diff --git a/bootstrapvz/common/phases.py b/bootstrapvz/common/phases.py
index 99f39a7..c9895e5 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/common/phases.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/common/phases.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from bootstrapvz.base.phase import Phase
 
+validation = Phase('Validation', 'Validating data, files, etc.')
 preparation = Phase('Preparation', 'Initializing connections, fetching data etc.')
 volume_creation = Phase('Volume creation', 'Creating the volume to bootstrap onto')
 volume_preparation = Phase('Volume preparation', 'Formatting the bootstrap volume')
@@ -13,7 +14,8 @@ volume_unmounting = Phase('Volume unmounting', 'Unmounting the bootstrap volume'
 image_registration = Phase('Image registration', 'Uploading/Registering with the provider')
 cleaning = Phase('Cleaning', 'Removing temporary files')
 
-order = [preparation,
+order = [validation,
+         preparation,
          volume_creation,
          volume_preparation,
          volume_mounting,
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/bootstrap.py b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/bootstrap.py
index 037bf80..55867cc 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/bootstrap.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/bootstrap.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 class AddRequiredCommands(Task):
     description = 'Adding commands required for bootstrapping Debian'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
     successors = [host.CheckExternalCommands]
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/filesystem.py b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/filesystem.py
index 7fa03ae..014554f 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/filesystem.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/filesystem.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import volume
 
 class AddRequiredCommands(Task):
     description = 'Adding commands required for formatting'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
     successors = [host.CheckExternalCommands]
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/host.py b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/host.py
index 3776c75..075a912 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/host.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/host.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from ..exceptions import TaskError
 
 class CheckExternalCommands(Task):
     description = 'Checking availability of external commands'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
 
     @classmethod
     def run(cls, info):
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/loopback.py b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/loopback.py
index 7215476..0de1764 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/loopback.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/loopback.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import volume
 
 class AddRequiredCommands(Task):
     description = 'Adding commands required for creating loopback volumes'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
     successors = [host.CheckExternalCommands]
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/partitioning.py b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/partitioning.py
index c8f8fca..3dd5b7a 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/partitioning.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/partitioning.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import volume
 
 class AddRequiredCommands(Task):
     description = 'Adding commands required for partitioning the volume'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
     successors = [host.CheckExternalCommands]
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/ansible/tasks.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/ansible/tasks.py
index f2b6518..c7e3a5d 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/ansible/tasks.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/ansible/tasks.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import os
 
 class CheckPlaybookPath(Task):
     description = 'Checking whether the playbook path exist'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
 
     @classmethod
     def run(cls, info):
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/apt_proxy/tasks.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/apt_proxy/tasks.py
index 015fb69..9ce5304 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/apt_proxy/tasks.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/apt_proxy/tasks.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import urllib2
 
 class CheckAptProxy(Task):
     description = 'Checking reachability of APT proxy server'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
 
     @classmethod
     def run(cls, info):
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/chef/tasks.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/chef/tasks.py
index 649c287..ecc3fcf 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/chef/tasks.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/chef/tasks.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import os
 
 class CheckAssetsPath(Task):
     description = 'Checking whether the assets path exist'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
 
     @classmethod
     def run(cls, info):
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/minimize_size/tasks/shrink.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/minimize_size/tasks/shrink.py
index 5b532ea..66497d2 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/minimize_size/tasks/shrink.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/minimize_size/tasks/shrink.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import os
 
 class AddRequiredCommands(Task):
     description = 'Adding commands required for reducing volume size'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
     successors = [host.CheckExternalCommands]
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/puppet/tasks.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/puppet/tasks.py
index 5ea3d4d..cd12973 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/puppet/tasks.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/puppet/tasks.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import os
 
 class CheckAssetsPath(Task):
     description = 'Checking whether the assets path exist'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
 
     @classmethod
     def run(cls, info):
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class CheckAssetsPath(Task):
 
 class CheckManifestPath(Task):
     description = 'Checking whether the manifest path exist'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
 
     @classmethod
     def run(cls, info):
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/vagrant/tasks.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/vagrant/tasks.py
index 9cd741f..49c8262 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/vagrant/tasks.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/vagrant/tasks.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ assets = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'assets'))
 
 class CheckBoxPath(Task):
     description = 'Checking if the vagrant box file already exists'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
 
     @classmethod
     def run(cls, info):
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/providers/docker/tasks/commands.py b/bootstrapvz/providers/docker/tasks/commands.py
index 5f1827c..1394674 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/providers/docker/tasks/commands.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/providers/docker/tasks/commands.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from bootstrapvz.common.tasks import host
 
 class AddRequiredCommands(Task):
     description = 'Adding commands required for docker'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
     successors = [host.CheckExternalCommands]
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/providers/ec2/tasks/host.py b/bootstrapvz/providers/ec2/tasks/host.py
index bedb368..0905c2a 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/providers/ec2/tasks/host.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/providers/ec2/tasks/host.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from bootstrapvz.common.tasks import host
 
 class AddExternalCommands(Task):
     description = 'Determining required external commands for EC2 bootstrapping'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
     successors = [host.CheckExternalCommands]
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/providers/virtualbox/tasks/guest_additions.py b/bootstrapvz/providers/virtualbox/tasks/guest_additions.py
index 7b4b929..5bf848e 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/providers/virtualbox/tasks/guest_additions.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/providers/virtualbox/tasks/guest_additions.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ assets = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '../assets'))
 
 class CheckGuestAdditionsPath(Task):
     description = 'Checking whether the VirtualBox Guest Additions image exists'
-    phase = phases.preparation
+    phase = phases.validation
 
     @classmethod
     def run(cls, info):