diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b6ee41b0..fd2e3b5c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/VCVRack/community#readme",
   "devDependencies": {
+    "ajv": "^5.5.2",
     "jasmine": "^2.8.0",
     "node-virustotal": "^2.4.2",
     "request": "^2.83.0"
diff --git a/spec/README.md b/spec/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..04880fc4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Jasmine Tests
+
+[Jasmine Intro](https://jasmine.github.io/2.8/introduction.html)
+
+To run all tests:
+
+```
+npm test
+```
+
+To run only the zip tests for example:
+
+```
+./node_modules/.bin/jasmine --filter=zip
+```
+
+# Virus Total
+
+**Rate Limit: 4 per minute**
+
+`VT_API_KEY` env var is required and already set in travisci settings
+
+[Public API](https://www.virustotal.com/en/documentation/public-api/v2/)
+
+[Node Module](https://github.com/natewatson999/node-virustotal)
+
+
diff --git a/spec/basic.tests.spec.js b/spec/basic.tests.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..702464f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/basic.tests.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+const CUR_VER_PREFIX = '0.5';
+const fs = require("fs");
+const Ajv = require('ajv'); //https://github.com/epoberezkin/ajv
+const ajv = new Ajv({});
+const validate = ajv.compile(require('./manifest.json'));
+
+describe("json", function() {
+
+  it("manifest files should be valid against the schema", function(done) {
+    fs.readdir('plugins', function(err, files) {
+        if (err){ 
+            fail("unable to read plugins dir"); 
+        }
+
+        for (let index in files) {
+            const fileName = files[index];
+            const filePath = `plugins/${fileName}`;
+            if(!filePath.toLowerCase().endsWith('.json')){
+                fail("manifests should have .json extension");
+            }
+        
+            fs.readFile(filePath, 'utf8', (err, fileContent) => {
+                if (err){ 
+                    fail("unable to read manifest file"); 
+                }
+                
+                let manifestObj;
+                try {
+
+                    const obj = JSON.parse(fileContent);
+                    const valid = validate(obj);
+
+                    if (!valid) {
+                        validate.errors.map(e=>e.message+=` in ${filePath}`)
+                        fail(validate.errors);
+                    }
+
+                    if(!(/^[a-zA-Z0-9_\-]*$/).test(obj.slug)){
+                        fail(`slug does not match regex in ${filePath}`);
+                    }
+
+                    if(fileName.replace('.json','') !== obj.slug){
+                        fail(`slug '${obj.slug}' does not match fileName: ${fileName}`);
+                    }
+
+                    if(obj.version && !obj.version.startsWith(CUR_VER_PREFIX)){
+                        fail(`version '${obj.version}' must start with '${CUR_VER_PREFIX}'`);
+                    }
+
+                    done();
+                } catch(err){
+                    fail(`Invalid JSON: ${filePath}\n${err}`);
+                }
+            });
+        }
+    });
+  });
+
+});
diff --git a/spec/basics.spec.js b/spec/basics.spec.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 8ba5ef2b..00000000
--- a/spec/basics.spec.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-//Jasmine Test - https://jasmine.github.io/2.8/introduction.html
-const fs = require("fs");
-
-describe("json", function() {
-  
-  it("manifest files should be valid parsable json", function(done) {
-    fs.readdir('plugins', function(err, files) {
-        if (err){ 
-            fail("unable to read plugins dir"); 
-        }
-
-        for (let index in files) {
-            const filePath = `plugins/${files[index]}`;
-            if(!filePath.toLowerCase().endsWith('.json')){
-                fail("manifests should have .json extension");
-            }
-        
-            fs.readFile(filePath, 'utf8', (err, fileContent) => {
-                if (err){ 
-                    fail("unable to read manifest file"); 
-                }
-                
-                let manifestObj;
-                try {
-                    manifestObj = JSON.parse(fileContent);
-                    done();
-                } catch(err){
-                    fail(`Invalid JSON: ${filePath}\n${err}`);
-                }
-            });
-        }
-    });
-  });
-
-});
diff --git a/spec/manifest.json b/spec/manifest.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c80165bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/manifest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+{
+  "id": "manifest.json",
+  "type": "object",
+  "required": [
+    "slug",
+    "version"
+  ],
+  "description": "A plugin manifest file for VCV Rack.",
+  "properties": {
+    "slug": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": ""
+    },
+    "name": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": ""
+    },
+    "author": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": ""
+    },
+    "license": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": ""
+    },
+    "version": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": ""
+    },
+    "homepage": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": ""
+    },
+    "donation": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": ""
+    },
+    "manual": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": ""
+    },
+    "source": {
+      "type": "string",
+      "description": ""
+    },
+    "disabled": {
+      "type": "boolean",
+      "description": "used when a plugin needs to be disabled"
+    },
+    "productId": {
+      "type": "number",
+      "description": "only used by vcv rack website"
+    },
+    "downloads": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "win": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "properties": {
+            "download": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "description": ""
+            },
+            "sha256": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "description": ""
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "lin": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "properties": {
+            "download": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "description": ""
+            },
+            "sha256": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "description": ""
+            }
+          }
+        },
+        "mac": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "properties": {
+            "download": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "description": ""
+            },
+            "sha256": {
+              "type": "string",
+              "description": ""
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  "additionalProperties": false
+}
\ No newline at end of file