diff --git a/api/jobs.go b/api/jobs.go
index bc1cdbd83..90cb11614 100644
--- a/api/jobs.go
+++ b/api/jobs.go
@@ -506,6 +506,9 @@ type JobValidateResponse struct {
 
 	// ValidationErrors is a list of validation errors
 	ValidationErrors []string
+
+	// Error is a string version of any error that may have occured
+	Error string
 }
 
 // JobUpdateRequest is used to update a job
diff --git a/command/agent/job_endpoint.go b/command/agent/job_endpoint.go
index be5071f74..5ad4bde83 100644
--- a/command/agent/job_endpoint.go
+++ b/command/agent/job_endpoint.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/golang/snappy"
-	multierror "github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/api"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
 )
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) jobPlan(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request,
 	}
 	s.parseRegion(req, &args.Region)
 
-	sJob := apiJobToStructJob(args.Job)
+	sJob := ApiJobToStructJob(args.Job)
 	planReq := structs.JobPlanRequest{
 		Job:  sJob,
 		Diff: args.Diff,
@@ -138,7 +137,7 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) ValidateJobRequest(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Requ
 		return nil, CodedError(400, "Job must be specified")
 	}
 
-	job := apiJobToStructJob(validateRequest.Job)
+	job := ApiJobToStructJob(validateRequest.Job)
 	args := structs.JobValidateRequest{
 		Job: job,
 		WriteRequest: structs.WriteRequest{
@@ -149,18 +148,7 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) ValidateJobRequest(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Requ
 
 	var out structs.JobValidateResponse
 	if err := s.agent.RPC("Job.Validate", &args, &out); err != nil {
-
-		// Fall back to do local validation
-		args.Job.Canonicalize()
-		if vErr := args.Job.Validate(); vErr != nil {
-			if merr, ok := vErr.(*multierror.Error); ok {
-				for _, e := range merr.Errors {
-					out.ValidationErrors = append(out.ValidationErrors, e.Error())
-				}
-			} else {
-				out.ValidationErrors = append(out.ValidationErrors, vErr.Error())
-			}
-		}
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	return out, nil
@@ -301,7 +289,7 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) jobUpdate(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request,
 	}
 	s.parseRegion(req, &args.Region)
 
-	sJob := apiJobToStructJob(args.Job)
+	sJob := ApiJobToStructJob(args.Job)
 
 	regReq := structs.JobRegisterRequest{
 		Job:            sJob,
@@ -380,7 +368,7 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) jobDispatchRequest(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Requ
 	return out, nil
 }
 
-func apiJobToStructJob(job *api.Job) *structs.Job {
+func ApiJobToStructJob(job *api.Job) *structs.Job {
 	job.Canonicalize()
 
 	j := &structs.Job{
@@ -405,7 +393,7 @@ func apiJobToStructJob(job *api.Job) *structs.Job {
 	j.Constraints = make([]*structs.Constraint, len(job.Constraints))
 	for i, c := range job.Constraints {
 		con := &structs.Constraint{}
-		apiConstraintToStructs(c, con)
+		ApiConstraintToStructs(c, con)
 		j.Constraints[i] = con
 	}
 	if job.Update != nil {
@@ -436,21 +424,21 @@ func apiJobToStructJob(job *api.Job) *structs.Job {
 	j.TaskGroups = make([]*structs.TaskGroup, len(job.TaskGroups))
 	for i, taskGroup := range job.TaskGroups {
 		tg := &structs.TaskGroup{}
-		apiTgToStructsTG(taskGroup, tg)
+		ApiTgToStructsTG(taskGroup, tg)
 		j.TaskGroups[i] = tg
 	}
 
 	return j
 }
 
-func apiTgToStructsTG(taskGroup *api.TaskGroup, tg *structs.TaskGroup) {
+func ApiTgToStructsTG(taskGroup *api.TaskGroup, tg *structs.TaskGroup) {
 	tg.Name = *taskGroup.Name
 	tg.Count = *taskGroup.Count
 	tg.Meta = taskGroup.Meta
 	tg.Constraints = make([]*structs.Constraint, len(taskGroup.Constraints))
 	for k, constraint := range taskGroup.Constraints {
 		c := &structs.Constraint{}
-		apiConstraintToStructs(constraint, c)
+		ApiConstraintToStructs(constraint, c)
 		tg.Constraints[k] = c
 	}
 	tg.RestartPolicy = &structs.RestartPolicy{
@@ -468,12 +456,12 @@ func apiTgToStructsTG(taskGroup *api.TaskGroup, tg *structs.TaskGroup) {
 	tg.Tasks = make([]*structs.Task, len(taskGroup.Tasks))
 	for l, task := range taskGroup.Tasks {
 		t := &structs.Task{}
-		apiTaskToStructsTask(task, t)
+		ApiTaskToStructsTask(task, t)
 		tg.Tasks[l] = t
 	}
 }
 
-func apiTaskToStructsTask(apiTask *api.Task, structsTask *structs.Task) {
+func ApiTaskToStructsTask(apiTask *api.Task, structsTask *structs.Task) {
 	structsTask.Name = apiTask.Name
 	structsTask.Driver = apiTask.Driver
 	structsTask.User = apiTask.User
@@ -482,7 +470,7 @@ func apiTaskToStructsTask(apiTask *api.Task, structsTask *structs.Task) {
 	structsTask.Constraints = make([]*structs.Constraint, len(apiTask.Constraints))
 	for i, constraint := range apiTask.Constraints {
 		c := &structs.Constraint{}
-		apiConstraintToStructs(constraint, c)
+		ApiConstraintToStructs(constraint, c)
 		structsTask.Constraints[i] = c
 	}
 	structsTask.Env = apiTask.Env
@@ -579,7 +567,7 @@ func apiTaskToStructsTask(apiTask *api.Task, structsTask *structs.Task) {
 	}
 }
 
-func apiConstraintToStructs(c1 *api.Constraint, c2 *structs.Constraint) {
+func ApiConstraintToStructs(c1 *api.Constraint, c2 *structs.Constraint) {
 	c2.LTarget = c1.LTarget
 	c2.RTarget = c1.RTarget
 	c2.Operand = c1.Operand
diff --git a/command/agent/job_endpoint_test.go b/command/agent/job_endpoint_test.go
index a1a4b6bbf..b2bcf2254 100644
--- a/command/agent/job_endpoint_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/job_endpoint_test.go
@@ -1036,7 +1036,7 @@ func TestJobs_ApiJobToStructsJob(t *testing.T) {
 		JobModifyIndex:    5,
 	}
 
-	structsJob := apiJobToStructJob(apiJob)
+	structsJob := ApiJobToStructJob(apiJob)
 
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(expected, structsJob) {
 		t.Fatalf("bad %#v", structsJob)
diff --git a/command/validate.go b/command/validate.go
index fa59ff424..fcad337a0 100644
--- a/command/validate.go
+++ b/command/validate.go
@@ -4,13 +4,14 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/mitchellh/colorstring"
+	multierror "github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/api"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/command/agent"
 )
 
 type ValidateCommand struct {
 	Meta
 	JobGetter
-	color *colorstring.Colorize
 }
 
 func (c *ValidateCommand) Help() string {
@@ -66,23 +67,50 @@ func (c *ValidateCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 
 	// Check that the job is valid
 	jr, _, err := client.Jobs().Validate(job, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		jr, err = c.validateLocal(job)
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error validating job: %s", err))
 		return 1
 	}
+
 	if jr != nil && !jr.DriverConfigValidated {
-		c.Ui.Output(c.Colorize().Color("[bold][orange]Driver configuration not validated.[reset]"))
+		c.Ui.Output(
+			c.Colorize().Color("[bold][yellow]Driver configuration not validated since connection to Nomad agent couldn't be established.[reset]\n"))
 	}
 
-	if jr != nil && len(jr.ValidationErrors) > 0 {
-		c.Ui.Output("Job Validation errors:")
-		for _, err := range jr.ValidationErrors {
-			c.Ui.Output(err)
-		}
+	if jr != nil && jr.Error != "" {
+		c.Ui.Error(
+			c.Colorize().Color("[bold][red]Job validation errors:[reset]"))
+		c.Ui.Error(jr.Error)
 		return 1
 	}
 
 	// Done!
-	c.Ui.Output("Job validation successful")
+	c.Ui.Output(
+		c.Colorize().Color("[bold][green]Job validation successful[reset]"))
 	return 0
 }
+
+// validateLocal validates without talking to a Nomad agent
+func (c *ValidateCommand) validateLocal(aj *api.Job) (*api.JobValidateResponse, error) {
+	var out api.JobValidateResponse
+
+	job := agent.ApiJobToStructJob(aj)
+	job.Canonicalize()
+
+	if vErr := job.Validate(); vErr != nil {
+		if merr, ok := vErr.(*multierror.Error); ok {
+			for _, err := range merr.Errors {
+				out.ValidationErrors = append(out.ValidationErrors, err.Error())
+			}
+			out.Error = merr.Error()
+		} else {
+			out.ValidationErrors = append(out.ValidationErrors, vErr.Error())
+			out.Error = vErr.Error()
+		}
+	}
+
+	return &out, nil
+}
diff --git a/command/validate_test.go b/command/validate_test.go
index c4f4069ca..2caae2a30 100644
--- a/command/validate_test.go
+++ b/command/validate_test.go
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func TestValidateCommand_Fails(t *testing.T) {
 	if code := cmd.Run([]string{fh2.Name()}); code != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("expect exit 1, got: %d", code)
 	}
-	if out := ui.ErrorWriter.String(); !strings.Contains(out, "Error validating") {
+	if out := ui.ErrorWriter.String(); !strings.Contains(out, "Job validation errors") {
 		t.Fatalf("expect validation error, got: %s", out)
 	}
 	ui.ErrorWriter.Reset()
diff --git a/jobspec/parse.go b/jobspec/parse.go
index 48a657775..7c98c22aa 100644
--- a/jobspec/parse.go
+++ b/jobspec/parse.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/hcl/ast"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/api"
-	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/client/driver"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/helper"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure"
@@ -645,22 +644,6 @@ func parseTasks(jobName string, taskGroupName string, result *[]*api.Task, list
 					return err
 				}
 			}
-
-			// Instantiate a driver to validate the configuration
-			d, err := driver.NewDriver(
-				t.Driver,
-				driver.NewEmptyDriverContext(),
-			)
-
-			if err != nil {
-				return multierror.Prefix(err,
-					fmt.Sprintf("'%s', config ->", n))
-			}
-
-			if err := d.Validate(t.Config); err != nil {
-				return multierror.Prefix(err,
-					fmt.Sprintf("'%s', config ->", n))
-			}
 		}
 
 		// Parse constraints
diff --git a/jobspec/parse_test.go b/jobspec/parse_test.go
index 617ab29f6..58d9225c1 100644
--- a/jobspec/parse_test.go
+++ b/jobspec/parse_test.go
@@ -532,61 +532,6 @@ func TestParse(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestBadConfigEmpty(t *testing.T) {
-	path, err := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join("./test-fixtures", "bad-config-empty.hcl"))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Can't get absolute path for file: %s", err)
-	}
-
-	_, err = ParseFile(path)
-
-	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "field \"image\" is required, but no value was found") {
-		t.Fatalf("\nExpected error\n  %s\ngot\n  %v",
-			"field \"image\" is required, but no value was found",
-			err,
-		)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestBadConfigMissing(t *testing.T) {
-	path, err := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join("./test-fixtures", "bad-config-missing.hcl"))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Can't get absolute path for file: %s", err)
-	}
-
-	_, err = ParseFile(path)
-
-	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "field \"image\" is required") {
-		t.Fatalf("\nExpected error\n  %s\ngot\n  %v",
-			"field \"image\" is required",
-			err,
-		)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestBadConfig(t *testing.T) {
-	path, err := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join("./test-fixtures", "bad-config.hcl"))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Can't get absolute path for file: %s", err)
-	}
-
-	_, err = ParseFile(path)
-
-	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "seem to be of type boolean") {
-		t.Fatalf("\nExpected error\n  %s\ngot\n  %v",
-			"seem to be of type boolean",
-			err,
-		)
-	}
-
-	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "\"foo\" is an invalid field") {
-		t.Fatalf("\nExpected error\n  %s\ngot\n  %v",
-			"\"foo\" is an invalid field",
-			err,
-		)
-	}
-}
-
 func TestBadPorts(t *testing.T) {
 	path, err := filepath.Abs(filepath.Join("./test-fixtures", "bad-ports.hcl"))
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/jobspec/test-fixtures/bad-config-empty.hcl b/jobspec/test-fixtures/bad-config-empty.hcl
deleted file mode 100644
index 29fa178c6..000000000
--- a/jobspec/test-fixtures/bad-config-empty.hcl
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-job "binstore-storagelocker" {
-  group "binsl" {
-    count = 5
-
-    task "binstore" {
-      driver = "docker"
-
-      config {
-        image = ""
-      }
-
-      resources {
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/jobspec/test-fixtures/bad-config-missing.hcl b/jobspec/test-fixtures/bad-config-missing.hcl
deleted file mode 100644
index bab89c073..000000000
--- a/jobspec/test-fixtures/bad-config-missing.hcl
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-job "binstore-storagelocker" {
-  group "binsl" {
-    count = 5
-
-    task "binstore" {
-      driver = "docker"
-
-      config {
-      }
-
-      resources {
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/jobspec/test-fixtures/bad-config.hcl b/jobspec/test-fixtures/bad-config.hcl
deleted file mode 100644
index 84f9ce743..000000000
--- a/jobspec/test-fixtures/bad-config.hcl
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-job "binstore-storagelocker" {
-  group "binsl" {
-    count = 5
-
-    task "binstore" {
-      driver = "docker"
-
-      config {
-        image      = "hashicorp/image"
-        privileged = "false"
-        foo        = "bar"
-      }
-
-      resources {
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/nomad/job_endpoint.go b/nomad/job_endpoint.go
index bbed6b745..780fd0776 100644
--- a/nomad/job_endpoint.go
+++ b/nomad/job_endpoint.go
@@ -294,13 +294,13 @@ func (j *Job) Validate(args *structs.JobValidateRequest,
 			for _, err := range merr.Errors {
 				reply.ValidationErrors = append(reply.ValidationErrors, err.Error())
 			}
+			reply.Error = merr.Error()
 		} else {
 			reply.ValidationErrors = append(reply.ValidationErrors, err.Error())
+			reply.Error = err.Error()
 		}
-
 	}
 	reply.DriverConfigValidated = true
-
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/nomad/structs/structs.go b/nomad/structs/structs.go
index 853aa0fde..560090510 100644
--- a/nomad/structs/structs.go
+++ b/nomad/structs/structs.go
@@ -296,6 +296,9 @@ type JobValidateResponse struct {
 
 	// ValidationErrors is a list of validation errors
 	ValidationErrors []string
+
+	// Error is a string version of any error that may have occured
+	Error string
 }
 
 // NodeListRequest is used to parameterize a list request
@@ -1277,7 +1280,7 @@ func (j *Job) Validate() error {
 	// Validate the task group
 	for _, tg := range j.TaskGroups {
 		if err := tg.Validate(); err != nil {
-			outer := fmt.Errorf("Task group %s validation failed: %s", tg.Name, err)
+			outer := fmt.Errorf("Task group %s validation failed: %v", tg.Name, err)
 			mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, outer)
 		}
 	}
@@ -2021,7 +2024,7 @@ func (tg *TaskGroup) Validate() error {
 	// Validate the tasks
 	for _, task := range tg.Tasks {
 		if err := task.Validate(tg.EphemeralDisk); err != nil {
-			outer := fmt.Errorf("Task %s validation failed: %s", task.Name, err)
+			outer := fmt.Errorf("Task %s validation failed: %v", task.Name, err)
 			mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, outer)
 		}
 	}