diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e6dc1478ae..6cb81bf497 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ ChangeLog
 config
 doc/build/*
 zuul/versioninfo
+dist/
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f627208692
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pipelines:
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines1.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines1.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4207a2c2aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines1.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+pipelines:
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines10.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines10.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5248c1772e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines10.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
+    merge-mode: foo
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines2.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines2.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e75a5618f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines2.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+pipelines:
+  - noname: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines3.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines3.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0c11a855c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines3.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: NonexistentPipelineManager
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines4.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines4.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a99b9e29a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines4.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+    trigger:
+      - event: non-event
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines5.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines5.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7db7bd1ef4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines5.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+    trigger:
+      - approval:
+          - approved: 1
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines6.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines6.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8d313bc655
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines6.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+    trigger:
+      - event: comment-added
+        approved: 1
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines7.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines7.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7517b9ac83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines7.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+pipelines:
+  - manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines8.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines8.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eeab0380b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines8.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines9.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines9.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ebb2e1fff7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_pipelines9.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_projects1.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_projects1.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c210c43e04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_projects1.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
+    gate:
+      - test
+
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_projects2.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_projects2.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b91ed9dfeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/bad_projects2.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+
+projects:
+  - name: foo
+    check:
+      - test
+        - foo
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/good_layout.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/good_layout.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ca024ec129
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/good_layout.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+includes:
+  - python-file: openstack_functions.py
+
+pipelines:
+  - name: check
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+    trigger:
+      - event: patchset-created
+    success:
+      verified: 1
+    failure:
+      verified: -1
+
+  - name: post
+    manager: IndependentPipelineManager
+    trigger:
+      - event: ref-updated
+        ref: ^(?!refs/).*$
+
+  - name: gate
+    manager: DependentPipelineManager
+    trigger:
+      - event: comment-added
+        approval:
+          - approved: 1
+    success:
+      verified: 2
+      code-review: 1
+      submit: true
+    failure:
+      verified: -2
+      workinprogress: true
+    start:
+      verified: 0
+
+jobs:
+  - name: ^.*-merge$
+    failure-message: Unable to merge change
+    hold-following-changes: true
+  - name: test-merge
+    parameter-function: devstack_params
+  - name: test-test
+  - name: test-merge2
+    success-pattern: http://logs.example.com/{change.number}/{change.patchset}/{pipeline.name}/{job.name}/{build.number}/success
+    failure-pattern: http://logs.example.com/{change.number}/{change.patchset}/{pipeline.name}/{job.name}/{build.number}/fail
+
+projects:
+  - name: test-org/test
+    merge-mode: cherry-pick
+    check:
+      - test-merge2:
+          - test-thing1:
+              - test-thing2
+              - test-thing3
+    gate:
+      - test-thing
+    post:
+      - test-post
diff --git a/tests/test_layoutvalidator.py b/tests/test_layoutvalidator.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..343dc47c4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_layoutvalidator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# Copyright 2013 OpenStack Foundation
+#
+# 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.
+
+import unittest
+import os
+import re
+import yaml
+import voluptuous
+
+import zuul.layoutvalidator
+
+FIXTURE_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),
+                           'fixtures')
+LAYOUT_RE = re.compile(r'^(good|bad)_.*\.yaml$')
+
+
+class testScheduler(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_layouts(self):
+        """Test layout file validation"""
+        print
+        errors = []
+        for fn in os.listdir(os.path.join(FIXTURE_DIR, 'layouts')):
+            m = LAYOUT_RE.match(fn)
+            if not m:
+                continue
+            print fn
+            layout = os.path.join(FIXTURE_DIR, 'layouts', fn)
+            data = yaml.load(open(layout))
+            validator = zuul.layoutvalidator.LayoutValidator()
+            if m.group(1) == 'good':
+                try:
+                    validator.validate(data)
+                except voluptuous.Invalid, e:
+                    raise Exception(
+                        'Unexpected YAML syntax error in %s:\n  %s' %
+                        (fn, str(e)))
+            else:
+                try:
+                    validator.validate(data)
+                    raise Exception("Expected a YAML syntax error in %s." %
+                                    fn)
+                except voluptuous.Invalid, e:
+                    error = str(e)
+                    print '  ', error
+                    if error in errors:
+                        raise Exception("Error has already beed tested: %s" %
+                                        error)
+                    else:
+                        errors.append(error)
+                    pass
diff --git a/tools/pip-requires b/tools/pip-requires
index 265f663a8b..b0b9054369 100644
--- a/tools/pip-requires
+++ b/tools/pip-requires
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ lockfile
 python-daemon
 extras
 statsd==1.0.0
+voluptuous>=0.5
diff --git a/zuul/cmd/server.py b/zuul/cmd/server.py
index 314a57c0ca..2cea2f5211 100755
--- a/zuul/cmd/server.py
+++ b/zuul/cmd/server.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # Copyright 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
+# Copyright 2013 OpenStack Foundation
 #
 # 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
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ pid_file_module = extras.try_imports(['daemon.pidlockfile', 'daemon.pidfile'])
 
 import logging.config
 import os
+import sys
 import signal
 
 # No zuul imports here because they pull in paramiko which must not be
@@ -39,8 +41,12 @@ class Server(object):
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Project gating system.')
         parser.add_argument('-c', dest='config',
                             help='specify the config file')
+        parser.add_argument('-l', dest='layout',
+                            help='specify the layout file')
         parser.add_argument('-d', dest='nodaemon', action='store_true',
                             help='do not run as a daemon')
+        parser.add_argument('-t', dest='validate', action='store_true',
+                            help='validate layout file syntax')
         self.args = parser.parse_args()
 
     def read_config(self):
@@ -77,6 +83,16 @@ class Server(object):
         signal.signal(signal.SIGUSR1, signal.SIG_IGN)
         self.sched.exit()
 
+    def test_config(self):
+        # See comment at top of file about zuul imports
+        import zuul.scheduler
+        import zuul.launcher.jenkins
+        import zuul.trigger.gerrit
+
+        logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
+        self.sched = zuul.scheduler.Scheduler()
+        self.sched.testConfig(self.config.get('zuul', 'layout_config'))
+
     def main(self):
         # See comment at top of file about zuul imports
         import zuul.scheduler
@@ -109,6 +125,13 @@ def main():
     server.parse_arguments()
     server.read_config()
 
+    if server.args.layout:
+        server.config.set('zuul', 'layout_config', server.args.layout)
+
+    if server.args.validate:
+        server.test_config()
+        sys.exit(0)
+
     if server.config.has_option('zuul', 'state_dir'):
         state_dir = os.path.expanduser(server.config.get('zuul', 'state_dir'))
     else:
diff --git a/zuul/layoutvalidator.py b/zuul/layoutvalidator.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eac394e1de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zuul/layoutvalidator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+# Copyright 2013 OpenStack Foundation
+#
+# 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.
+
+import voluptuous as v
+
+
+# Several forms accept either a single item or a list, this makes
+# specifying that in the schema easy (and explicit).
+def toList(x):
+    return v.any([x], x)
+
+
+class LayoutSchema(object):
+    include = {'python-file': str}
+    includes = [include]
+
+    manager = v.any('IndependentPipelineManager',
+                    'DependentPipelineManager')
+    variable_dict = v.Schema({}, extra=True)
+
+    trigger = {v.required('event'): toList(v.any('patchset-created',
+                                                 'change-abandoned',
+                                                 'change-restored',
+                                                 'change-merged',
+                                                 'comment-added',
+                                                 'ref-updated')),
+               'comment_filter': toList(str),
+               'email_filter': toList(str),
+               'branch': toList(str),
+               'ref': toList(str),
+               'approval': toList(variable_dict),
+               }
+
+    pipeline = {v.required('name'): str,
+                v.required('manager'): manager,
+                'description': str,
+                'trigger': toList(trigger),
+                'success': variable_dict,
+                'failure': variable_dict,
+                'start': variable_dict,
+                }
+    pipelines = [pipeline]
+
+    job = {v.required('name'): str,
+           'failure-message': str,
+           'success-message': str,
+           'failure-pattern': str,
+           'success-pattern': str,
+           'hold-following-changes': bool,
+           'voting': bool,
+           'parameter-function': str,
+           'branch': toList(str),
+           }
+    jobs = [job]
+
+    job_name = v.Schema(v.match("^\S+$"))
+
+    def validateJob(self, value, path=[]):
+        if isinstance(value, list):
+            for (i, v) in enumerate(value):
+                self.validateJob(v, path + [i])
+        elif isinstance(value, dict):
+            for k, v in value.items():
+                self.validateJob(v, path + [k])
+        else:
+            self.job_name.validate(path, self.job_name.schema, value)
+
+    def getSchema(self, data):
+        pipelines = data.get('pipelines')
+        if not pipelines:
+            pipelines = []
+        pipelines = [p['name'] for p in pipelines if 'name' in p]
+        project = {'name': str,
+                   'merge-mode': v.any('cherry-pick'),
+                   }
+        for p in pipelines:
+            project[p] = self.validateJob
+        projects = [project]
+
+        schema = v.Schema({'includes': self.includes,
+                           v.required('pipelines'): self.pipelines,
+                           'jobs': self.jobs,
+                           v.required('projects'): projects,
+                           })
+        return schema
+
+
+class LayoutValidator(object):
+    def checkDuplicateNames(self, data, path):
+        items = []
+        for i, item in enumerate(data):
+            if item['name'] in items:
+                raise v.Invalid("Duplicate name: %s" % item['name'],
+                                path + [i])
+            items.append(item['name'])
+
+    def validate(self, data):
+        schema = LayoutSchema().getSchema(data)
+        schema(data)
+        self.checkDuplicateNames(data['pipelines'], ['pipelines'])
+        if 'jobs' in data:
+            self.checkDuplicateNames(data['jobs'], ['jobs'])
+        self.checkDuplicateNames(data['projects'], ['projects'])
diff --git a/zuul/scheduler.py b/zuul/scheduler.py
index e18035591e..86e78a8982 100644
--- a/zuul/scheduler.py
+++ b/zuul/scheduler.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # Copyright 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
+# Copyright 2013 OpenStack Foundation
 #
 # 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
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ import threading
 import time
 import yaml
 
+import layoutvalidator
 import model
 from model import Pipeline, Job, Project, ChangeQueue, EventFilter
 import merger
@@ -58,6 +60,10 @@ class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
         self._stopped = True
         self.wake_event.set()
 
+    def testConfig(self, config_path):
+        self._init()
+        self._parseConfig(config_path)
+
     def _parseConfig(self, config_path):
         def toList(item):
             if not item:
@@ -74,6 +80,9 @@ class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
         config_file = open(config_path)
         data = yaml.load(config_file)
 
+        validator = layoutvalidator.LayoutValidator()
+        validator.validate(data)
+
         self._config_env = {}
         for include in data.get('includes', []):
             if 'python-file' in include:
@@ -109,7 +118,7 @@ class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
                                 toList(trigger.get('email_filter')))
                 manager.event_filters.append(f)
 
-        for config_job in data['jobs']:
+        for config_job in data.get('jobs', []):
             job = self.getJob(config_job['name'])
             # Be careful to only set attributes explicitly present on
             # this job, to avoid squashing attributes set by a meta-job.
@@ -154,7 +163,7 @@ class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
                 if isinstance(job, str):
                     job_tree.addJob(self.getJob(job))
 
-        for config_project in data['projects']:
+        for config_project in data.get('projects', []):
             project = Project(config_project['name'])
             self.projects[config_project['name']] = project
             mode = config_project.get('merge-mode')
@@ -170,23 +179,25 @@ class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
         # metajobs so that getJob isn't doing anything weird.
         self.metajobs = {}
 
-        # TODO(jeblair): check that we don't end up with jobs like
-        # "foo - bar" because a ':' is missing in the yaml for a dependent job
         for pipeline in self.pipelines.values():
             pipeline.manager._postConfig()
 
+    def _setupMerger(self):
         if self.config.has_option('zuul', 'git_dir'):
             merge_root = self.config.get('zuul', 'git_dir')
         else:
             merge_root = '/var/lib/zuul/git'
+
         if self.config.has_option('zuul', 'push_change_refs'):
             push_refs = self.config.getboolean('zuul', 'push_change_refs')
         else:
             push_refs = False
+
         if self.config.has_option('gerrit', 'sshkey'):
             sshkey = self.config.get('gerrit', 'sshkey')
         else:
             sshkey = None
+
         self.merger = merger.Merger(self.trigger, merge_root, push_refs,
                                     sshkey)
         for project in self.projects.values():
@@ -323,6 +334,7 @@ class Scheduler(threading.Thread):
             self.log.debug("Performing reconfiguration")
             self._init()
             self._parseConfig(self.config.get('zuul', 'layout_config'))
+            self._setupMerger()
             self._pause = False
             self._reconfigure = False
             self.reconfigure_complete_event.set()