diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2f4718345d0..81ff2181933 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 ## dbt next (release TBD)
 
+### Features
+- Added a `get-manifest` API call. ([#2168](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/issues/2168), [#2232](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/pull/2232))
+
 ### Fixes
 - When a jinja value is undefined, give a helpful error instead of failing with cryptic "cannot pickle ParserMacroCapture" errors ([#2110](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/issues/2110), [#2184](https://github.com/fishtown-analytics/dbt/pull/2184))
 
diff --git a/core/dbt/contracts/rpc.py b/core/dbt/contracts/rpc.py
index 06e41e84c64..473f9619c97 100644
--- a/core/dbt/contracts/rpc.py
+++ b/core/dbt/contracts/rpc.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from hologram.helpers import StrEnum
 
 from dbt.contracts.graph.compiled import CompileResultNode
+from dbt.contracts.graph.manifest import WritableManifest
 from dbt.contracts.results import (
     TimingInfo,
     CatalogResults,
@@ -143,8 +144,13 @@ class RPCSourceFreshnessParameters(RPCParameters):
     select: Union[None, str, List[str]] = None
 
 
+@dataclass
+class GetManifestParameters(RPCParameters):
+    pass
+
 # Outputs
 
+
 @dataclass
 class RemoteResult(JsonSchemaMixin):
     logs: List[LogMessage]
@@ -322,6 +328,11 @@ class KillResult(RemoteResult):
     logs: List[LogMessage] = field(default_factory=list)
 
 
+@dataclass
+class GetManifestResult(RemoteResult):
+    manifest: Optional[WritableManifest]
+
+
 # this is kind of carefuly structured: BlocksManifestTasks is implied by
 # RequiresConfigReloadBefore and RequiresManifestReloadAfter
 class RemoteMethodFlags(enum.Flag):
@@ -526,8 +537,34 @@ class PollInProgressResult(PollResult):
     pass
 
 
+@dataclass
+class PollGetManifestResult(GetManifestResult, PollResult):
+    state: TaskHandlerState = field(
+        metadata=restrict_to(TaskHandlerState.Success,
+                             TaskHandlerState.Failed),
+    )
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_result(
+        cls: Type['PollGetManifestResult'],
+        base: GetManifestResult,
+        tags: TaskTags,
+        timing: TaskTiming,
+        logs: List[LogMessage],
+    ) -> 'PollGetManifestResult':
+        return cls(
+            manifest=base.manifest,
+            logs=logs,
+            tags=tags,
+            state=timing.state,
+            start=timing.start,
+            end=timing.end,
+            elapsed=timing.elapsed,
+        )
+
 # Manifest parsing types
 
+
 class ManifestStatus(StrEnum):
     Init = 'init'
     Compiling = 'compiling'
diff --git a/core/dbt/rpc/builtins.py b/core/dbt/rpc/builtins.py
index 25b696fc0e0..c5cca284bbd 100644
--- a/core/dbt/rpc/builtins.py
+++ b/core/dbt/rpc/builtins.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
     LastParse,
     GCParameters,
     GCResult,
+    GetManifestResult,
     KillParameters,
     KillResult,
     KillResultStatus,
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
     PollInProgressResult,
     PollKilledResult,
     PollExecuteCompleteResult,
+    PollGetManifestResult,
     PollRunCompleteResult,
     PollCompileCompleteResult,
     PollCatalogCompleteResult,
@@ -144,6 +146,7 @@ def poll_complete(
         PollCatalogCompleteResult,
         PollRemoteEmptyCompleteResult,
         PollRunOperationCompleteResult,
+        PollGetManifestResult
     ]]
 
     if isinstance(result, RemoteExecutionResult):
@@ -159,6 +162,8 @@ def poll_complete(
         cls = PollRemoteEmptyCompleteResult
     elif isinstance(result, RemoteRunOperationResult):
         cls = PollRunOperationCompleteResult
+    elif isinstance(result, GetManifestResult):
+        cls = PollGetManifestResult
     else:
         raise dbt.exceptions.InternalException(
             'got invalid result in poll_complete: {}'.format(result)
diff --git a/core/dbt/task/rpc/project_commands.py b/core/dbt/task/rpc/project_commands.py
index d88f46b5371..465c228b4e2 100644
--- a/core/dbt/task/rpc/project_commands.py
+++ b/core/dbt/task/rpc/project_commands.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 from typing import List, Optional, Union
 
-
+from dbt.contracts.graph.manifest import WritableManifest
 from dbt.contracts.rpc import (
+    GetManifestParameters,
+    GetManifestResult,
     RPCCompileParameters,
     RPCDocsGenerateParameters,
     RPCRunOperationParameters,
@@ -188,3 +190,30 @@ def set_args(self, params: RPCSourceFreshnessParameters) -> None:
         if params.threads is not None:
             self.args.threads = params.threads
         self.args.output = None
+
+
+# this is a weird and special method.
+class GetManifest(
+    RemoteManifestMethod[GetManifestParameters, GetManifestResult]
+):
+    METHOD_NAME = 'get-manifest'
+
+    def set_args(self, params: GetManifestParameters) -> None:
+        self.args.models = None
+        self.args.exclude = None
+
+    def handle_request(self) -> GetManifestResult:
+        task = RemoteCompileProjectTask(self.args, self.config, self.manifest)
+        task.handle_request()
+
+        manifest: Optional[WritableManifest] = None
+        if task.manifest is not None:
+            manifest = task.manifest.writable_manifest()
+
+        return GetManifestResult(
+            logs=[],
+            manifest=manifest,
+        )
+
+    def interpret_results(self, results):
+        return results.manifest is not None
diff --git a/test/rpc/test_base.py b/test/rpc/test_base.py
index 14694f155a3..e94f86d49a6 100644
--- a/test/rpc/test_base.py
+++ b/test/rpc/test_base.py
@@ -885,3 +885,32 @@ def test_rpc_vars(
         results = querier.async_wait_for_result(querier.cli_args('run --vars "{param: 100}"'))
         assert len(results['results']) == 1
         assert results['results'][0]['node']['compiled_sql'] == 'select 100 as id'
+
+
+def test_get_manifest(
+    project_root, profiles_root, postgres_profile, unique_schema
+):
+    project = ProjectDefinition(
+        models={
+            'my_model.sql': 'select 1 as id',
+        },
+    )
+    querier_ctx = get_querier(
+        project_def=project,
+        project_dir=project_root,
+        profiles_dir=profiles_root,
+        schema=unique_schema,
+        test_kwargs={},
+    )
+
+    with querier_ctx as querier:
+        results = querier.async_wait_for_result(querier.cli_args('run'))
+        assert len(results['results']) == 1
+        assert results['results'][0]['node']['compiled_sql'] == 'select 1 as id'
+        result = querier.async_wait_for_result(querier.get_manifest())
+        assert 'manifest' in result
+        manifest = result['manifest']
+        assert manifest['nodes']['model.test.my_model']['raw_sql'] == 'select 1 as id'
+        assert 'manifest' in result
+        manifest = result['manifest']
+        assert manifest['nodes']['model.test.my_model']['compiled_sql'] == 'select 1 as id'
diff --git a/test/rpc/util.py b/test/rpc/util.py
index 43e7a3ff87d..c684238f95c 100644
--- a/test/rpc/util.py
+++ b/test/rpc/util.py
@@ -369,6 +369,11 @@ def run_sql(
             method='run_sql', params=params, request_id=request_id
         )
 
+    def get_manifest(self, request_id=1):
+        return self.request(
+            method='get-manifest', params={}, request_id=request_id
+        )
+
     def is_result(self, data: Dict[str, Any], id=None) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         if id is not None:
             assert data['id'] == id