diff --git a/plugins/actions/validate.py b/plugins/actions/validate.py
index d0a340474..889a8ab11 100644
--- a/plugins/actions/validate.py
+++ b/plugins/actions/validate.py
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
                     notario.validate(
                         host_vars, ceph_repository_dev, defined_keys=True)
 
+                if host_vars["ceph_repository"] == "custom":
+                    notario.validate(host_vars, ceph_repository_custom, defined_keys=True)
+
             # store these values because one must be defined
             # and the validation method
             # will need access to all three through the store
@@ -253,6 +256,8 @@ ceph_repository_dev = (
     ("ceph_dev_sha1", types.string),
 )
 
+ceph_repository_custom = ("ceph_custom_repo", types.string)
+
 ceph_repository_uca = (
     ("ceph_stable_repo_uca", types.string),
     ("ceph_stable_openstack_release_uca", types.string),