diff --git a/src/nvim/api/command.c b/src/nvim/api/command.c
index 30ef921ecc..526f10ef38 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/command.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/command.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ Dict(cmd) nvim_parse_cmd(String str, Dict(empty) *opts, Arena *arena, Error *err
   // Check if this is a mapping command that needs special handling
   // like mapping commands need special argument parsing to preserve whitespace in RHS:
   // "map a b  c" => { args=["a", "b  c"], ... }
-  if (is_map_cmd(ea.cmdidx) && *ea.arg != NUL) {
+  if (ea.cmdidx != CMD_SIZE && is_map_cmd(ea.cmdidx) && *ea.arg != NUL) {
     // For mapping commands, split differently to preserve whitespace
     args = parse_map_cmd(ea.arg, arena);
   } else if (ea.argt & EX_NOSPC) {
@@ -181,7 +181,10 @@ Dict(cmd) nvim_parse_cmd(String str, Dict(empty) *opts, Arena *arena, Error *err
     cmd = USER_CMD_GA(&curbuf->b_ucmds, ea.useridx);
   }
 
-  char *name = (cmd != NULL ? cmd->uc_name : get_command_name(NULL, ea.cmdidx));
+  // For range-only (:1) or modifier-only (:aboveleft) commands, cmd is empty string.
+  char *name = ea.cmdidx == CMD_SIZE
+               ? "" : (cmd != NULL ? cmd->uc_name : get_command_name(NULL, ea.cmdidx));
+
   PUT_KEY(result, cmd, cmd, cstr_as_string(name));
 
   if ((ea.argt & EX_RANGE) && ea.addr_count > 0) {
@@ -373,9 +376,13 @@ String nvim_cmd(uint64_t channel_id, Dict(cmd) *cmd, Dict(cmd_opts) *opts, Arena
   VALIDATE_R(HAS_KEY(cmd, cmd, cmd), "cmd", {
     goto end;
   });
-  VALIDATE_EXP((cmd->cmd.data[0] != NUL), "cmd", "non-empty String", NULL, {
-    goto end;
-  });
+
+  if (cmd->cmd.data[0] == NUL) {
+    VALIDATE_EXP((HAS_KEY(cmd, cmd, range) && cmd->range.size > 0) || HAS_KEY(cmd, cmd, mods),
+                 "cmd", "non-empty String", NULL, {
+      goto end;
+    });
+  }
 
   cmdname = arena_string(arena, cmd->cmd).data;
   ea.cmd = cmdname;
@@ -393,22 +400,41 @@ String nvim_cmd(uint64_t channel_id, Dict(cmd) *cmd, Dict(cmd_opts) *opts, Arena
     p = (ret && !aborting()) ? find_ex_command(&ea, NULL) : ea.cmd;
   }
 
-  VALIDATE((p != NULL && ea.cmdidx != CMD_SIZE), "Command not found: %s", cmdname, {
+  // Commands such as ":1" are "range only" commands.
+  bool range_only = ea.cmdidx == CMD_SIZE && cmd->cmd.data[0] == NUL
+                    && HAS_KEY(cmd, cmd, range) && cmd->range.size > 0;
+
+  // modifier only
+  if (ea.cmdidx == CMD_SIZE && cmd->cmd.data[0] == NUL
+      && (!HAS_KEY(cmd, cmd, range) || cmd->range.size == 0)
+      && HAS_KEY(cmd, cmd, mods)) {
     goto end;
-  });
-  VALIDATE(!is_cmd_ni(ea.cmdidx), "Command not implemented: %s", cmdname, {
-    goto end;
-  });
-  const char *fullname = IS_USER_CMDIDX(ea.cmdidx)
-                         ? get_user_command_name(ea.useridx, ea.cmdidx)
-                         : get_command_name(NULL, ea.cmdidx);
-  VALIDATE(strncmp(fullname, cmdname, strlen(cmdname)) == 0, "Invalid command: \"%s\"", cmdname, {
+  }
+  // Allow CMD_SIZE only for range-only commands (empty cmd with range)
+  VALIDATE((p != NULL && ea.cmdidx != CMD_SIZE) || range_only,
+           "Command not found: %s", cmdname, {
     goto end;
   });
 
-  // Get the command flags so that we can know what type of arguments the command uses.
-  // Not required for a user command since `find_ex_command` already deals with it in that case.
-  if (!IS_USER_CMDIDX(ea.cmdidx)) {
+  VALIDATE(range_only || !is_cmd_ni(ea.cmdidx), "Command not implemented: %s", cmdname, {
+    goto end;
+  });
+
+  if (!range_only) {
+    const char *fullname = IS_USER_CMDIDX(ea.cmdidx)
+                           ? get_user_command_name(ea.useridx, ea.cmdidx)
+                           : get_command_name(NULL, ea.cmdidx);
+    VALIDATE(strncmp(fullname, cmdname, strlen(cmdname)) == 0,
+             "Invalid command: \"%s\"", cmdname, {
+      goto end;
+    });
+  }
+
+  if (range_only) {
+    ea.argt = EX_RANGE | EX_SBOXOK;
+  } else if (!IS_USER_CMDIDX(ea.cmdidx)) {
+    // Get the command flags so that we can know what type of arguments the command uses.
+    // Not required for a user command since `find_ex_command` already deals with it in that case.
     ea.argt = get_cmd_argt(ea.cmdidx);
   }
 
@@ -510,9 +536,11 @@ String nvim_cmd(uint64_t channel_id, Dict(cmd) *cmd, Dict(cmd_opts) *opts, Arena
     }
   }
 
-  // Simply pass the first argument (if it exists) as the arg pointer to `set_cmd_addr_type()`
-  // since it only ever checks the first argument.
-  set_cmd_addr_type(&ea, args.size > 0 ? args.items[0].data.string.data : NULL);
+  if (!range_only) {
+    // Simply pass the first argument (if it exists) as the arg pointer to `set_cmd_addr_type()`
+    // since it only ever checks the first argument.
+    set_cmd_addr_type(&ea, args.size > 0 ? args.items[0].data.string.data : NULL);
+  }
 
   if (HAS_KEY(cmd, cmd, range)) {
     VALIDATE_MOD((ea.argt & EX_RANGE), "range", cmd->cmd.data);
diff --git a/src/nvim/ex_docmd.c b/src/nvim/ex_docmd.c
index 22e6b744f6..b49730da78 100644
--- a/src/nvim/ex_docmd.c
+++ b/src/nvim/ex_docmd.c
@@ -1553,11 +1553,13 @@ bool parse_cmdline(char **cmdline, exarg_T *eap, CmdParseInfo *cmdinfo, const ch
     .cookie = NULL,
   };
 
-  // Parse command modifiers
-  if (parse_command_modifiers(eap, errormsg, &cmdinfo->cmdmod, false) == FAIL) {
+  char *orig_cmd = eap->cmd;
+  // If parse command modifiers failed but modifiers were passed, continue
+  int result = parse_command_modifiers(eap, errormsg, &cmdinfo->cmdmod, false);
+  after_modifier = eap->cmd;
+  if (result == FAIL && after_modifier == orig_cmd) {
     goto end;
   }
-  after_modifier = eap->cmd;
 
   // We need the command name to know what kind of range it uses.
   char *p = find_excmd_after_range(eap);
@@ -1574,10 +1576,28 @@ bool parse_cmdline(char **cmdline, exarg_T *eap, CmdParseInfo *cmdinfo, const ch
 
   // Skip colon and whitespace
   eap->cmd = skip_colon_white(eap->cmd, true);
-  // Fail if command is a comment or if command doesn't exist
-  if (*eap->cmd == NUL || *eap->cmd == '"') {
+  // Fail if command is a comment
+  if (*eap->cmd == '"') {
     goto end;
   }
+  // Fail only if: empty command AND no range AND no modifier
+  if (*eap->cmd == NUL && eap->addr_count == 0 && after_modifier == *cmdline) {
+    goto end;
+  }
+
+  // Allow range-only (:1) or modifier-only (:aboveleft) commands.
+  if (*eap->cmd == NUL && eap->cmdidx == CMD_SIZE) {
+    eap->arg = eap->cmd;
+    if (eap->addr_count > 0) {
+      eap->argt = EX_RANGE;
+    } else {
+      eap->argt = 0;
+      eap->addr_type = ADDR_NONE;
+    }
+    retval = true;
+    goto end;
+  }
+
   // Fail if command is invalid
   if (eap->cmdidx == CMD_SIZE) {
     xstrlcpy(IObuff, _(e_not_an_editor_command), IOSIZE);
@@ -1823,6 +1843,10 @@ int execute_cmd(exarg_T *eap, CmdParseInfo *cmdinfo, bool preview)
   }
 
   correct_range(eap);
+  if (eap->cmdidx == CMD_SIZE && eap->addr_count > 0) {
+    errormsg = ex_range_without_command(eap);
+    goto end;
+  }
 
   if (((eap->argt & EX_WHOLEFOLD) || eap->addr_count >= 2) && !global_busy
       && eap->addr_type == ADDR_LINES) {
@@ -2517,9 +2541,13 @@ int parse_command_modifiers(exarg_T *eap, const char **errormsg, cmdmod_T *cmod,
     // typing ":cmdmod cmd" in Visual mode works without having to move the
     // range to after the modifiers. The command will be "'<,'>cmdmod cmd",
     // parse "cmdmod cmd" and then put back "'<,'>" before "cmd" below.
-    eap->cmd += 5;
-    cmd_start = eap->cmd;
-    has_visual_range = true;
+    // Only skip '<,'>' if there's a command after it
+    const char *p = skipwhite(eap->cmd + 5);
+    if (*p != NUL && *p != '|') {
+      eap->cmd += 5;
+      cmd_start = eap->cmd;
+      has_visual_range = true;
+    }
   }
 
   // Repeat until no more command modifiers are found.
diff --git a/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua b/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua
index 196165ea90..d69c99b61b 100644
--- a/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua
@@ -4979,6 +4979,66 @@ describe('API', function()
       result = api.nvim_parse_cmd('copen 5', {})
       eq(5, result.count)
     end)
+    it('parses range-only command', function()
+      insert [[
+        line1
+        line2
+        line3
+        line4
+      ]]
+      api.nvim_win_set_cursor(0, { 4, 4 })
+      local res = api.nvim_parse_cmd('1', {})
+      eq({
+        addr = 'line',
+        args = {},
+        bang = false,
+        cmd = '',
+        magic = {
+          bar = false,
+          file = false,
+        },
+        mods = {
+          browse = false,
+          confirm = false,
+          emsg_silent = false,
+          filter = {
+            force = false,
+            pattern = '',
+          },
+          hide = false,
+          horizontal = false,
+          keepalt = false,
+          keepjumps = false,
+          keepmarks = false,
+          keeppatterns = false,
+          lockmarks = false,
+          noautocmd = false,
+          noswapfile = false,
+          sandbox = false,
+          silent = false,
+          split = '',
+          tab = -1,
+          unsilent = false,
+          verbose = -1,
+          vertical = false,
+        },
+        nargs = '0',
+        nextcmd = '',
+        range = { 1 },
+      }, res)
+      api.nvim_cmd(res, {})
+      eq(1, api.nvim_win_get_cursor(0)[1])
+      feed('VG:')
+      n.poke_eventloop()
+      res = api.nvim_parse_cmd("'<,'>", {})
+      eq({ 1, 5 }, res.range)
+    end)
+    it('parses modifier-only command', function()
+      local res = api.nvim_parse_cmd('aboveleft', {})
+      eq('', res.cmd)
+      eq('aboveleft', res.mods.split)
+      eq('none', res.addr)
+    end)
   end)
 
   describe('nvim_cmd', function()
@@ -5209,6 +5269,9 @@ describe('API', function()
       -- error from the next command typed is not suppressed #21420
       feed(':call<CR><CR>')
       eq('E471: Argument required', api.nvim_cmd({ cmd = 'messages' }, { output = true }))
+
+      -- modifier only
+      eq('', api.nvim_cmd({ cmd = '', mods = { noautocmd = true } }, {}))
     end)
 
     it('works with magic.file', function()