diff --git a/src/specifications/dream-lock-schema.json b/src/specifications/dream-lock-schema.json
index 098bc638..bdb964cc 100644
--- a/src/specifications/dream-lock-schema.json
+++ b/src/specifications/dream-lock-schema.json
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@
                   },
                   "then": {
                     "properties": {
-                      "rootName": { "type": "string" },
-                      "rootVersion": { "type": "string" },
+                      "rootName": { "type": ["string", "null"] },
+                      "rootVersion": { "type": ["string", "null"] },
                       "path": { "type": "string" },
                       "type": { "type": "string" },
                       "dir": { "type": "string" }
diff --git a/src/utils/default.nix b/src/utils/default.nix
index 42a6f89a..0c06cb08 100644
--- a/src/utils/default.nix
+++ b/src/utils/default.nix
@@ -232,6 +232,12 @@ in
             | python3 ${../apps/cli/format-dream-lock.py} \
             | sponge $dreamLockPath
 
+          # validate dream-lock.json against jsonschema
+          ${python3.pkgs.jsonschema}/bin/jsonschema \
+            --instance $dreamLockPath \
+            --output pretty \
+            ${../specifications/dream-lock-schema.json}
+
           # add dream-lock.json to git
           if git rev-parse --show-toplevel &>/dev/null; then
             echo "adding file to git: $dreamLockPath"