diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_contentstore.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_contentstore.py
index 615ffb6ed0..34c4b761b7 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_contentstore.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/tests/test_contentstore.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 from xmodule.contentstore.django import contentstore
 from xmodule.templates import update_templates
 from xmodule.modulestore.xml_exporter import export_to_xml
-from xmodule.modulestore.xml_importer import import_from_xml
+from xmodule.modulestore.xml_importer import import_from_xml, perform_xlint
 from xmodule.modulestore.inheritance import own_metadata
 
 from xmodule.capa_module import CapaDescriptor
@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ class ContentStoreToyCourseTest(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         # check that there's actually content in the 'question' field
         self.assertGreater(len(items[0].question),0)
 
+    def test_xlint_fails(self):
+        err_cnt = perform_xlint('common/test/data', ['full'])
+        self.assertGreater(err_cnt, 0)
+
     def test_delete(self):
         import_from_xml(modulestore(), 'common/test/data/', ['full'])
 
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py
index 6a4ce5131b..bf1c8be612 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml_importer.py
@@ -356,6 +356,24 @@ def remap_namespace(module, target_location_namespace):
 
     return module
 
+def validate_no_non_editable_metadata(module_store, course_id, category):
+    '''
+    Assert that there is no metadata within a particular category that we can't support editing
+    '''
+    err_cnt = 0
+    for module_loc in module_store.modules[course_id]:
+        module = module_store.modules[course_id][module_loc]
+        if module.location.category == category:
+            my_metadata = dict(own_metadata(module))
+            for key in my_metadata.keys():
+                if key != 'xml_attributes' and key != 'display_name':
+                    err_cnt = err_cnt + 1
+                    print 'ERROR: found metadata on {0}. Metadata: {1} = {2}'.format(
+                        module.location.url(), key, my_metadata[key])
+
+    return err_cnt
+
+
 def validate_category_hierarchy(module_store, course_id, parent_category, expected_child_category):
     err_cnt = 0
 
@@ -440,6 +458,8 @@ def perform_xlint(data_dir, course_dirs,
         err_cnt += validate_category_hierarchy(module_store, course_id, "chapter", "sequential")
         # constrain that sequentials only have 'verticals'
         err_cnt += validate_category_hierarchy(module_store, course_id, "sequential", "vertical")
+        # don't allow metadata on verticals, since we can't edit them in studio
+        err_cnt += validate_no_non_editable_metadata(module_store, course_id, "vertical")
 
         # check for a presence of a course marketing video
         location_elements = course_id.split('/')
@@ -456,3 +476,5 @@ def perform_xlint(data_dir, course_dirs,
         print "This course can be imported, but some errors may occur during the run of the course. It is recommend that you fix your courseware before importing"
     else:
         print "This course can be imported successfully."
+
+    return err_cnt