diff --git a/tests/lib/base_testcase.py b/tests/lib/base_testcase.py
index 89c4e5d..6c9d4b8 100644
--- a/tests/lib/base_testcase.py
+++ b/tests/lib/base_testcase.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class BaseTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     @property
     def rerun(self) -> bool:
         """
-        Re-run wothout deleting and re-generating prior output directory.
+        Re-run without deleting and re-generating prior output directory.
         """
         return self.request.config.getoption("--rerun")
 
@@ -79,14 +79,14 @@ class BaseTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
                 f.write(f"{k}: {repr(v)}\n")
 
 
-    def _export_regblock(self):
+    def export_regblock(self):
         """
         Call the peakrdl_regblock exporter to generate the DUT
         """
         this_dir = self.get_testcase_dir()
 
         if self.rdl_file:
-            rdl_file = self.rdl_file
+            rdl_file = os.path.join(this_dir, self.rdl_file)
         else:
             # Find any *.rdl file in testcase dir
             rdl_file = glob.glob(os.path.join(this_dir, "*.rdl"))[0]
@@ -120,17 +120,21 @@ class BaseTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             default_reset_async=self.default_reset_async,
         )
 
+    def delete_run_dir(self) -> None:
+        run_dir = self.get_run_dir()
+        if os.path.exists(run_dir):
+            shutil.rmtree(run_dir)
+
     def setUp(self) -> None:
         if self.rerun:
             return
 
         # Create fresh build dir
         run_dir = self.get_run_dir()
-        if os.path.exists(run_dir):
-            shutil.rmtree(run_dir)
+        self.delete_run_dir()
         pathlib.Path(run_dir).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
         self._write_params()
 
         # Convert testcase RDL file --> SV
-        self._export_regblock()
+        self.export_regblock()
diff --git a/tests/test_validation_errors/__init__.py b/tests/test_validation_errors/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/test_validation_errors/external_ref.rdl b/tests/test_validation_errors/external_ref.rdl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99778b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_validation_errors/external_ref.rdl
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+addrmap sub {
+    reg {
+        field {} f;
+    } x;
+};
+
+addrmap top {
+    reg {
+        field {} f;
+    } x;
+
+    sub sub;
+
+    x.f->reset = sub.x.f;
+};
diff --git a/tests/test_validation_errors/inconsistent_accesswidth.rdl b/tests/test_validation_errors/inconsistent_accesswidth.rdl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9a3057b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_validation_errors/inconsistent_accesswidth.rdl
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+addrmap top {
+    reg {
+        field {}f;
+    } x;
+    reg {
+        accesswidth = 16;
+        field {}f;
+    } y;
+};
diff --git a/tests/test_validation_errors/multiple_unconditional_assigns.rdl b/tests/test_validation_errors/multiple_unconditional_assigns.rdl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a087018
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_validation_errors/multiple_unconditional_assigns.rdl
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+addrmap top {
+    reg {
+        field {
+            sw = rw;
+            hw = w;
+            singlepulse = true;
+        } a = 0;
+        field {
+            sw = rw;
+            hw = w;
+            singlepulse = true;
+            posedge intr;
+            stickybit = false;
+        } b = 0;
+        field {
+            sw = rw;
+            hw = w;
+            singlepulse = true;
+            negedge intr;
+            stickybit = false;
+        } c = 0;
+        field {
+            sw = rw;
+            hw = w;
+            singlepulse = true;
+            bothedge intr;
+            stickybit = false;
+        } d = 0;
+    } x;
+};
+
+/*
+stickybit=false + intr posedge
+stickybit=false + intr negedge
+stickybit=false + intr bothedge
+hw=w wel = false
+singlepulse
+
+
+*/
diff --git a/tests/test_validation_errors/sharedextbus.rdl b/tests/test_validation_errors/sharedextbus.rdl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de14091
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_validation_errors/sharedextbus.rdl
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+addrmap top {
+    sharedextbus;
+
+    reg {
+        field {}f;
+    } x;
+};
diff --git a/tests/test_validation_errors/testcase.py b/tests/test_validation_errors/testcase.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53d2dff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_validation_errors/testcase.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import io
+import contextlib
+
+from systemrdl.messages import RDLCompileError
+
+from ..lib.base_testcase import BaseTestCase
+
+class TestValidationErrors(BaseTestCase):
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        # Stub usual pre-test setup
+        pass
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        # Delete any cruft that may get generated
+        self.delete_run_dir()
+
+    def assert_validate_error(self, rdl_file: str, err_regex: str) -> None:
+        self.rdl_file = rdl_file
+        f = io.StringIO()
+        with contextlib.redirect_stderr(f):
+            with self.assertRaises(RDLCompileError):
+                self.export_regblock()
+        stderr = f.getvalue()
+        self.assertRegex(stderr, err_regex)
+
+
+    def test_unaligned_reg(self) -> None:
+        self.assert_validate_error(
+            "unaligned_reg.rdl",
+            "Unaligned registers are not supported. Address offset of instance 'x' must be a multiple of 4",
+        )
+
+    def test_unaligned_stride(self) -> None:
+        self.assert_validate_error(
+            "unaligned_stride.rdl",
+            "Unaligned registers are not supported. Address stride of instance array 'x' must be a multiple of 4",
+        )
+
+    def test_bad_external_ref(self) -> None:
+        self.assert_validate_error(
+            "external_ref.rdl",
+            "Property is assigned a reference that points to a component not internal to the regblock being exported",
+        )
+
+    def test_sharedextbus_not_supported(self) -> None:
+        self.assert_validate_error(
+            "sharedextbus.rdl",
+            "This exporter does not support enabling the 'sharedextbus' property yet",
+        )
+
+    def test_inconsistent_accesswidth(self) -> None:
+        self.assert_validate_error(
+            "inconsistent_accesswidth.rdl",
+            r"Multi-word registers that have an accesswidth \(16\) that are inconsistent with this regblock's CPU bus width \(32\) are not supported",
+        )
+
+    def test_unbuffered_wide_w_fields(self) -> None:
+        self.assert_validate_error(
+            "unbuffered_wide_fields.rdl",
+            "Software-writable field 'xf' shall not span"
+            " multiple software-accessible subwords. Consider enabling"
+            " write double-buffering",
+        )
+
+    def test_unbuffered_wide_r_fields(self) -> None:
+        self.assert_validate_error(
+            "unbuffered_wide_fields.rdl",
+            "The field 'yf' spans multiple software-accessible"
+            " subwords and is modified on-read, making it impossible to"
+            " access its value correctly. Consider enabling read"
+            " double-buffering.",
+        )
+
+    def test_multiple_unconditional_assigns(self) -> None:
+        self.assert_validate_error(
+            "multiple_unconditional_assigns.rdl",
+            "Field has multiple conflicting properties that unconditionally set its state",
+        )
diff --git a/tests/test_validation_errors/unaligned_reg.rdl b/tests/test_validation_errors/unaligned_reg.rdl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c30dac2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_validation_errors/unaligned_reg.rdl
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+addrmap top {
+    default regwidth = 32;
+    default accesswidth = 32;
+
+    reg {
+        field {}f;
+    } x @ 1;
+};
diff --git a/tests/test_validation_errors/unaligned_stride.rdl b/tests/test_validation_errors/unaligned_stride.rdl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da5fb24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_validation_errors/unaligned_stride.rdl
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+addrmap top {
+    default regwidth = 32;
+    default accesswidth = 32;
+
+    reg {
+        field {}f;
+    } x[4] @ 0 += 5;
+};
diff --git a/tests/test_validation_errors/unbuffered_wide_fields.rdl b/tests/test_validation_errors/unbuffered_wide_fields.rdl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e349a9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_validation_errors/unbuffered_wide_fields.rdl
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+addrmap top {
+    reg {
+        regwidth = 64;
+        accesswidth = 32;
+        field {
+            sw=w;
+            hw=r;
+        } xf[64];
+    } x;
+
+    reg {
+        regwidth = 64;
+        accesswidth = 32;
+        field {
+            sw=r;
+            hw=w;
+            we;
+            onread=rclr;
+        } yf[64];
+    } y;
+};