diff --git a/template/template.go b/template/template.go
index 0d2671ca0..17d808029 100644
--- a/template/template.go
+++ b/template/template.go
@@ -109,6 +109,19 @@ func (t *Template) Validate() error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Verify post-processors
+	for i, chain := range t.PostProcessors {
+		for j, p := range chain {
+			// Validate only/except
+			if verr := p.OnlyExcept.Validate(t); verr != nil {
+				for _, e := range multierror.Append(verr).Errors {
+					err = multierror.Append(err, fmt.Errorf(
+						"post-processor %d.%d: %s", i+1, j+1, e))
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/template/template_test.go b/template/template_test.go
index dbb2cf33d..d14682728 100644
--- a/template/template_test.go
+++ b/template/template_test.go
@@ -52,6 +52,26 @@ func TestTemplateValidate(t *testing.T) {
 			"validate-good-prov-except.json",
 			false,
 		},
+
+		{
+			"validate-bad-pp-only.json",
+			true,
+		},
+
+		{
+			"validate-good-pp-only.json",
+			false,
+		},
+
+		{
+			"validate-bad-pp-except.json",
+			true,
+		},
+
+		{
+			"validate-good-pp-except.json",
+			false,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
diff --git a/template/test-fixtures/validate-bad-pp-except.json b/template/test-fixtures/validate-bad-pp-except.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3f66cd8ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template/test-fixtures/validate-bad-pp-except.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+    "builders": [{
+        "type": "foo"
+    }],
+
+    "post-processors": [{
+        "type": "bar",
+        "except": ["bar"]
+    }]
+}
diff --git a/template/test-fixtures/validate-bad-pp-only.json b/template/test-fixtures/validate-bad-pp-only.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a79edcb80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template/test-fixtures/validate-bad-pp-only.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+    "builders": [{
+        "type": "foo"
+    }],
+
+    "post-processors": [{
+        "type": "bar",
+        "only": ["bar"]
+    }]
+}
diff --git a/template/test-fixtures/validate-good-pp-except.json b/template/test-fixtures/validate-good-pp-except.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..79a1b2a24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template/test-fixtures/validate-good-pp-except.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+    "builders": [{
+        "type": "foo"
+    }],
+
+    "post-processors": [{
+        "type": "bar",
+        "except": ["foo"]
+    }]
+}
diff --git a/template/test-fixtures/validate-good-pp-only.json b/template/test-fixtures/validate-good-pp-only.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..24ef7c95d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template/test-fixtures/validate-good-pp-only.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+    "builders": [{
+        "type": "foo"
+    }],
+
+    "post-processors": [{
+        "type": "bar",
+        "only": ["foo"]
+    }]
+}