diff --git a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
index 6a1186231c..a4750e831c 100755
--- a/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
+++ b/openstack_releases/cmds/validate.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ urllib3.disable_warnings()
 
 from openstack_releases import defaults
 from openstack_releases import gitutils
+from openstack_releases import versionutils
 
 
 def is_a_hash(val):
@@ -105,6 +106,11 @@ def main():
 
         prev_version = None
         for release in deliverable_info['releases']:
+
+            for e in versionutils.validate_version(release['version']):
+                print(e)
+                errors.append(e)
+
             for project in release['projects']:
                 print('%s SHA %s ' % (project['repo'],
                                       project['hash']),
diff --git a/openstack_releases/versionutils.py b/openstack_releases/versionutils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cc2ae8629e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openstack_releases/versionutils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import pbr.version
+
+
+def validate_version(versionstr):
+    """Given a version string, yield error messages if it is "bad"
+
+    Apply our SemVer rules to version strings and report all issues.
+
+    """
+    # Apply pbr rules
+    try:
+        semver = pbr.version.SemanticVersion.from_pip_string(versionstr)
+    except ValueError as err:
+        yield 'Invalid version: %s' % err
+
+    # Make sure pbr didn't change the version to meet the canonical form.
+    canonical = semver.release_string()
+    if canonical != versionstr:
+        yield 'Version %r does not match canonical form %r' % \
+            (versionstr, canonical)