diff --git a/lib/App/Changelord/Command/Validate.pm b/lib/App/Changelord/Command/Validate.pm
index f86181c..9701fac 100644
--- a/lib/App/Changelord/Command/Validate.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Changelord/Command/Validate.pm
@@ -3,13 +3,19 @@ package App::Changelord::Command::Validate;
 use 5.36.0;
 
 use Moo;
-use CLI::Osprey;
+use CLI::Osprey
+    doc => 'validate the changelog yaml',
+    description_pod => <<'END';
+Validate the changelog against the JSON Schema used by changelord.
+END
 
 use Path::Tiny;
 use JSON;
 use YAML::XS;
 use JSON::Schema::Modern;
 
+with 'App::Changelord::Role::Changelog';
+
 option json => (
     is => 'ro',
     default => 0,
@@ -24,7 +30,7 @@ sub run($self) {
     my $result = JSON::Schema::Modern->new(
         output_format => 'detailed',
     )->evaluate(
-        $self->parent_command->changelog,
+        $self->changelog,
         YAML::XS::Load($schema),
     );
 
diff --git a/lib/App/Changelord/Command/changelog-schema.yml b/lib/App/Changelord/Command/changelog-schema.yml
index 0f6aced..409587d 100644
--- a/lib/App/Changelord/Command/changelog-schema.yml
+++ b/lib/App/Changelord/Command/changelog-schema.yml
@@ -42,16 +42,18 @@ properties:
         - type: object
           additionalProperties: false
           properties:
-            version: { type: string }
+            version: { type: [ 'null', string ] }
             date: { type: ['null',string] }
             changes: { type: 'array', items: { $ref: '#/$defs/change' } }
 $defs:
   change:
-    type: object
-    required: [ desc ]
-    additionalProperties: false
-    properties:
-      desc: { type: string }
-      ticket: { type: [ string, 'null' ] }
-      type: { type: [ string, 'null' ] }
-      commit: { type: [ string, 'null' ] }
+    oneOf:
+      - type: string
+      - type: object
+        required: [ desc ]
+        additionalProperties: false
+        properties:
+          desc: { type: string }
+          ticket: { type: [ string, 'null' ] }
+          type: { type: [ string, 'null' ] }
+          commit: { type: [ string, 'null' ] }