diff --git a/core/server/api/db.js b/core/server/api/db.js
index 5db32833ca..bde548c53e 100644
--- a/core/server/api/db.js
+++ b/core/server/api/db.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ var dataExport       = require('../data/export'),
     when             = require('when'),
     nodefn           = require('when/node/function'),
     _                = require('lodash'),
-    schema           = require('../data/schema').tables,
+    validation       = require('../data/validation'),
     config           = require('../config'),
     errors           = require('../../server/errorHandling'),
     api              = {},
@@ -47,8 +47,7 @@ db = {
             return nodefn.call(fs.readFile, options.importfile.path);
         }).then(function (fileContents) {
             var importData,
-                error = '',
-                tableKeys = _.keys(schema);
+                error = '';
 
             // Parse the json data
             try {
@@ -62,28 +61,13 @@ db = {
                 return when.reject(new Error("Import data does not specify version"));
             }
 
-            _.each(tableKeys, function (constkey) {
-                _.each(importData.data[constkey], function (elem) {
-                    var prop;
-                    for (prop in elem) {
-                        if (elem.hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
-                            if (schema[constkey].hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
-                                if (!_.isNull(elem[prop])) {
-                                    if (elem[prop].length > schema[constkey][prop].maxlength) {
-                                        error += error !== "" ? "<br>" : "";
-                                        error += "Property '" + prop + "' exceeds maximum length of " + schema[constkey][prop].maxlength + " (element:" + constkey + " / id:" + elem.id + ")";
-                                    }
-                                } else {
-                                    if (!schema[constkey][prop].nullable) {
-                                        error += error !== "" ? "<br>" : "";
-                                        error += "Property '" + prop + "' is not nullable (element:" + constkey + " / id:" + elem.id + ")";
-                                    }
-                                }
-                            } else {
-                                error += error !== "" ? "<br>" : "";
-                                error += "Property '" + prop + "' is not allowed (element:" + constkey + " / id:" + elem.id + ")";
-                            }
-                        }
+            _.each(_.keys(importData.data), function (tableName) {
+                _.each(importData.data[tableName], function (importValues) {
+                    try {
+                        validation.validateSchema(tableName, importValues);
+                    } catch (err) {
+                        error += error !== "" ? "<br>" : "";
+                        error += err.message;
                     }
                 });
             });
diff --git a/core/server/data/schema.js b/core/server/data/schema.js
index 4d31dbda87..1734d0d1f9 100644
--- a/core/server/data/schema.js
+++ b/core/server/data/schema.js
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 var db = {
         posts: {
             id: {type: 'increments', nullable: false, primary: true},
-            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false},
+            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false, validations: {'isUUID': true}},
             title: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false},
             slug: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false, unique: true},
             markdown: {type: 'text', maxlength: 16777215, fieldtype: 'medium', nullable: true},
             html: {type: 'text', maxlength: 16777215, fieldtype: 'medium', nullable: true},
             image: {type: 'text', maxlength: 2000, nullable: true},
             featured: {type: 'bool', nullable: false, defaultTo: false},
-            page: {type: 'bool', nullable: false, defaultTo: false},
+            page: {type: 'bool', nullable: false, defaultTo: false, validations: {'isIn': ['true', 'false']}},
             status: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false, defaultTo: 'draft'},
             language: {type: 'string', maxlength: 6, nullable: false, defaultTo: 'en_US'},
             meta_title: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: true},
@@ -23,15 +23,15 @@ var db = {
         },
         users: {
             id: {type: 'increments', nullable: false, primary: true},
-            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false},
+            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false, validations: {'isUUID': true}},
             name: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false, unique: true},
             slug: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false},
             password: {type: 'string', maxlength: 60, nullable: false},
-            email: {type: 'string', maxlength: 254, nullable: false, unique: true},
+            email: {type: 'string', maxlength: 254, nullable: false, unique: true, validations: {'isEmail': true}},
             image: {type: 'text', maxlength: 2000, nullable: true},
             cover: {type: 'text', maxlength: 2000, nullable: true},
             bio: {type: 'string', maxlength: 200, nullable: true},
-            website: {type: 'text', maxlength: 2000, nullable: true},
+            website: {type: 'text', maxlength: 2000, nullable: true, validations: {'isUrl': true}},
             location: {type: 'text', maxlength: 65535, nullable: true},
             accessibility: {type: 'text', maxlength: 65535, nullable: true},
             status: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false, defaultTo: 'active'},
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ var db = {
         },
         roles: {
             id: {type: 'increments', nullable: false, primary: true},
-            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false},
+            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false, validations: {'isUUID': true}},
             name: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false},
             description: {type: 'string', maxlength: 200, nullable: true},
             created_at: {type: 'dateTime',  nullable: false},
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ var db = {
         },
         permissions: {
             id: {type: 'increments', nullable: false, primary: true},
-            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false},
+            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false, validations: {'isUUID': true}},
             name: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false},
             object_type: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false},
             action_type: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false},
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ var db = {
         },
         settings: {
             id: {type: 'increments', nullable: false, primary: true},
-            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false},
+            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false, validations: {'isUUID': true}},
             key: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false, unique: true},
             value: {type: 'text', maxlength: 65535, nullable: true},
-            type: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false, defaultTo: 'core'},
+            type: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false, defaultTo: 'core', validations: {'isIn': ['core', 'blog', 'theme', 'app', 'plugin']}},
             created_at: {type: 'dateTime', nullable: false},
             created_by: {type: 'integer', nullable: false},
             updated_at: {type: 'dateTime', nullable: true},
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ var db = {
         },
         tags: {
             id: {type: 'increments', nullable: false, primary: true},
-            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false},
+            uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false, validations: {'isUUID': true}},
             name: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false},
             slug: {type: 'string', maxlength: 150, nullable: false, unique: true},
             description: {type: 'string', maxlength: 200, nullable: true},
diff --git a/core/server/data/validation/index.js b/core/server/data/validation/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..25dd00f7ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/server/data/validation/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+var schema    = require('../schema').tables,
+    _         = require('lodash'),
+    validator = require('validator'),
+    when      = require('when'),
+
+    validateSchema,
+    validateSettings,
+    validate;
+
+// Validation validation against schema attributes
+// values are checked against the validation objects
+// form schema.js
+validateSchema = function (tableName, model) {
+    var columns = _.keys(schema[tableName]);
+
+    _.each(columns, function (columnKey) {
+        // check nullable
+        if (model.hasOwnProperty(columnKey) && schema[tableName][columnKey].hasOwnProperty('nullable')
+                && schema[tableName][columnKey].nullable !== true) {
+            validator.check(model[columnKey], 'Value in [' + tableName + '.' + columnKey +
+                '] cannot be blank.').notNull();
+            validator.check(model[columnKey], 'Value in [' + tableName + '.' + columnKey +
+                '] cannot be blank.').notEmpty();
+        }
+        // TODO: check if mandatory values should be enforced
+        if (model[columnKey]) {
+            // check length
+            if (schema[tableName][columnKey].hasOwnProperty('maxlength')) {
+                validator.check(model[columnKey], 'Value in [' + tableName + '.' + columnKey +
+                    '] exceeds maximum length of %2 characters.').len(0, schema[tableName][columnKey].maxlength);
+            }
+
+            //check validations objects
+            if (schema[tableName][columnKey].hasOwnProperty('validations')) {
+                validate(model[columnKey], columnKey, schema[tableName][columnKey].validations);
+            }
+
+            //check type
+            if (schema[tableName][columnKey].hasOwnProperty('type')) {
+                if (schema[tableName][columnKey].type === 'integer') {
+                    validator.check(model[columnKey], 'Value in [' + tableName + '.' + columnKey +
+                        '] is no valid integer.' + model[columnKey]).isInt();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    });
+};
+
+// Validation for settings
+// settings are checked against the validation objects
+// form default-settings.json
+validateSettings = function (defaultSettings, model) {
+    var values = model.toJSON(),
+        matchingDefault = defaultSettings[values.key];
+
+    if (matchingDefault && matchingDefault.validations) {
+        validate(values.value, values.key, matchingDefault.validations);
+    }
+};
+
+// Validate using the validation module.
+// Each validation's key is a name and its value is an array of options
+// Use true (boolean) if options aren't applicable
+//
+// eg:
+//      validations: { isUrl: true, len: [20, 40] }
+//
+// will validate that a values's length is a URL between 20 and 40 chars,
+// available validators: https://github.com/chriso/node-validator#list-of-validation-methods
+validate = function (value, key, validations) {
+    _.each(validations, function (validationOptions, validationName) {
+        var validation = validator.check(value, 'Validation [' + validationName + '] of field [' + key + '] failed.');
+
+        if (validationOptions === true) {
+            validationOptions = null;
+        }
+        if (typeof validationOptions !== 'array') {
+            validationOptions = [validationOptions];
+        }
+
+        // equivalent of validation.isSomething(option1, option2)
+        validation[validationName].apply(validation, validationOptions);
+    }, this);
+};
+
+module.exports = {
+    validateSchema: validateSchema,
+    validateSettings: validateSettings
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/server/models/base.js b/core/server/models/base.js
index 47d47e9b3f..4eab1d6a2b 100644
--- a/core/server/models/base.js
+++ b/core/server/models/base.js
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ var Bookshelf = require('bookshelf'),
     _         = require('lodash'),
     uuid      = require('node-uuid'),
     config    = require('../config'),
-    Validator = require('validator').Validator,
     unidecode = require('unidecode'),
     sanitize  = require('validator').sanitize,
     schema    = require('../data/schema'),
+    validation     = require('../data/validation'),
 
     ghostBookshelf;
 
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ var Bookshelf = require('bookshelf'),
 ghostBookshelf = Bookshelf.ghost = Bookshelf.initialize(config().database);
 ghostBookshelf.client = config().database.client;
 
-ghostBookshelf.validator = new Validator();
 
 // The Base Model which other Ghost objects will inherit from,
 // including some convenience functions as static properties on the model.
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ ghostBookshelf.Model = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
     },
 
     validate: function () {
-        return true;
+        validation.validateSchema(this.tableName, this.toJSON());
     },
 
     creating: function () {
diff --git a/core/server/models/permission.js b/core/server/models/permission.js
index 77064be098..f84f5be610 100644
--- a/core/server/models/permission.js
+++ b/core/server/models/permission.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var ghostBookshelf = require('./base'),
     User           = require('./user').User,
     Role           = require('./role').Role,
+    validation     = require('../data/validation'),
 
     Permission,
     Permissions;
@@ -9,11 +10,6 @@ Permission = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
 
     tableName: 'permissions',
 
-    validate: function () {
-        // TODO: validate object_type, action_type and object_id
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('name'), "Permission name cannot be blank").notEmpty();
-    },
-
     roles: function () {
         return this.belongsToMany(Role);
     },
diff --git a/core/server/models/post.js b/core/server/models/post.js
index 34b2ad48b3..2fb6c86c2e 100644
--- a/core/server/models/post.js
+++ b/core/server/models/post.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ var _              = require('lodash'),
     Tag            = require('./tag').Tag,
     Tags           = require('./tag').Tags,
     ghostBookshelf = require('./base'),
+    validation     = require('../data/validation'),
 
     Post,
     Posts;
@@ -37,12 +38,7 @@ Post = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
     },
 
     validate: function () {
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('title'), "Post title cannot be blank").notEmpty();
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('title'), 'Post title maximum length is 150 characters.').len(0, 150);
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('slug'), "Post title cannot be blank").notEmpty();
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('slug'), 'Post title maximum length is 150 characters.').len(0, 150);
-
-        return true;
+        validation.validateSchema(this.tableName, this.toJSON());
     },
 
     saving: function (newPage, attr, options) {
diff --git a/core/server/models/role.js b/core/server/models/role.js
index 66729ef11a..f9d134e441 100644
--- a/core/server/models/role.js
+++ b/core/server/models/role.js
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@ Role = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
 
     tableName: 'roles',
 
-    validate: function () {
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('name'), "Role name cannot be blank").notEmpty();
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('description'), "Role description cannot be blank").notEmpty();
-    },
-
     users: function () {
         return this.belongsToMany(User);
     },
diff --git a/core/server/models/settings.js b/core/server/models/settings.js
index 49a38bdfcf..74a5557925 100644
--- a/core/server/models/settings.js
+++ b/core/server/models/settings.js
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 var Settings,
     ghostBookshelf = require('./base'),
-    validator      = ghostBookshelf.validator,
     uuid           = require('node-uuid'),
     _              = require('lodash'),
     errors         = require('../errorHandling'),
     when           = require('when'),
+    validation     = require('../data/validation'),
 
     defaultSettings;
 
@@ -41,37 +41,9 @@ Settings = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
         };
     },
 
-
-    // Validate default settings using the validator module.
-    // Each validation's key is a name and its value is an array of options
-    // Use true (boolean) if options aren't applicable
-    //
-    // eg:
-    //      validations: { isUrl: true, len: [20, 40] }
-    //
-    // will validate that a setting's length is a URL between 20 and 40 chars,
-    // available validators: https://github.com/chriso/node-validator#list-of-validation-methods
     validate: function () {
-        validator.check(this.get('key'), "Setting key cannot be blank").notEmpty();
-        validator.check(this.get('type'), "Setting type cannot be blank").notEmpty();
-
-        var matchingDefault = defaultSettings[this.get('key')];
-
-        if (matchingDefault && matchingDefault.validations) {
-            _.each(matchingDefault.validations, function (validationOptions, validationName) {
-                var validation = validator.check(this.get('value'));
-
-                if (validationOptions === true) {
-                    validationOptions = null;
-                }
-                if (typeof validationOptions !== 'array') {
-                    validationOptions = [validationOptions];
-                }
-
-                // equivalent of validation.isSomething(option1, option2)
-                validation[validationName].apply(validation, validationOptions);
-            }, this);
-        }
+        validation.validateSchema(this.tableName, this.toJSON());
+        validation.validateSettings(defaultSettings, this);
     },
 
 
diff --git a/core/server/models/tag.js b/core/server/models/tag.js
index a251dc0e3b..e1daff07fa 100644
--- a/core/server/models/tag.js
+++ b/core/server/models/tag.js
@@ -8,11 +8,6 @@ Tag = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
 
     tableName: 'tags',
 
-    validate: function () {
-
-        return true;
-    },
-
     saving: function () {
         var self = this;
         ghostBookshelf.Model.prototype.saving.apply(this, arguments);
diff --git a/core/server/models/user.js b/core/server/models/user.js
index 165738f57e..0405ae6f50 100644
--- a/core/server/models/user.js
+++ b/core/server/models/user.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ var _              = require('lodash'),
     Permission     = require('./permission').Permission,
     http           = require('http'),
     crypto         = require('crypto'),
+    validator      = require('validator'),
 
     tokenSecurity  = {},
     User,
@@ -17,11 +18,10 @@ var _              = require('lodash'),
 
 function validatePasswordLength(password) {
     try {
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(password, "Your password must be at least 8 characters long.").len(8);
+        validator.check(password, "Your password must be at least 8 characters long.").len(8);
     } catch (error) {
         return when.reject(error);
     }
-
     return when.resolve();
 }
 
@@ -37,16 +37,6 @@ User = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
 
     tableName: 'users',
 
-    validate: function () {
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('email'), "Please enter a valid email address. That one looks a bit dodgy.").isEmail();
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('bio'), "We're not writing a novel here! I'm afraid your bio has to stay under 200 characters.").len(0, 200);
-        if (this.get('website') && this.get('website').length > 0) {
-            ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('website'), "Looks like your website is not actually a website. Try again?").isUrl();
-        }
-        ghostBookshelf.validator.check(this.get('location'), 'This seems a little too long! Please try and keep your location under 150 characters.').len(0, 150);
-        return true;
-    },
-
     saving: function () {
         var self = this;
         // disabling sanitization until we can implement a better version
diff --git a/core/test/unit/import_spec.js b/core/test/unit/import_spec.js
index f5b4c90f82..804e95e284 100644
--- a/core/test/unit/import_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/unit/import_spec.js
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ describe("Import", function () {
             }).then(function () {
                 (1).should.eql(0, 'Data import should not resolve promise.');
             }, function (error) {
-                error.should.eql('Error importing data: Post title maximum length is 150 characters.');
+                error.should.eql('Error importing data: Value in [posts.title] exceeds maximum length of 150 characters.');
 
                 when.all([
                     knex("users").select(),
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ describe("Import", function () {
             }).then(function () {
                 (1).should.eql(0, 'Data import should not resolve promise.');
             }, function (error) {
-                error.should.eql('Error importing data: Setting key cannot be blank');
+                error.should.eql('Error importing data: Value in [settings.key] cannot be blank.');
 
                 when.all([
                     knex("users").select(),
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ describe("Import", function () {
             }).then(function () {
                 (1).should.eql(0, 'Data import should not resolve promise.');
             }, function (error) {
-                error.should.eql('Error importing data: Post title maximum length is 150 characters.');
+                error.should.eql('Error importing data: Value in [posts.title] exceeds maximum length of 150 characters.');
 
                 when.all([
                     knex("users").select(),
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ describe("Import", function () {
             }).then(function () {
                 (1).should.eql(0, 'Data import should not resolve promise.');
             }, function (error) {
-                error.should.eql('Error importing data: Setting key cannot be blank');
+                error.should.eql('Error importing data: Value in [settings.key] cannot be blank.');
 
                 when.all([
                     knex("users").select(),