diff --git a/test/loading_test.go b/test/loading_test.go
index 38af28c04..c12f019d2 100644
--- a/test/loading_test.go
+++ b/test/loading_test.go
@@ -16,25 +16,39 @@ func (ts *PackerTestSuite) TestLoadingOrder() {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	tests := []struct {
-		name         string
-		templatePath string
-	}{
-		{
-			"HCL2 - No required_plugins, 1.0.10 is the most recent and should load",
-			"./templates/simple.pkr.hcl",
-		},
-	}
+	for _, command := range []string{"build", "validate"} {
+		tests := []struct {
+			name         string
+			templatePath string
+			grepStr      string
+		}{
+			{
+				"HCL2 " + command + " - With required_plugins, 1.0.10 is the most recent and should load",
+				"./templates/simple.pkr.hcl",
+				"packer-plugin-tester_v1\\.0\\.10[^\n]+ plugin:",
+			},
+			{
+				"JSON " + command + " - No required_plugins, 1.0.10 is the most recent and should load",
+				"./templates/simple.json",
+				"packer-plugin-tester_v1\\.0\\.10[^\n]+ plugin:",
+			},
+			{
+				"HCL2 " + command + " - With required_plugins, 1.0.9 is pinned, so 1.0.9 should be used",
+				"./templates/pin_1.0.9.pkr.hcl",
+				"packer-plugin-tester_v1\\.0\\.9[^\n]+ plugin:",
+			},
+		}
 
-	for _, tt := range tests {
-		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			ts.PackerCommand().
-				SetArgs("build", tt.templatePath).
-				AddEnv("PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH", pluginDir).
-				Assert(t, MustSucceed{}, Grep{
-					streams: BothStreams,
-					expect:  "packer-plugin-tester_v1\\.0\\.10[^\n]+ plugin:",
-				})
-		})
+		for _, tt := range tests {
+			t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+				ts.PackerCommand().
+					SetArgs(command, tt.templatePath).
+					AddEnv("PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH", pluginDir).
+					Assert(t, MustSucceed{}, Grep{
+						streams: BothStreams,
+						expect:  tt.grepStr,
+					})
+			})
+		}
 	}
 }