diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/generate-internal-groups.sh b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/generate-internal-groups.sh
index 9676fac313b..415b0b67c64 100755
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/generate-internal-groups.sh
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/generate-internal-groups.sh
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ echo "WARNING: $(basename "$0") is deprecated."
 echo "WARNING: Please use k8s.io/code-generator/kube_codegen.sh instead."
 echo
 
+# If verification only is requested, avoid deleting files
+verify_only=""
+for ((i = 1; i <= $#; i++)); do
+    if [ "${!i}" = --verify-only ]; then verify_only=1; fi
+done
+
 if [ "${GENS}" = "all" ] || grep -qw "all" <<<"${GENS}"; then
     ALL="client,conversion,deepcopy,defaulter,informer,lister,openapi"
     echo "WARNING: Specifying \"all\" as a generator is deprecated."
@@ -124,12 +130,14 @@ CLIENTSET_PKG="${CLIENTSET_PKG_NAME:-clientset}"
 CLIENTSET_NAME="${CLIENTSET_NAME_VERSIONED:-versioned}"
 
 if grep -qw "deepcopy" <<<"${GENS}"; then
-  # Nuke existing files
-  for dir in $(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${ALL_FQ_APIS[@]}"); do
-    pushd "${dir}" >/dev/null
-    git_find -z ':(glob)**'/zz_generated.deepcopy.go | xargs -0 rm -f
-    popd >/dev/null
-  done
+  if [ ! "$verify_only" ]; then
+    # Nuke existing files
+    for dir in $(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${ALL_FQ_APIS[@]}"); do
+      pushd "${dir}" >/dev/null
+      git_find -z ':(glob)**'/zz_generated.deepcopy.go | xargs -0 rm -f
+      popd >/dev/null
+    done
+  fi
 
   echo "Generating deepcopy funcs"
   "${gobin}/deepcopy-gen" \
@@ -139,12 +147,14 @@ if grep -qw "deepcopy" <<<"${GENS}"; then
 fi
 
 if grep -qw "defaulter" <<<"${GENS}"; then
-  # Nuke existing files
-  for dir in $(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${ALL_FQ_APIS[@]}"); do
-    pushd "${dir}" >/dev/null
-    git_find -z ':(glob)**'/zz_generated.defaults.go | xargs -0 rm -f
-    popd >/dev/null
-  done
+  if [ ! "$verify_only" ]; then
+    # Nuke existing files
+    for dir in $(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${ALL_FQ_APIS[@]}"); do
+      pushd "${dir}" >/dev/null
+      git_find -z ':(glob)**'/zz_generated.defaults.go | xargs -0 rm -f
+      popd >/dev/null
+    done
+  fi
 
   echo "Generating defaulters"
   "${gobin}/defaulter-gen"  \
@@ -154,12 +164,14 @@ if grep -qw "defaulter" <<<"${GENS}"; then
 fi
 
 if grep -qw "conversion" <<<"${GENS}"; then
-  # Nuke existing files
-  for dir in $(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${ALL_FQ_APIS[@]}"); do
-    pushd "${dir}" >/dev/null
-    git_find -z ':(glob)**'/zz_generated.conversion.go | xargs -0 rm -f
-    popd >/dev/null
-  done
+  if [ ! "$verify_only" ]; then
+    # Nuke existing files
+    for dir in $(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${ALL_FQ_APIS[@]}"); do
+      pushd "${dir}" >/dev/null
+      git_find -z ':(glob)**'/zz_generated.conversion.go | xargs -0 rm -f
+      popd >/dev/null
+    done
+  fi
 
   echo "Generating conversions"
   "${gobin}/conversion-gen" \
@@ -171,15 +183,17 @@ fi
 if grep -qw "applyconfiguration" <<<"${GENS}"; then
   APPLY_CONFIGURATION_PACKAGE="${OUTPUT_PKG}/${APPLYCONFIGURATION_PKG_NAME:-applyconfiguration}"
 
-  # Nuke existing files
-  root="$(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${APPLY_CONFIGURATION_PACKAGE}" 2>/dev/null || true)"
-  if [ -n "${root}" ]; then
-    pushd "${root}" >/dev/null
-    git_grep -l --null \
-      -e '^// Code generated by applyconfiguration-gen. DO NOT EDIT.$' \
-      ':(glob)**/*.go' \
-      | xargs -0 rm -f
-    popd >/dev/null
+  if [ ! "$verify_only" ]; then
+    # Nuke existing files
+    root="$(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${APPLY_CONFIGURATION_PACKAGE}" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+    if [ -n "${root}" ]; then
+      pushd "${root}" >/dev/null
+      git_grep -l --null \
+        -e '^// Code generated by applyconfiguration-gen. DO NOT EDIT.$' \
+        ':(glob)**/*.go' \
+        | xargs -0 rm -f
+      popd >/dev/null
+    fi
   fi
 
   echo "Generating apply configuration for ${GROUPS_WITH_VERSIONS} at ${APPLY_CONFIGURATION_PACKAGE}"
@@ -190,15 +204,17 @@ if grep -qw "applyconfiguration" <<<"${GENS}"; then
 fi
 
 if grep -qw "client" <<<"${GENS}"; then
-  # Nuke existing files
-  root="$(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${OUTPUT_PKG}/${CLIENTSET_PKG}/${CLIENTSET_NAME}" 2>/dev/null || true)"
-  if [ -n "${root}" ]; then
-    pushd "${root}" >/dev/null
-    git_grep -l --null \
-      -e '^// Code generated by client-gen. DO NOT EDIT.$' \
-      ':(glob)**/*.go' \
-      | xargs -0 rm -f
-    popd >/dev/null
+  if [ ! "$verify_only" ]; then
+    # Nuke existing files
+    root="$(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${OUTPUT_PKG}/${CLIENTSET_PKG}/${CLIENTSET_NAME}" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+    if [ -n "${root}" ]; then
+      pushd "${root}" >/dev/null
+      git_grep -l --null \
+        -e '^// Code generated by client-gen. DO NOT EDIT.$' \
+        ':(glob)**/*.go' \
+        | xargs -0 rm -f
+      popd >/dev/null
+    fi
   fi
 
   echo "Generating clientset for ${GROUPS_WITH_VERSIONS} at ${OUTPUT_PKG}/${CLIENTSET_PKG}"
@@ -212,18 +228,20 @@ if grep -qw "client" <<<"${GENS}"; then
 fi
 
 if grep -qw "lister" <<<"${GENS}"; then
-  # Nuke existing files
-  for gv in "${GROUP_VERSIONS[@]}"; do
-    root="$(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${OUTPUT_PKG}/listers/${gv}" 2>/dev/null || true)"
-    if [ -n "${root}" ]; then
-      pushd "${root}" >/dev/null
-      git_grep -l --null \
-        -e '^// Code generated by lister-gen. DO NOT EDIT.$' \
-        ':(glob)**/*.go' \
-        | xargs -0 rm -f
-      popd >/dev/null
-    fi
-  done
+  if [ ! "$verify_only" ]; then
+    # Nuke existing files
+    for gv in "${GROUP_VERSIONS[@]}"; do
+      root="$(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${OUTPUT_PKG}/listers/${gv}" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+      if [ -n "${root}" ]; then
+        pushd "${root}" >/dev/null
+        git_grep -l --null \
+          -e '^// Code generated by lister-gen. DO NOT EDIT.$' \
+          ':(glob)**/*.go' \
+          | xargs -0 rm -f
+        popd >/dev/null
+      fi
+    done
+  fi
 
   echo "Generating listers for ${GROUPS_WITH_VERSIONS} at ${OUTPUT_PKG}/listers"
   "${gobin}/lister-gen" \
@@ -233,15 +251,17 @@ if grep -qw "lister" <<<"${GENS}"; then
 fi
 
 if grep -qw "informer" <<<"${GENS}"; then
-  # Nuke existing files
-  root="$(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${OUTPUT_PKG}/informers/externalversions" 2>/dev/null || true)"
-  if [ -n "${root}" ]; then
-    pushd "${root}" >/dev/null
-    git_grep -l --null \
-      -e '^// Code generated by informer-gen. DO NOT EDIT.$' \
-      ':(glob)**/*.go' \
-      | xargs -0 rm -f
-    popd >/dev/null
+  if [ ! "$verify_only" ]; then
+    # Nuke existing files
+    root="$(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${OUTPUT_PKG}/informers/externalversions" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+    if [ -n "${root}" ]; then
+      pushd "${root}" >/dev/null
+      git_grep -l --null \
+        -e '^// Code generated by informer-gen. DO NOT EDIT.$' \
+        ':(glob)**/*.go' \
+        | xargs -0 rm -f
+      popd >/dev/null
+    fi
   fi
 
   echo "Generating informers for ${GROUPS_WITH_VERSIONS} at ${OUTPUT_PKG}/informers"
@@ -254,12 +274,14 @@ if grep -qw "informer" <<<"${GENS}"; then
 fi
 
 if grep -qw "openapi" <<<"${GENS}"; then
-  # Nuke existing files
-  for dir in $(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${FQ_APIS[@]}"); do
-    pushd "${dir}" >/dev/null
-    git_find -z ':(glob)**'/zz_generated.openapi.go | xargs -0 rm -f
-    popd >/dev/null
-  done
+  if [ ! "$verify_only" ]; then
+    # Nuke existing files
+    for dir in $(GO111MODULE=on go list -f '{{.Dir}}' "${FQ_APIS[@]}"); do
+      pushd "${dir}" >/dev/null
+      git_find -z ':(glob)**'/zz_generated.openapi.go | xargs -0 rm -f
+      popd >/dev/null
+    done
+  fi
 
   echo "Generating OpenAPI definitions for ${GROUPS_WITH_VERSIONS} at ${OUTPUT_PKG}/openapi"
   declare -a OPENAPI_EXTRA_PACKAGES