diff --git a/deckhand/engine/document_validation.py b/deckhand/engine/document_validation.py
index d97e38bd..c9f24961 100644
--- a/deckhand/engine/document_validation.py
+++ b/deckhand/engine/document_validation.py
@@ -13,17 +13,20 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import jsonschema
+from oslo_log import log as logging
+import six
 
 from deckhand.engine.schema.v1_0 import default_policy_validation
 from deckhand.engine.schema.v1_0 import default_schema_validation
 from deckhand import errors
 
+LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 class DocumentValidation(object):
     """Class for document validation logic for YAML files.
 
-    This class is responsible for parsing, validating and retrieving secret
-    values for values stored in the YAML file.
+    This class is responsible for performing built-in validations on Documents.
 
     :param data: YAML data that requires secrets to be validated, merged and
         consolidated.
@@ -45,6 +48,8 @@ class DocumentValidation(object):
           - `deckhand-document-schema-validation`
           - `deckhand-policy-validation`
         """
+
+        # TODO: Use the correct validation based on the Document's schema.
         internal_validations = [
             {'version': 'v1', 'fqn': 'deckhand-document-schema-validation',
              'schema': default_schema_validation},
@@ -56,7 +61,7 @@ class DocumentValidation(object):
 
         @property
         def schema(self):
-            # TODO: return schema based on version and kind.
+            # TODO: return schema based on Document's schema.
             return [v['schema'] for v in self.internal_validations
                     if v['version'] == self.schema_version][0].schema
 
@@ -64,11 +69,22 @@ class DocumentValidation(object):
         """Pre-validate that the YAML file is correctly formatted."""
         self._validate_with_schema()
 
-        # TODO(fm577c): Query Deckhand API to validate "src" values.
-
     def _validate_with_schema(self):
-        # Validate the document using the schema defined by the document's
-        # `schemaVersion` and `kind`.
+        # Validate the document using the document's ``schema``. Only validate
+        # concrete documents.
+        try:
+            abstract = self.data['metadata']['layeringDefinition'][
+                'abstract']
+            is_abstract = six.text_type(abstract).lower() == 'true'
+        except KeyError as e:
+            raise errors.InvalidFormat(
+                "Could not find 'abstract' property from document.")
+
+        if is_abstract:
+            LOG.info(
+                "Skipping validation for the document because it is abstract")
+            return
+
         try:
             schema_version = self.data['schema'].split('/')[-1]
             doc_schema_version = self.SchemaVersion(schema_version)
diff --git a/deckhand/errors.py b/deckhand/errors.py
index 9ef701f8..f79341d3 100644
--- a/deckhand/errors.py
+++ b/deckhand/errors.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 
 class DeckhandException(Exception):
-    """Base Nova Exception
+    """Base Deckhand Exception
     To correctly use this class, inherit from it and define
     a 'msg_fmt' property. That msg_fmt will get printf'd
     with the keyword arguments provided to the constructor.
diff --git a/deckhand/tests/unit/engine/test_document_validation.py b/deckhand/tests/unit/engine/test_document_validation.py
index 835b531e..eeaee958 100644
--- a/deckhand/tests/unit/engine/test_document_validation.py
+++ b/deckhand/tests/unit/engine/test_document_validation.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import os
 import testtools
 import yaml
 
+import mock
 import six
 
 from deckhand.engine import document_validation
@@ -80,7 +81,6 @@ class TestDocumentValidation(testtools.TestCase):
                         "is a required property.")
         invalid_data = [
             (self._corrupt_data('data'), 'data'),
-            (self._corrupt_data('metadata'), 'metadata'),
             (self._corrupt_data('metadata.schema'), 'schema'),
             (self._corrupt_data('metadata.name'), 'name'),
             (self._corrupt_data('metadata.substitutions'), 'substitutions'),
@@ -92,3 +92,29 @@ class TestDocumentValidation(testtools.TestCase):
             with six.assertRaisesRegex(self, errors.InvalidFormat,
                                        expected_err % missing_key):
                 document_validation.DocumentValidation(invalid_entry)
+
+    def test_initialization_missing_abstract_section(self):
+        expected_err = ("Could not find 'abstract' property from document.")
+
+        invalid_data = [
+            self._corrupt_data('metadata'),
+            self._corrupt_data('metadata.layeringDefinition'),
+            self._corrupt_data('metadata.layeringDefinition.abstract'),
+        ]
+
+        for invalid_entry in invalid_data:
+            with six.assertRaisesRegex(self, errors.InvalidFormat,
+                                       expected_err):
+                document_validation.DocumentValidation(invalid_entry)
+
+    @mock.patch.object(document_validation, 'LOG', autospec=True)
+    def test_initialization_with_abstract_document(self, mock_log):
+        abstract_data = copy.deepcopy(self.data)
+
+        for true_val in (True, 'true', 'True'):
+            abstract_data['metadata']['layeringDefinition']['abstract'] = True
+
+            document_validation.DocumentValidation(abstract_data)
+            mock_log.info.assert_called_once_with(
+                "Skipping validation for the document because it is abstract")
+            mock_log.info.reset_mock()
diff --git a/deckhand/tests/unit/resources/sample.yaml b/deckhand/tests/unit/resources/sample.yaml
index d1e83e0d..a5ebaa6a 100644
--- a/deckhand/tests/unit/resources/sample.yaml
+++ b/deckhand/tests/unit/resources/sample.yaml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ metadata:
     genesis: enabled
     master: enabled
   layeringDefinition:
-    abstract: true
+    abstract: false
     layer: region
     parentSelector:
       required_key_a: required_label_a