diff --git a/test/lib/validation.spec.coffee b/test/lib/validation.spec.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5ac85cdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/lib/validation.spec.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,219 @@
+_ = require 'lodash'
+m = require 'mochainon'
+{ expect } = m.chai
+
+validation = require '../../src/lib/validation'
+
+almostTooLongText = _.map([0...255], -> 'a').join('')
+
+describe 'validation', ->
+
+	describe 'checkTruthy', ->
+		it 'returns true for a truthy value', ->
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy(true)).to.equal(true)
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy('true')).to.equal(true)
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy('1')).to.equal(true)
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy(1)).to.equal(true)
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy('on')).to.equal(true)
+
+		it 'returns false for a falsy value', ->
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy(false)).to.equal(false)
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy('false')).to.equal(false)
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy('0')).to.equal(false)
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy(0)).to.equal(false)
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy('off')).to.equal(false)
+
+		it 'returns undefined for invalid values', ->
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy({})).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy(10)).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy('on1')).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy('foo')).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy(undefined)).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy(null)).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkTruthy('')).to.be.undefined
+
+	describe 'checkString', ->
+		it 'validates a string', ->
+			expect(validation.checkString('foo')).to.equal('foo')
+			expect(validation.checkString('bar')).to.equal('bar')
+
+		it 'returns undefined for empty strings or strings that equal null or undefined', ->
+			expect(validation.checkString('')).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkString('null')).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkString('undefined')).to.be.undefined
+
+		it 'returns undefined for things that are not strings', ->
+			expect(validation.checkString({})).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkString([])).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkString(123)).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkString(0)).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkString(null)).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkString(undefined)).to.be.undefined
+
+	describe 'checkInt', ->
+		it 'returns an integer for a string that can be parsed as one', ->
+			expect(validation.checkInt('200')).to.equal(200)
+			expect(validation.checkInt('0')).to.equal(0)
+			expect(validation.checkInt('-3')).to.equal(-3)
+		it 'returns the same integer when passed an integer', ->
+			expect(validation.checkInt(345)).to.equal(345)
+			expect(validation.checkInt(-345)).to.equal(-345)
+		it 'returns undefined when passed something that can\'t be parsed as int', ->
+			expect(validation.checkInt({})).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkInt([])).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkInt('foo')).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkInt(null)).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkInt(undefined)).to.be.undefined
+		it 'returns undefined when passed a negative or zero value and the positive option is set', ->
+			expect(validation.checkInt('-3', positive: true)).to.be.undefined
+			expect(validation.checkInt('0', positive: true)).to.be.undefined
+
+	describe 'isValidShortText', ->
+		it 'returns true for a short text', ->
+			expect(validation.isValidShortText('foo')).to.equal(true)
+			expect(validation.isValidShortText('')).to.equal(true)
+			expect(validation.isValidShortText(almostTooLongText)).to.equal(true)
+		it 'returns false for a text longer than 255 characters', ->
+			expect(validation.isValidShortText(almostTooLongText + 'a')).to.equal(false)
+		it 'returns false when passed a non-string', ->
+			expect(validation.isValidShortText({})).to.equal(false)
+			expect(validation.isValidShortText(1)).to.equal(false)
+			expect(validation.isValidShortText(null)).to.equal(false)
+			expect(validation.isValidShortText(undefined)).to.equal(false)
+
+	describe 'isValidAppsObject', ->
+		it 'returns true for a valid object', ->
+			apps = {
+				'1234': {
+					name: 'something'
+					releaseId: 123
+					commit: 'bar'
+					services: {
+						'45': {
+							serviceName: 'bazbaz'
+							imageId: 34
+							image: 'foo'
+							environment: {}
+							labels: {}
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			expect(validation.isValidAppsObject(apps)).to.equal(true)
+		it 'returns false with an invalid environment', ->
+			apps = {
+				'1234': {
+					name: 'something'
+					releaseId: 123
+					commit: 'bar'
+					services: {
+						'45': {
+							serviceName: 'bazbaz'
+							imageId: 34
+							image: 'foo'
+							environment: { ' baz': 'bat' }
+							labels: {}
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			expect(validation.isValidAppsObject(apps)).to.equal(false)
+		it 'returns false with an invalid appId', ->
+			apps = {
+				'boo': {
+					name: 'something'
+					releaseId: 123
+					commit: 'bar'
+					services: {
+						'45': {
+							serviceName: 'bazbaz'
+							imageId: 34
+							image: 'foo'
+							environment: {}
+							labels: {}
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			expect(validation.isValidAppsObject(apps)).to.equal(false)
+
+		it 'returns true with a missing releaseId', ->
+			apps = {
+				'1234': {
+					name: 'something'
+					services: {
+						'45': {
+							serviceName: 'bazbaz'
+							imageId: 34
+							image: 'foo'
+							environment: {}
+							labels: {}
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			expect(validation.isValidAppsObject(apps)).to.equal(true)
+
+		it 'returns false with an invalid releaseId', ->
+			apps = {
+				'1234': {
+					name: 'something'
+					releaseId: '123a'
+					services: {
+						'45': {
+							serviceName: 'bazbaz'
+							imageId: 34
+							image: 'foo'
+							environment: {}
+							labels: {}
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			expect(validation.isValidAppsObject(apps)).to.equal(true)
+
+	describe 'isValidDependentDevicesObject', ->
+		it 'returns true for a valid object', ->
+			devices = {}
+			devices[almostTooLongText] = {
+				name: 'foo'
+				apps: {
+					'234': {
+						config: { bar: 'baz' }
+						environment: { dead: 'beef' }
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			expect(validation.isValidDependentDevicesObject(devices)).to.equal(true)
+		it 'returns false with a missing apps object', ->
+			devices = {
+				'abcd1234': {
+					name: 'foo'
+				}
+			}
+			expect(validation.isValidDependentDevicesObject(devices)).to.equal(false)
+		it 'returns false with an invalid environment', ->
+			devices = {
+				'abcd1234': {
+					name: 'foo'
+					apps: {
+						'234': {
+							config: { bar: 'baz' }
+							environment: { dead: 1 }
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			expect(validation.isValidDependentDevicesObject(devices)).to.equal(false)
+		it 'returns false if the uuid is too long', ->
+			devices = {}
+			devices[almostTooLongText + 'a'] = {
+				name: 'foo'
+				apps: {
+					'234': {
+						config: { bar: 'baz' }
+						environment: { dead: 'beef' }
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			expect(validation.isValidDependentDevicesObject(devices)).to.equal(false)