diff --git a/swh/model/identifiers.py b/swh/model/identifiers.py
--- a/swh/model/identifiers.py
+++ b/swh/model/identifiers.py
@@ -695,6 +695,13 @@
         if not o:
             raise ValidationError('Wrong input: Supported types are %s' % (
                 list(_object_type_map.keys())))
+        if namespace != PID_NAMESPACE:
+            raise ValidationError(
+                "Wrong format: only supported namespace is '%s'"
+                % PID_NAMESPACE)
+        if scheme_version != PID_VERSION:
+            raise ValidationError(
+                'Wrong format: only supported version is %d' % PID_VERSION)
         # internal swh representation resolution
         if isinstance(object_id, dict):
             object_id = object_id[o['key_id']]
@@ -773,22 +780,8 @@
 
     # Checking for parsing errors
     _ns, _version, _type, _id = pid_data
-    if _ns != PID_NAMESPACE:
-        raise ValidationError(
-            "Wrong format: only supported namespace is '%s'" % PID_NAMESPACE)
-
-    if _version != str(PID_VERSION):
-        raise ValidationError(
-            'Wrong format: only supported version is %d' % PID_VERSION)
-
     pid_data[1] = int(pid_data[1])
 
-    expected_types = PID_TYPES
-    if _type not in expected_types:
-        raise ValidationError(
-            'Wrong format: Supported types are %s' % (
-                ', '.join(expected_types)))
-
     for otype, data in _object_type_map.items():
         if _type == data['short_name']:
             pid_data[2] = otype
@@ -798,12 +791,6 @@
         raise ValidationError(
             'Wrong format: Identifier should be present')
 
-    try:
-        validate_sha1(_id)
-    except ValidationError:
-        raise ValidationError(
-           'Wrong format: Identifier should be a valid hash')
-
     persistent_id_metadata = {}
     for part in persistent_id_parts:
         try:
@@ -813,4 +800,5 @@
             msg = 'Contextual data is badly formatted, form key=val expected'
             raise ValidationError(msg)
     pid_data.append(persistent_id_metadata)
-    return PersistentId._make(pid_data)
+    return PersistentId(pid_data[0], pid_data[1],
+                        pid_data[2], pid_data[3], pid_data[4])
diff --git a/swh/model/tests/test_identifiers.py b/swh/model/tests/test_identifiers.py
--- a/swh/model/tests/test_identifiers.py
+++ b/swh/model/tests/test_identifiers.py
@@ -894,6 +894,26 @@
                     ValidationError, _error):
                 identifiers.parse_persistent_identifier(pid)
 
+    def test_persistentid_class_validation_error(self):
+        for _ns, _version, _type, _id, _error in [
+            ('foo', 1, CONTENT, 'abc8bc9d7a6bcf6db04f476d29314f157507d505',
+             'Wrong format: only supported namespace is \'swh\''),
+            ('swh', 2, DIRECTORY, 'def8bc9d7a6bcf6db04f476d29314f157507d505',
+             'Wrong format: only supported version is 1'),
+            ('swh', 1, 'foo', 'fed8bc9d7a6bcf6db04f476d29314f157507d505',
+             'Wrong input: Supported types are'),
+            ('swh', 1, SNAPSHOT, 'gh6959356d30f1a4e9b7f6bca59b9a336464c03d',
+             'Unexpected characters')
+        ]:
+            with self.assertRaisesRegex(
+                    ValidationError, _error):
+                PersistentId(
+                    namespace=_ns,
+                    scheme_version=_version,
+                    object_type=_type,
+                    object_id=_id
+                )
+
 
 class OriginIdentifier(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):