.If.NoStatus() && c.Ruleset.Unless.NoStatus()) &&
+
+		if ((!(c.Ruleset.If.Empty() && c.Ruleset.Unless.Empty()) &&
+			!(c.Ruleset.If.NoStatus() && c.Ruleset.Unless.NoStatus())) || c.Ruleset.If.Parallel) &&
 			c.Ruleset.Match(r) {
 			// approve the need to run the container
 			execute = true
diff --git a/pipeline/ruleset.go b/pipeline/ruleset.go
index a2a2045f..e63ba0fc 100644
--- a/pipeline/ruleset.go
+++ b/pipeline/ruleset.go
@@ -30,14 +30,15 @@ type (
 	//
 	// swagger:model PipelineRules
 	Rules struct {
-		Branch  Ruletype `json:"branch,omitempty"  yaml:"branch,omitempty"`
-		Comment Ruletype `json:"comment,omitempty" yaml:"comment,omitempty"`
-		Event   Ruletype `json:"event,omitempty"   yaml:"event,omitempty"`
-		Path    Ruletype `json:"path,omitempty"    yaml:"path,omitempty"`
-		Repo    Ruletype `json:"repo,omitempty"    yaml:"repo,omitempty"`
-		Status  Ruletype `json:"status,omitempty"  yaml:"status,omitempty"`
-		Tag     Ruletype `json:"tag,omitempty"     yaml:"tag,omitempty"`
-		Target  Ruletype `json:"target,omitempty"  yaml:"target,omitempty"`
+		Branch   Ruletype `json:"branch,omitempty"  yaml:"branch,omitempty"`
+		Comment  Ruletype `json:"comment,omitempty" yaml:"comment,omitempty"`
+		Event    Ruletype `json:"event,omitempty"   yaml:"event,omitempty"`
+		Path     Ruletype `json:"path,omitempty"    yaml:"path,omitempty"`
+		Repo     Ruletype `json:"repo,omitempty"    yaml:"repo,omitempty"`
+		Status   Ruletype `json:"status,omitempty"  yaml:"status,omitempty"`
+		Tag      Ruletype `json:"tag,omitempty"     yaml:"tag,omitempty"`
+		Target   Ruletype `json:"target,omitempty"  yaml:"target,omitempty"`
+		Parallel bool     `json:"-"                 yaml:"-"`
 	}
 
 	// Ruletype is the pipeline representation of an element
@@ -49,14 +50,15 @@ type (
 	// RuleData is the data to check our ruleset
 	// against for a step in a pipeline.
 	RuleData struct {
-		Branch  string   `json:"branch,omitempty"  yaml:"branch,omitempty"`
-		Comment string   `json:"comment,omitempty" yaml:"comment,omitempty"`
-		Event   string   `json:"event,omitempty"   yaml:"event,omitempty"`
-		Path    []string `json:"path,omitempty"    yaml:"path,omitempty"`
-		Repo    string   `json:"repo,omitempty"    yaml:"repo,omitempty"`
-		Status  string   `json:"status,omitempty"  yaml:"status,omitempty"`
-		Tag     string   `json:"tag,omitempty"     yaml:"tag,omitempty"`
-		Target  string   `json:"target,omitempty"  yaml:"target,omitempty"`
+		Branch   string   `json:"branch,omitempty"  yaml:"branch,omitempty"`
+		Comment  string   `json:"comment,omitempty" yaml:"comment,omitempty"`
+		Event    string   `json:"event,omitempty"   yaml:"event,omitempty"`
+		Path     []string `json:"path,omitempty"    yaml:"path,omitempty"`
+		Repo     string   `json:"repo,omitempty"    yaml:"repo,omitempty"`
+		Status   string   `json:"status,omitempty"  yaml:"status,omitempty"`
+		Tag      string   `json:"tag,omitempty"     yaml:"tag,omitempty"`
+		Target   string   `json:"target,omitempty"  yaml:"target,omitempty"`
+		Parallel bool     `json:"-"                 yaml:"-"`
 	}
 )
 
diff --git a/pipeline/stage.go b/pipeline/stage.go
index 9fc40691..e1c9d449 100644
--- a/pipeline/stage.go
+++ b/pipeline/stage.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ type (
 		Environment map[string]string `json:"environment,omitempty" yaml:"environment,omitempty"`
 		Name        string            `json:"name,omitempty"        yaml:"name,omitempty"`
 		Needs       []string          `json:"needs,omitempty"       yaml:"needs,omitempty"`
+		Independent bool              `json:"independent,omitempty" yaml:"independent,omitempty"`
 		Steps       ContainerSlice    `json:"steps,omitempty"       yaml:"steps,omitempty"`
 	}
 )
diff --git a/yaml/build_test.go b/yaml/build_test.go
index 5d8cd966..adb9ed63 100644
--- a/yaml/build_test.go
+++ b/yaml/build_test.go
@@ -333,8 +333,9 @@ func TestYaml_Build_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				Stages: StageSlice{
 					{
-						Name:  "dependencies",
-						Needs: []string{"clone"},
+						Name:        "dependencies",
+						Needs:       []string{"clone"},
+						Independent: false,
 						Steps: StepSlice{
 							{
 								Commands: raw.StringSlice{"./gradlew downloadDependencies"},
@@ -368,8 +369,9 @@ func TestYaml_Build_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 						},
 					},
 					{
-						Name:  "test",
-						Needs: []string{"dependencies", "clone"},
+						Name:        "test",
+						Needs:       []string{"dependencies", "clone"},
+						Independent: false,
 						Steps: StepSlice{
 							{
 								Commands: raw.StringSlice{"./gradlew check"},
@@ -403,8 +405,9 @@ func TestYaml_Build_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 						},
 					},
 					{
-						Name:  "build",
-						Needs: []string{"dependencies", "clone"},
+						Name:        "build",
+						Needs:       []string{"dependencies", "clone"},
+						Independent: true,
 						Steps: StepSlice{
 							{
 								Commands: raw.StringSlice{"./gradlew build"},
diff --git a/yaml/stage.go b/yaml/stage.go
index 355ecbed..8a4bc5d6 100644
--- a/yaml/stage.go
+++ b/yaml/stage.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ type (
 		Environment raw.StringSliceMap `yaml:"environment,omitempty" json:"environment,omitempty" jsonschema:"description=Provide environment variables injected into the container environment.\nReference: https://go-vela.github.io/docs/reference/yaml/stages/#the-environment-tag"`
 		Name        string             `yaml:"name,omitempty"        json:"name,omitempty"        jsonschema:"minLength=1,description=Unique identifier for the stage in the pipeline.\nReference: https://go-vela.github.io/docs/reference/yaml/stages/#the-name-tag"`
 		Needs       raw.StringSlice    `yaml:"needs,omitempty,flow"  json:"needs,omitempty"       jsonschema:"description=Stages that must complete before starting the current one.\nReference: https://go-vela.github.io/docs/reference/yaml/stages/#the-needs-tag"`
+		Independent bool               `yaml:"independent,omitempty" json:"independent,omitempty" jsonschema:"description=Stage will continue executing if other stage fails"`
 		Steps       StepSlice          `yaml:"steps,omitempty"       json:"steps,omitempty"       jsonschema:"required,description=Sequential execution instructions for the stage.\nReference: https://go-vela.github.io/docs/reference/yaml/stages/#the-steps-tag"`
 	}
 )
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ func (s *StageSlice) ToPipeline() *pipeline.StageSlice {
 			Environment: stage.Environment,
 			Name:        stage.Name,
 			Needs:       stage.Needs,
+			Independent: stage.Independent,
 			Steps:       *stage.Steps.ToPipeline(),
 		})
 	}
@@ -113,6 +115,9 @@ func (s StageSlice) MarshalYAML() (interface{}, error) {
 		// add the existing needs to the new stage
 		outputStage.Needs = inputStage.Needs
 
+		// add the existing dependent tag to the new stage
+		outputStage.Independent = inputStage.Independent
+
 		// add the existing steps to the new stage
 		outputStage.Steps = inputStage.Steps
 
diff --git a/yaml/stage_test.go b/yaml/stage_test.go
index 9e138fcd..88c23a29 100644
--- a/yaml/stage_test.go
+++ b/yaml/stage_test.go
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ func TestYaml_StageSlice_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 					Environment: map[string]string{
 						"STAGE_ENV_VAR": "stage",
 					},
+					Independent: true,
 					Steps: StepSlice{
 						{
 							Commands: []string{"./gradlew downloadDependencies"},
@@ -213,6 +214,7 @@ func TestYaml_StageSlice_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 						"STAGE_ENV_VAR":    "stage",
 						"SECOND_STAGE_ENV": "stage2",
 					},
+					Independent: false,
 					Steps: StepSlice{
 						{
 							Commands: []string{"./gradlew check"},
@@ -232,6 +234,7 @@ func TestYaml_StageSlice_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 					Environment: map[string]string{
 						"STAGE_ENV_VAR": "stage",
 					},
+					Independent: false,
 					Steps: StepSlice{
 						{
 							Commands: []string{"./gradlew build"},
@@ -310,8 +313,9 @@ func TestYaml_StageSlice_MarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 			file:    "testdata/stage.yml",
 			want: &StageSlice{
 				{
-					Name:  "dependencies",
-					Needs: []string{"clone"},
+					Name:        "dependencies",
+					Needs:       []string{"clone"},
+					Independent: true,
 					Steps: StepSlice{
 						{
 							Commands: []string{"./gradlew downloadDependencies"},
@@ -326,8 +330,9 @@ func TestYaml_StageSlice_MarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 				{
-					Name:  "test",
-					Needs: []string{"dependencies", "clone"},
+					Name:        "test",
+					Needs:       []string{"dependencies", "clone"},
+					Independent: false,
 					Steps: StepSlice{
 						{
 							Commands: []string{"./gradlew check"},
@@ -342,8 +347,9 @@ func TestYaml_StageSlice_MarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 				{
-					Name:  "build",
-					Needs: []string{"dependencies", "clone"},
+					Name:        "build",
+					Needs:       []string{"dependencies", "clone"},
+					Independent: false,
 					Steps: StepSlice{
 						{
 							Commands: []string{"./gradlew build"},
diff --git a/yaml/testdata/build_anchor_stage.yml b/yaml/testdata/build_anchor_stage.yml
index bfeb0e43..2fc87932 100644
--- a/yaml/testdata/build_anchor_stage.yml
+++ b/yaml/testdata/build_anchor_stage.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ stages:
 
   build:
     needs: [ dependencies ]
+    independent: true
     steps:
       - name: build
         commands:
diff --git a/yaml/testdata/stage.yml b/yaml/testdata/stage.yml
index 6f3fd2ff..543ffdf8 100644
--- a/yaml/testdata/stage.yml
+++ b/yaml/testdata/stage.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 dependencies:
   environment:
       STAGE_ENV_VAR: stage
+  independent: true
   steps:
     - name: install
       commands:
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ test:
   environment:
       STAGE_ENV_VAR: stage
       SECOND_STAGE_ENV: stage2
+  independent: false
   steps:
     - name: test
       commands: