diff --git a/addons/onboarding/models/onboarding_step.py b/addons/onboarding/models/onboarding_step.py
index b4f93d52cc6..ca687719c94 100644
--- a/addons/onboarding/models/onboarding_step.py
+++ b/addons/onboarding/models/onboarding_step.py
@@ -61,7 +61,14 @@ class OnboardingStep(models.Model):
         # Make sure progress records exist for the current context (company)
         steps_without_progress = self.filtered(lambda step: not step.current_progress_step_id)
         steps_without_progress._create_progress_steps()
-        return self.current_progress_step_id.action_set_just_done()
+        return self.current_progress_step_id.action_set_just_done().step_id
+
+    @api.model
+    def action_validate_step(self, xml_id):
+        step = self.env.ref(xml_id, raise_if_not_found=False)
+        if not step:
+            return "NOT_FOUND"
+        return "JUST_DONE" if step.action_set_just_done() else "WAS_DONE"
 
     def _create_progress_steps(self):
         onboarding_progress_records = self.env['onboarding.progress'].search([
diff --git a/addons/onboarding/tests/test_onboarding.py b/addons/onboarding/tests/test_onboarding.py
index 94491e49dd8..f3c08ea76a3 100644
--- a/addons/onboarding/tests/test_onboarding.py
+++ b/addons/onboarding/tests/test_onboarding.py
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ class TestOnboarding(TestOnboardingCommon):
             self.onboarding_1.current_progress_id._get_and_update_onboarding_state(),
             {self.onboarding_1_step_1.id: 'not_done', self.onboarding_1_step_2.id: 'not_done'})
 
-        self.onboarding_1_step_1.action_set_just_done()
+        self.assertEqual(self.onboarding_1_step_1.action_set_just_done(), self.onboarding_1_step_1,
+                         "The onboarding step just validated should have been returned.")
         # Test completed step state consolidation from `just_done` to `done`
         self.assertDictEqual(
             self.onboarding_1.current_progress_id._get_and_update_onboarding_state(),
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ class TestOnboarding(TestOnboardingCommon):
             self.onboarding_1.current_progress_id._get_and_update_onboarding_state(),
             {self.onboarding_1_step_1.id: 'done', self.onboarding_1_step_2.id: 'not_done'})
         self.assert_step_is_done(self.onboarding_1_step_1, self.company_2)
+        self.assertFalse(self.onboarding_1_step_1.action_set_just_done(),
+                         "The onboarding step already validated should not have been returned.")
         self.assert_onboarding_is_not_done(self.onboarding_1, self.company_2)
 
         self.onboarding_1_step_2.action_set_just_done()