diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/acme.py b/letsencrypt/client/acme.py
index 169fdc090..3a419c8f1 100755
--- a/letsencrypt/client/acme.py
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/acme.py
@@ -5,266 +5,19 @@
 
 import json, jsonschema
 
-schemas = {
-"authorization": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/authorization#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for an authorization message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "authorization" ]
-        },
-        "recoveryToken" : {
-            "type": "string"
-        },
-        "identifier" : {
-            "type": "string"
-        },
-        "jwk": {
-            "type": "object"
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"authorizationRequest": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/authorizationRequest#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for an authorizationRequest message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type", "sessionID", "nonce", "signature", "responses"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "authorizationRequest" ]
-        },
-        "sessionID" : {
-            "type" : "string" 
-        },
-        "nonce" : {
-            "type": "string"
-        },
-        "signature" : {
-            "type": "object"
-        },
-        "responses": {
-            "type": "array",
-            "minItems": 1,
-            "items": {
-                "anyOf": [
-                     { "type": "object" },
-                     { "type": "null" }
-                ]
-            }
-        },
-        "contact": {
-            "type": "array",
-            "minItems": 1,
-            "items": {
-                "type": "string"
-                }
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"certificate": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/certificate#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for a certificate message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type", "certificate"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "certificate" ]
-        },
-        "certificate" : {
-            "type" : "string" 
-        },
-        "chain" : {
-            "type": "array",
-            "minItems": 1,
-            "items": {
-                "type": "string"
-            }
-        },
-        "refresh" : {
-            "type": "string"
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"certificateRequest": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/certificateRequest#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for a certificateRequest message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type", "csr", "signature"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "certificateRequest" ]
-        },
-        "csr" : {
-            "type" : "string" 
-        },
-        "signature" : {
-            "type": "object"
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"challenge": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/challenge#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for a challenge message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type", "sessionID", "nonce", "challenges"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "challenge" ]
-        },
-        "sessionID" : {
-            "type" : "string" 
-        },
-        "nonce" : {
-            "type": "string"
-        },
-        "challenges": {
-            "type": "array",
-            "minItems": 1,
-            "items": {
-                "type": "object"
-            }
-        },
-        "combinations": {
-            "type": "array",
-            "minItems": 1,
-            "items": {
-                "type": "array",
-                "minItems": 1,
-                "items": {
-                    "type": "integer" 
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"challengeRequest": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/challengeRequest#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for a challengeRequest message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type", "identifier"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "challengeRequest" ]
-        },
-        "identifier" : {
-            "type": "string"
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"defer": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/defer#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for a defer message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type", "token"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "defer" ]
-        },
-        "token" : {
-            "type": "string"
-        },
-        "interval" : {
-            "type": "integer"
-        },
-        "message": {
-            "type": "string"
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"error": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/error#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for an error message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type", "error"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "error" ]
-        },
-        "error" : {
-            "enum" : [ "malformed", "unauthorized", "serverInternal", "nonSupported", "unknown", "badCSR" ]
-        },
-        "message" : {
-            "type": "string"
-        },
-        "moreInfo": {
-            "type": "string"
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"revocation": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/revocation#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for a revocation message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "revocation" ]
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"revocationRequest": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/revocationRequest#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for a revocationRequest message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type", "certificate", "signature"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "revocationRequest" ]
-        },
-        "certificate" : {
-            "type" : "string" 
-        },
-        "signature" : {
-            "type": "object"
-        }
-    }
-}""",
-
-"statusRequest": """{
-    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/statusRequest#",
-    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
-    "description": "Schema for a statusRequest message",
-    "type": "object",
-    "required": ["type", "token"],
-    "properties": {
-        "type" : {
-            "enum" : [ "statusRequest" ]
-        },
-        "token" : {
-            "type": "string"
-        }
-    }
-}"""
+schemata = {schema: json.load(open("letsencrypt/client/schemata/%s.json" % schema)) for schema in [
+  "authorization", "authorizationRequest", "certificate", "certificateRequest",
+  "challenge", "challengeRequest", "defer", "error", "revocation",
+  "revocationRequest", "statusRequest"]
 }
 
-schemas = {name: json.loads(schema) for name, schema in schemas.iteritems()}
-
 def acme_object_validate(j):
     j = json.loads(j)
     if not isinstance(j, dict):
         raise jsonschema.ValidationError("this is not a dictionary object")
     if not j.has_key("type"):
         raise jsonschema.ValidationError("missing type field")
-    jsonschema.validate(j, schemas[j["type"]])
+    if not schemata.has_key(j["type"]):
+        raise jsonschema.ValidationError("unknown type %s" % j["type"])
+    jsonschema.validate(j, schemata[j["type"]])
 
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/authorization.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/authorization.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..59877b648
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/authorization.json
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/authorization#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for an authorization message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "authorization" ]
+        },
+        "recoveryToken" : {
+            "type": "string"
+        },
+        "identifier" : {
+            "type": "string"
+        },
+        "jwk": {
+            "$ref": "file:letsencrypt/client/schemata/jwk.json"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/authorizationRequest.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/authorizationRequest.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a0d198333
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/authorizationRequest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/authorizationRequest#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for an authorizationRequest message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type", "sessionID", "nonce", "signature", "responses"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "authorizationRequest" ]
+        },
+        "sessionID" : {
+            "type" : "string" 
+        },
+        "nonce" : {
+            "type": "string"
+        },
+        "signature" : {
+            "$ref": "file:letsencrypt/client/schemata/signature.json"
+        },
+        "responses": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "minItems": 1,
+            "items": {
+                "anyOf": [
+                     { "$ref": "file:letsencrypt/client/schemata/responseobject.json" },
+                     { "type": "null" }
+                ]
+            }
+        },
+        "contact": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "minItems": 1,
+            "items": {
+                "type": "string"
+                }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/certificate.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/certificate.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d4e98947
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/certificate.json
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/certificate#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a certificate message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type", "certificate"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "certificate" ]
+        },
+        "certificate" : {
+            "type" : "string" 
+        },
+        "chain" : {
+            "type": "array",
+            "minItems": 1,
+            "items": {
+                "type": "string"
+            }
+        },
+        "refresh" : {
+            "type": "string"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/certificateRequest.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/certificateRequest.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0ea5b83d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/certificateRequest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/certificateRequest#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a certificateRequest message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type", "csr", "signature"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "certificateRequest" ]
+        },
+        "csr" : {
+            "type" : "string" ,
+            "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+        },
+        "signature" : {
+            "$ref": "file:letsencrypt/client/schemata/signature.json"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/challenge.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/challenge.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..92e22424b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/challenge.json
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/challenge#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a challenge message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type", "sessionID", "nonce", "challenges"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "challenge" ]
+        },
+        "sessionID" : {
+            "type" : "string" 
+        },
+        "nonce" : {
+            "type": "string"
+        },
+        "challenges": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "minItems": 1,
+            "items": {
+                "$ref": "file:letsencrypt/client/schemata/challengeobject.json"
+            }
+        },
+        "combinations": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "minItems": 1,
+            "items": {
+                "type": "array",
+                "minItems": 1,
+                "items": {
+                    "type": "integer" 
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/challengeRequest.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/challengeRequest.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0762fa9c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/challengeRequest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/challengeRequest#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a challengeRequest message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type", "identifier"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "challengeRequest" ]
+        },
+        "identifier" : {
+            "type": "string"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/challengeobject.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/challengeobject.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b760e246e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/challengeobject.json
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://lets-encrypt.org/schema/01/challengeobject#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Subschema for an individual challenge (within challenge)",
+    "anyOf": [
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type", "token"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "simpleHttps" ]
+                     },
+                     "token": {
+                         "type": "string"
+                     }
+                  }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type", "r", "nonce"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "dvsni" ]
+                     },
+                     "r": {
+                         "type" : [ "string" ],
+                         "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+                     },
+                     "nonce": {
+                         "type": "string",
+                         "pattern": "^[0-9a-f]+$"
+                     }
+                  }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "recoveryContact" ]
+                     },
+                     "activationURL": {
+                         "type" : "string"
+                     },
+                     "successURL": {
+                         "type": "string"
+                     },
+                     "contact": {
+                         "type": "string"
+                     }
+                  }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "recoveryToken" ]
+                     }
+                  }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type", "alg", "nonce", "hints"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "proofOfPossession" ]
+                     },
+                     "alg": {
+                         "type": "string"
+                     },
+                     "nonce": {
+                         "type": "string",
+                         "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+                     },
+                     "hints": {
+                         "type": "object",
+                         "properties": {
+                             "jwk": {
+                                  "type": "object"
+                             },
+                             "certFingerprints": {
+                                  "type": "array",
+                                  "minItems": 1,
+                                  "items": {
+                                      "type": "string",
+                                      "pattern": "^[0-9a-f]+$"
+                                  }
+                             },
+                             "subjectKeyIdentifiers": {
+                                  "type": "array",
+                                  "minItems": 1,
+                                  "items": {
+                                      "type": "string",
+                                      "pattern": "^[0-9a-f]+$"
+                                  }
+                             },
+                             "serialNumbers": {
+                                  "type": "array",
+                                  "minItems": 1,
+                                  "items": {
+                                      "type": "integer"
+                                  }
+                             },
+                             "issuers": {
+                                  "type": "array",
+                                  "minItems": 1,
+                                  "items": {
+                                      "type": "string"
+                                  }
+                             },
+                             "authorizedFor": {
+                                  "type": "array",
+                                  "minItems": 1,
+                                  "items": {
+                                      "type": "string"
+                                  }
+                             }
+                         }
+                     }
+                 }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type", "token"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "dns" ]
+                     },
+                     "token": {
+                         "type": "string"
+                     }
+                 }
+               }
+             ]
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/defer.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/defer.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..21edd614b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/defer.json
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/defer#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a defer message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type", "token"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "defer" ]
+        },
+        "token" : {
+            "type": "string"
+        },
+        "interval" : {
+            "type": "integer"
+        },
+        "message": {
+            "type": "string"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/error.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/error.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..359506b52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/error.json
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/error#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for an error message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type", "error"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "error" ]
+        },
+        "error" : {
+            "enum" : [ "malformed", "unauthorized", "serverInternal", "nonSupported", "unknown", "badCSR" ]
+        },
+        "message" : {
+            "type": "string"
+        },
+        "moreInfo": {
+            "type": "string"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/jwk.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/jwk.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..536585e79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/jwk.json
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://lets-encrypt.org/schema/01/jwk#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a jwk (**kty RSA/e=65537 ONLY**)",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["kty", "e", "n"],
+    "properties": {
+        "kty": {
+            "enum" : [ "RSA" ]
+        },
+        "e": {
+            "enum" : [ "AQAB" ]
+        },
+        "n": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/responseobject.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/responseobject.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7e45853e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/responseobject.json
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://lets-encrypt.org/schema/01/responseobject#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Subschema for an individual challenge response (within authorizationRequest)",
+    "anyOf": [
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type", "path"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "simpleHttps" ]
+                     },
+                     "path": {
+                         "type": "string"
+                     }
+                  }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type", "s"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "dvsni" ]
+                     },
+                     "s": {
+                         "type" : [ "string" ],
+                         "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+                     }
+                  }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "recoveryContact" ]
+                     },
+                     "token": {
+                         "type" : "string"
+                     }
+                  }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "recoveryToken" ]
+                     },
+                     "token": {
+                         "type" : "string"
+                     }
+                  }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type", "nonce", "signature"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "proofOfPossession" ]
+                     },
+                     "nonce": {
+                         "type": "string",
+                         "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+                     },
+                     "signature": {
+                         "$ref": "file:letsencrypt/client/schemata/signature.json"
+                         }
+                     }
+               },
+               { "type": "object",
+                 "required": ["type"],
+                 "properties": {
+                     "type": {
+                         "enum" : [ "dns" ]
+                     }
+                 }
+               }
+             ]
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/revocation.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/revocation.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..53455d506
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/revocation.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/revocation#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a revocation message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "revocation" ]
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/revocationRequest.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/revocationRequest.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..38cbe85b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/revocationRequest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/revocationRequest#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a revocationRequest message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type", "certificate", "signature"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "revocationRequest" ]
+        },
+        "certificate" : {
+            "type" : "string" 
+        },
+        "signature" : {
+            "$ref": "file:letsencrypt/client/schemata/signature.json"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/signature.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/signature.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..54828d332
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/signature.json
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://lets-encrypt.org/schema/01/signature#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a signature (alg RS256/e=65537 or P-256 ONLY)",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["alg", "nonce", "sig", "jwk"],
+    "properties": {
+        "anyOf": [
+                 {
+                     "alg" : {
+                         "enum" : [ "RS256" ]
+                     },
+                     "nonce" : {
+                         "type" : "string" 
+                     },
+                     "sig" : {
+                         "type": "string",
+                         "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+                     },
+                     "jwk": {
+                         "type": "object",
+                             "required": ["kty", "e", "n"],
+                             "properties": {
+                                 "kty": {
+                                     "enum" : [ "RSA" ]
+                                 },
+                                 "e": {
+                                     "enum" : [ "AQAB" ]
+                                 },
+                                 "n": {
+                                     "type": "string",
+                                     "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+                                 }
+                             }
+                      }
+                 },
+                 {
+                     "alg" : {
+                         "enum" : [ "ES256" ]
+                     },
+                     "nonce" : {
+                         "type" : "string" 
+                     },
+                     "sig" : {
+                         "type": "string",
+                         "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+                     },
+                     "jwk": {
+                         "type": "object",
+                             "required": ["kty", "crv", "x", "y"],
+                             "properties": {
+                                 "kty": {
+                                     "enum" : [ "EC" ]
+                                 },
+                                 "crv": {
+                                     "enum" : [ "P-256" ]
+                                 },
+                                 "x": {
+                                     "type": "string",
+                                     "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+                                 },
+                                 "y": {
+                                     "type": "string",
+                                     "pattern": "^[-_=0-9A-Za-z]+$"
+                                 }
+                             }
+                      }
+                 }
+                 ]
+        }
+}
diff --git a/letsencrypt/client/schemata/statusRequest.json b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/statusRequest.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8e4221cbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/letsencrypt/client/schemata/statusRequest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+    "id": "https://letsencrypt.org/schema/01/statusRequest#",
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Schema for a statusRequest message",
+    "type": "object",
+    "required": ["type", "token"],
+    "properties": {
+        "type" : {
+            "enum" : [ "statusRequest" ]
+        },
+        "token" : {
+            "type": "string"
+        }
+    }
+}