diff --git a/client/allocdir/alloc_dir.go b/client/allocdir/alloc_dir.go
index 1f0377714..82d7c98a7 100644
--- a/client/allocdir/alloc_dir.go
+++ b/client/allocdir/alloc_dir.go
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ func (d *AllocDir) LogDir() string {
 
 // List returns the list of files at a path relative to the alloc dir
 func (d *AllocDir) List(path string) ([]*AllocFileInfo, error) {
-	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir(path); err != nil {
+	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir("", path); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to check if path escapes alloc directory: %v", err)
 	} else if escapes {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Path escapes the alloc directory")
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ func (d *AllocDir) List(path string) ([]*AllocFileInfo, error) {
 
 // Stat returns information about the file at a path relative to the alloc dir
 func (d *AllocDir) Stat(path string) (*AllocFileInfo, error) {
-	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir(path); err != nil {
+	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir("", path); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to check if path escapes alloc directory: %v", err)
 	} else if escapes {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Path escapes the alloc directory")
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ func (d *AllocDir) Stat(path string) (*AllocFileInfo, error) {
 
 // ReadAt returns a reader for a file at the path relative to the alloc dir
 func (d *AllocDir) ReadAt(path string, offset int64) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
-	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir(path); err != nil {
+	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir("", path); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to check if path escapes alloc directory: %v", err)
 	} else if escapes {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Path escapes the alloc directory")
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ func (d *AllocDir) ReadAt(path string, offset int64) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
 // BlockUntilExists blocks until the passed file relative the allocation
 // directory exists. The block can be cancelled with the passed tomb.
 func (d *AllocDir) BlockUntilExists(path string, t *tomb.Tomb) (chan error, error) {
-	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir(path); err != nil {
+	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir("", path); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to check if path escapes alloc directory: %v", err)
 	} else if escapes {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Path escapes the alloc directory")
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ func (d *AllocDir) BlockUntilExists(path string, t *tomb.Tomb) (chan error, erro
 // allocation directory. The offset should be the last read offset. The tomb is
 // used to clean up the watch.
 func (d *AllocDir) ChangeEvents(path string, curOffset int64, t *tomb.Tomb) (*watch.FileChanges, error) {
-	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir(path); err != nil {
+	if escapes, err := structs.PathEscapesAllocDir("", path); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to check if path escapes alloc directory: %v", err)
 	} else if escapes {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Path escapes the alloc directory")
diff --git a/nomad/structs/structs.go b/nomad/structs/structs.go
index 8ad0bc9aa..facc49e33 100644
--- a/nomad/structs/structs.go
+++ b/nomad/structs/structs.go
@@ -1706,6 +1706,18 @@ func (d *DispatchInputConfig) Copy() *DispatchInputConfig {
 	return nd
 }
 
+func (d *DispatchInputConfig) Validate() error {
+	// Verify the destination doesn't escape
+	escaped, err := PathEscapesAllocDir("task/local/", d.File)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid destination path: %v", err)
+	} else if escaped {
+		return fmt.Errorf("destination escapes allocation directory")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 var (
 	defaultServiceJobRestartPolicy = RestartPolicy{
 		Delay:    15 * time.Second,
@@ -2462,6 +2474,13 @@ func (t *Task) Validate(ephemeralDisk *EphemeralDisk) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Validate the dispatch input block if there
+	if t.DispatchInput != nil {
+		if err := t.DispatchInput.Validate(); err != nil {
+			mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	return mErr.ErrorOrNil()
 }
 
@@ -2603,7 +2622,7 @@ func (t *Template) Validate() error {
 	}
 
 	// Verify the destination doesn't escape
-	escaped, err := PathEscapesAllocDir(t.DestPath)
+	escaped, err := PathEscapesAllocDir("task", t.DestPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("invalid destination path: %v", err))
 	} else if escaped {
@@ -2955,14 +2974,16 @@ func (ta *TaskArtifact) GoString() string {
 }
 
 // PathEscapesAllocDir returns if the given path escapes the allocation
-// directory
-func PathEscapesAllocDir(path string) (bool, error) {
+// directory. The prefix allows adding a prefix if the path will be joined, for
+// example a "task/local" prefix may be provided if the path will be joined
+// against that prefix.
+func PathEscapesAllocDir(prefix, path string) (bool, error) {
 	// Verify the destination doesn't escape the tasks directory
-	alloc, err := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join("/", "foo/", "bar/"))
+	alloc, err := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join("/", "alloc-dir/", "alloc-id/"))
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
-	abs, err := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join(alloc, path))
+	abs, err := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join(alloc, prefix, path))
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
@@ -2981,7 +3002,7 @@ func (ta *TaskArtifact) Validate() error {
 		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("source must be specified"))
 	}
 
-	escaped, err := PathEscapesAllocDir(ta.RelativeDest)
+	escaped, err := PathEscapesAllocDir("task", ta.RelativeDest)
 	if err != nil {
 		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("invalid destination path: %v", err))
 	} else if escaped {
diff --git a/nomad/structs/structs_test.go b/nomad/structs/structs_test.go
index 78638d69b..4ba18b65c 100644
--- a/nomad/structs/structs_test.go
+++ b/nomad/structs/structs_test.go
@@ -1267,7 +1267,7 @@ func TestTaskArtifact_Validate_Dest(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	valid.RelativeDest = "local/../.."
+	valid.RelativeDest = "local/../../.."
 	if err := valid.Validate(); err == nil {
 		t.Fatalf("expected error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1482,3 +1482,26 @@ func TestConstructorConfig_Canonicalize(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Canonicalize failed")
 	}
 }
+
+func TestDispatchInputConfig_Validate(t *testing.T) {
+	d := &DispatchInputConfig{
+		File: "foo",
+	}
+
+	// task/local/haha
+	if err := d.Validate(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// task/haha
+	d.File = "../haha"
+	if err := d.Validate(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// ../haha
+	d.File = "../../../haha"
+	if err := d.Validate(); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %v", err)
+	}
+}