diff --git a/ceilometer/api/controllers/v2.py b/ceilometer/api/controllers/v2.py
index 88db116f..58240e88 100644
--- a/ceilometer/api/controllers/v2.py
+++ b/ceilometer/api/controllers/v2.py
@@ -621,6 +621,11 @@ class MeterController(rest.RestController):
                 raise wsme.exc.InvalidInput('message_id', s.message_id,
                                             'The message_id must not be set')
 
+            if s.counter_type not in sample.TYPES:
+                raise wsme.exc.InvalidInput('counter_type', s.counter_type,
+                                            'The counter type must be: ' +
+                                            ', '.join(sample.TYPES))
+
             s.user_id = (s.user_id or def_user_id)
             s.project_id = (s.project_id or def_project_id)
             s.source = '%s:%s' % (s.project_id, (s.source or def_source))
@@ -700,9 +705,7 @@ class Meter(_Base):
     name = wtypes.text
     "The unique name for the meter"
 
-    type = wtypes.Enum(str, sample.TYPE_GAUGE,
-                       sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
-                       sample.TYPE_DELTA)
+    type = wtypes.Enum(str, *sample.TYPES)
     "The meter type (see :ref:`measurements`)"
 
     unit = wtypes.text
diff --git a/ceilometer/sample.py b/ceilometer/sample.py
index 0dd233e2..a5b10bae 100644
--- a/ceilometer/sample.py
+++ b/ceilometer/sample.py
@@ -95,3 +95,5 @@ class Sample(object):
 TYPE_GAUGE = 'gauge'
 TYPE_DELTA = 'delta'
 TYPE_CUMULATIVE = 'cumulative'
+
+TYPES = (TYPE_GAUGE, TYPE_DELTA, TYPE_CUMULATIVE)
diff --git a/tests/api/v2/test_post_samples_scenarios.py b/tests/api/v2/test_post_samples_scenarios.py
index 16492983..3838d955 100644
--- a/tests/api/v2/test_post_samples_scenarios.py
+++ b/tests/api/v2/test_post_samples_scenarios.py
@@ -72,6 +72,24 @@ class TestPostSamples(FunctionalTest,
         self.assertEqual(s1, data.json)
         self.assertEqual(s1[0], self.published[0][1]['args']['data'][0])
 
+    def test_invalid_counter_type(self):
+        s1 = [{'counter_name': 'my_counter_name',
+               'counter_type': 'INVALID_TYPE',
+               'counter_unit': 'instance',
+               'counter_volume': 1,
+               'source': 'closedstack',
+               'resource_id': 'bd9431c1-8d69-4ad3-803a-8d4a6b89fd36',
+               'project_id': '35b17138-b364-4e6a-a131-8f3099c5be68',
+               'user_id': 'efd87807-12d2-4b38-9c70-5f5c2ac427ff',
+               'resource_metadata': {'name1': 'value1',
+                                     'name2': 'value2'}}]
+
+        data = self.post_json('/meters/my_counter_name/', s1,
+                              expect_errors=True)
+
+        self.assertEqual(data.status_int, 400)
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.published), 0)
+
     def test_messsage_id_provided(self):
         """Do not accept sample with message_id."""
         s1 = [{'counter_name': 'my_counter_name',