diff --git a/swh/model/identifiers.py b/swh/model/identifiers.py
--- a/swh/model/identifiers.py
+++ b/swh/model/identifiers.py
@@ -795,6 +795,9 @@
     return str(swhid)
 
 
+CONTEXT_QUALIFIERS = {"origin", "anchor", "visit", "path", "lines"}
+
+
 def parse_swhid(swhid: str) -> SWHID:
     """Parse :ref:`persistent-identifiers`.
 
@@ -857,8 +860,14 @@
     _metadata = {}
     for part in swhid_parts:
         try:
-            key, val = part.split("=")
-            _metadata[key] = val
+            qualifier, val = part.split("=")
+            if qualifier not in CONTEXT_QUALIFIERS:
+                error_msg = (
+                    f"Wrong format: qualifier should be one "
+                    f" of {', '.join(CONTEXT_QUALIFIERS)}"
+                )
+                raise ValidationError(error_msg)
+            _metadata[qualifier] = val
         except Exception:
             msg = """Wrong format: contextual data should be of form:
   <qualifiers> := ";" <qualifier> [ <qualifiers> ] ;
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
@@ -1059,6 +1059,12 @@
         "swh:1:dir:0b6959356d30f1a4e9b7f6bca59b9a336464c03d;invalid;malformed",
         "swh:1:snp:gh6959356d30f1a4e9b7f6bca59b9a336464c03d",
         "swh:1:snp:foo",
+        # swhid ok but context qualifiers off
+        "swh:1:dir:0b6959356d30f1a4e9b7f6bca59b9a336464c03d;ori=something;anchor=1;visit=1;path=/",  # noqa
+        "swh:1:dir:0b6959356d30f1a4e9b7f6bca59b9a336464c03d;origin=something;anc=1;visit=1;path=/",  # noqa
+        "swh:1:dir:0b6959356d30f1a4e9b7f6bca59b9a336464c03d;origin=something;anchor=1;vis=1;path=/",  # noqa
+        "swh:1:dir:0b6959356d30f1a4e9b7f6bca59b9a336464c03d;origin=something;anchor=1;visit=1;pa=/",  # noqa;s;s[]
+        "swh:1:dir:0b6959356d30f1a4e9b7f6bca59b9a336464c03d;line=10;origin=something;anchor=1;visit=1;path=/",  # noqa
     ],
 )
 def test_parse_swhid_parsing_error(invalid_swhid):