diff --git a/conftest.py b/conftest.py
--- a/conftest.py
+++ b/conftest.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
                 {'cls': 'retry'},
                 {'cls': 'filter'},
                 {'cls': 'buffer'},
+                {'cls': 'validate'},
                 {
                     'cls': 'local',
                     'args': {
diff --git a/swh/loader/core/tests/test_loader.py b/swh/loader/core/tests/test_loader.py
--- a/swh/loader/core/tests/test_loader.py
+++ b/swh/loader/core/tests/test_loader.py
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@
                     {
                         'cls': 'filter',
                     },
+                    {
+                        'cls': 'validate',
+                    },
                     {
                         'cls': 'memory',
                     },
@@ -84,6 +87,9 @@
                             'release': 2,
                         },
                     },
+                    {
+                        'cls': 'validate',
+                    },
                     {
                         'cls': 'memory',
                     },
diff --git a/swh/loader/package/tests/test_common.py b/swh/loader/package/tests/test_common.py
--- a/swh/loader/package/tests/test_common.py
+++ b/swh/loader/package/tests/test_common.py
@@ -14,6 +14,19 @@
 hash_hex = '43e45d56f88993aae6a0198013efa80716fd8920'
 
 
+storage_config = {
+    'cls': 'pipeline',
+    'steps': [
+        {
+            'cls': 'validate',
+        },
+        {
+            'cls': 'memory',
+        }
+    ]
+}
+
+
 def test_decode_target_edge():
     assert not decode_target(None)
 
@@ -41,7 +54,7 @@
 
 
 def test_check_snapshot():
-    storage = get_storage(cls='memory')
+    storage = get_storage(**storage_config)
 
     snap_id = '2498dbf535f882bc7f9a18fb16c9ad27fda7bab7'
     snapshot = {
@@ -72,7 +85,7 @@
 
 
 def test_check_snapshot_failure():
-    storage = get_storage(cls='memory')
+    storage = get_storage(**storage_config)
 
     snapshot = {
         'id': hash_to_bytes('2498dbf535f882bc7f9a18fb16c9ad27fda7bab7'),
diff --git a/swh/loader/tests/conftest.py b/swh/loader/tests/conftest.py
--- a/swh/loader/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/swh/loader/tests/conftest.py
@@ -12,7 +12,15 @@
 def swh_loader_config() -> Dict[str, Any]:
     return {
         'storage': {
-            'cls': 'memory',
+            'cls': 'pipeline',
+            'steps': [
+                {
+                    'cls': 'validate',
+                },
+                {
+                    'cls': 'memory',
+                },
+            ],
         },
         'deposit': {
             'url': 'https://deposit.softwareheritage.org/1/private',