diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 9451a1cb54..529f2d7a77 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -62,5 +62,6 @@ repos:
           - pytest
           - types-PyYAML
           - types-tabulate
+          - types-jsonschema
         args: ["tools/schemacode/bidsschematools"]
         pass_filenames: false
diff --git a/src/metaschema.json b/src/metaschema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..129e3f1c5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/metaschema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,727 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "type": "object",
+  "properties": {
+    "meta": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "associations": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties":
+          {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "selectors": {
+                  "type": "array",
+                  "items": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  }
+                },
+                "target": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "properties": {
+                    "suffix": {
+                      "type": "string"
+                    },
+                    "extension": {
+                      "anyOf": [
+                        {
+                          "type": "string"
+                        }, {
+                          "type": "array",
+                          "items": {
+                            "type": "string"
+                          }
+                        }
+                      ]
+                    }
+                  },
+                  "required": ["extension"],
+                  "additionalProperties": false
+                },
+                "inherit": {
+                  "type": "boolean"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["target"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "context": {
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "expression_tests": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "items": {
+            "type": "object",
+            "properties": {
+              "expression": {
+                "type": "string"
+              },
+              "result": {}
+            },
+            "required": ["expression", "result"],
+            "additionalProperties": false
+          }
+        },
+        "versions": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "items": {
+            "pattern": "^[0-9]+\\.[0-9]+\\.[0-9]+$"
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "required": ["associations", "context", "expression_tests", "versions"]
+    },
+    "objects": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "columns": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "type": {
+                  "$ref": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#/properties/type"
+                },
+                "format": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "pattern": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "unit": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "enum": {
+                  "type": "array"
+                },
+                "anyOf": {
+                  "$ref": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#/properties/anyOf"
+                },
+                "maximum": {
+                  "type": "number"
+                },
+                "minimum": {
+                  "type": "number"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["name", "display_name"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "common_principles": {
+         "type": "object",
+         "patternProperties": {
+           "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+             "type": "object",
+             "properties": {
+               "display_name": {
+                 "type": "string"
+               },
+               "description": {
+                 "type": "string"
+               }
+             },
+             "required": ["display_name", "description"],
+             "additionalProperties": false
+           },
+           "additionalProperties": false
+         }
+        },
+        "datatypes": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "value": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["value", "display_name", "description"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "entities": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "type": {
+                  "$ref": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#/properties/type"
+                },
+                "format": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "enum": {
+                  "type": "array"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["name", "display_name", "description", "type", "format"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "enums": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "type": {
+                  "$ref": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#/properties/type"
+                },
+                "enum": {
+                  "type": "array"
+                },
+                "value": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "tags": {
+                  "type": "array"
+                }
+              },
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "extensions": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "value": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["display_name", "description", "value"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "files": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "file_type": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["display_name", "file_type", "description"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "formats": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "pattern": {
+                  "format": "regex"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["display_name", "description", "pattern"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "metadata": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "type": {
+                  "$ref": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#/properties/type"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["name","display_name", "description"]
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "modalities": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-z]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["display_name", "description"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "suffixes": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "value": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "display_name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "description": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["value", "display_name", "description"]
+            },
+            "additionalProperties": false
+          }
+        }
+      },
+        "required": ["columns", "common_principles", "datatypes", "entities", "enums", "extensions", "files", "formats", "metadata", "modalities", "suffixes"],
+        "additionalProperties": false
+    },
+    "rules": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "checks": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "patternProperties": {
+                "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "properties": {
+                    "issues": {
+                      "type": "object",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "code": {"type": "string"},
+                        "message": {"type": "string"},
+                        "level": {"enum": ["error", "warning"]}
+                      },
+                      "required": ["code", "message", "level"],
+                      "additionalProperties": false
+                    },
+                    "selectors": {
+                      "type": "array",
+                      "items": {"type": "string"}
+                    },
+                    "checks": {
+                      "type": "array",
+                      "items": {"type": "string"}
+                    }
+                  },
+                  "required": ["checks", "selectors"]
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "files": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "properties": {
+            "common": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "core": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "patternProperties": {
+                    "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+                      "type": "object",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "level": {"type": "string"},
+                        "path": {"type": "string"},
+                        "extensions": {"type": "array"},
+                        "stem": {"type": "string"}
+                      },
+                      "required": ["level"],
+                      "additionalProperties": false
+                    }
+                  },
+                  "additionalProperties": false
+                },
+                "tables": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "patternProperties": {
+                    "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+                      "type": "object",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "level": {"type": "string"},
+                        "path": {"type": "string"},
+                        "extensions": {"type": "array"},
+                        "stem": {"type": "string"},
+                        "entities": {"$ref": "#/definitions/entities"},
+                        "suffixes": {"type": "array"}
+                      },
+                      "required": ["level", "extensions"],
+                      "additionalProperties": false
+                    }
+                  },
+                  "additionalProperties": false
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["core", "tables"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            },
+            "deriv": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "patternProperties": {
+                "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "patternProperties": {
+                    "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+                      "type": "object",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "entities": {
+                          "$ref": "#/definitions/entities"
+                        }
+                      }
+                    },
+                    "additionalProperties": false
+                  }
+                }
+              },
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            },
+            "raw": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "patternProperties": {
+                "^[a-z]+$": {
+                  "type": "object",
+                  "patternProperties": {
+                    "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+                      "type": "object",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "suffixes": {
+                          "type": "array",
+                          "items": {"type": "string"}
+                        },
+                        "extensions": {
+                          "type": "array",
+                          "items": {"pattern": "^[./][a-z.]+|"}
+                        },
+                        "datatypes": {
+                          "type": "array",
+                          "items": {"pattern": "^[a-z]+$"}
+                        },
+                        "entities": {"$ref": "#/definitions/entities"}
+                      }
+                    }
+                  },
+                  "additionalProperties": false
+                }
+              },
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "required": ["common", "deriv", "raw"],
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "sidecars": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^derivatives$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "common_derivatives": {"$ref": "#/definitions/sidecar"}
+              },
+              "required": ["common_derivatives"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            },
+            "^(?!derivatives$)[a-z_]+$": {
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/sidecar"
+            },
+            "additionalProperties": false
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "tabular_data": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^derivatives$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "common_derivatives": {
+                  "$ref": "#/definitions/tabular_data"
+                }
+              },
+              "required": [
+                "common_derivatives"
+              ],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            },
+            "^(?!derivatives$)[a-z_]+$": {
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/tabular_data"
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "common_principles": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "items": {"type": "string"}
+        },
+        "dataset_metadata": {
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "directories": {
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "entities": {
+          "type": "array",
+          "items": {"type": "string"}
+        },
+        "errors": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "code": {"type": "string"},
+                "message": {"type": "string"},
+                "level": {"enum": ["error", "warning"]},
+                "selectors": {
+                  "type": "array",
+                  "items": {
+                    "type": "string"
+                  }
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["message", "level"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        },
+        "modalities": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "patternProperties": {
+            "^[a-z]+$": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "datatypes": {
+                  "type": "array",
+                  "items": {"pattern": "^[a-z]+$"}
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["datatypes"],
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "required": [
+          "entities",
+          "files",
+          "sidecars",
+          "tabular_data",
+          "common_principles",
+          "dataset_metadata",
+          "directories",
+          "errors",
+          "modalities"
+      ],
+      "additionalProperties": false
+    },
+    "bids_version": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "schema_version": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "README": {
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": ["meta", "objects", "rules", "bids_version", "schema_version"],
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "definitions": {
+    "entities": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "patternProperties": {
+        "^[a-z]+$": {
+          "anyOf": [
+            {"enum": ["optional", "required"]},
+            {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "level": {"enum": ["optional", "required"]},
+                "enum": {
+                  "type": "array",
+                  "items": {"type": "string"}
+                }
+              },
+              "required": ["level", "enum"]
+            }
+          ]
+        }
+      },
+      "additionalProperties": false
+    },
+    "sidecar": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "patternProperties": {
+        "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "properties": {
+            "selectors": {
+              "type": "array",
+              "items": {"type": "string"}
+            },
+            "fields": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "patternProperties": {
+                "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+                  "anyOf": [
+                    {"enum": ["recommended", "optional", "required", "deprecated"]},
+                    {
+                      "type":  "object",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "level": {"enum": ["recommended", "optional", "required", "deprecated"]},
+                        "level_addendum": {"type": "string"}
+                      },
+                      "required": ["level", "level_addendum"],
+                      "additionalProperties": false
+                    },
+                    {"pattern": "recommended.*"}
+                  ]
+                }
+              },
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            }
+          },
+          "required": ["selectors", "fields"],
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        }
+      },
+      "additionalProperties": false
+    },
+    "tabular_data": {
+      "type": "object",
+      "patternProperties": {
+        "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "properties": {
+            "selectors": {
+              "type": "array",
+              "items": {"type": "string"}
+            },
+            "columns": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "patternProperties": {
+                "^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$": {
+                  "anyOf": [
+                    {"enum": ["recommended", "optional", "required", "deprecated"]},
+                    {
+                      "type":  "object",
+                      "properties": {
+                        "level": {"enum": ["recommended", "optional", "required", "deprecated"]},
+                        "level_addendum": {"type": "string"},
+                        "description_addendum": {"type": "string"}
+                      },
+                      "required": ["level"],
+                      "additionalProperties": false
+                    },
+                    {"pattern": "recommended.*"}
+                  ]
+                }
+              },
+              "additionalProperties": false
+            },
+            "additional_columns": {
+              "type": "string"
+            },
+            "index_columns": {"type": "array", "items": {"type": "string"}},
+            "initial_columns": {
+              "type": "array",
+              "items": {"type": "string"}
+            }
+          },
+          "required": ["selectors", "columns"],
+          "additionalProperties": false
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/schema/README.md b/src/schema/README.md
index d801314595..e8cb197757 100644
--- a/src/schema/README.md
+++ b/src/schema/README.md
@@ -1023,3 +1023,11 @@ be found at <https://bids-specification.readthedocs.io/en/latest/schema.json>.
 The JSON version of the schema contains `schema_version` and `bids_version` keys
 that identify the state of both the schema and the specification at the time it was
 compiled.
+
+## Metaschema
+
+The `metaschema.json` file is a meta-schema that uses the JSON Schema language to
+formalize the allowable directories, files, fields and values of the BIDS schema,
+ensuring consistency across the entire schema directory. Validation of the schema is
+incorporated into the CI, so any changes that are inconsistent will be flagged before
+inclusion.
diff --git a/src/schema/rules/sidecars/mri.yaml b/src/schema/rules/sidecars/mri.yaml
index b937898b3d..cc27d676be 100644
--- a/src/schema/rules/sidecars/mri.yaml
+++ b/src/schema/rules/sidecars/mri.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ MRIHardware:
     SoftwareVersions:
       level: recommended
       description_addendum: Corresponds to DICOM Tag 0018, 1020 `Software Versions`.
-    HardcopyDeviceSoftwareVersion: DEPRECATED
+    HardcopyDeviceSoftwareVersion: deprecated
     MagneticFieldStrength:
       level: recommended, but required for Arterial Spin Labeling
     ReceiveCoilName: recommended
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/data/metaschema.json b/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/data/metaschema.json
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..ae3cfc38f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/data/metaschema.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../../../src/metaschema.json
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/schema.py b/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/schema.py
index cae15fece1..ed6b5da5f3 100644
--- a/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/schema.py
+++ b/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/schema.py
@@ -1,12 +1,22 @@
 """Schema loading- and processing-related functions."""
 
+import json
 import logging
 import os
 import re
+import sys
+import tempfile
 from collections.abc import Iterable, Mapping
 from copy import deepcopy
 from functools import lru_cache
 
+from jsonschema import ValidationError, validate
+
+if sys.version_info < (3, 9):
+    from importlib_resources import files
+else:
+    from importlib.resources import files
+
 from . import __bids_version__, __version__, utils
 from .types import Namespace
 
@@ -274,3 +284,21 @@ def filter_schema(schema, **kwargs):
             if isinstance(item, dict):
                 new_schema[i] = filter_schema(item, **kwargs)
     return new_schema
+
+
+def validate_schema(schema: Namespace):
+    """Validate a schema against the BIDS metaschema."""
+    metaschema = json.loads(files("bidsschematools.data").joinpath("metaschema.json").read_text())
+
+    # validate is put in this try/except clause because the error is sometimes too long to
+    # print in the terminal
+    try:
+        validate(instance=schema.to_dict(), schema=metaschema)
+    except ValidationError as e:
+        with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(
+            prefix="schema_error_", suffix=".txt", delete=False, mode="w+"
+        ) as file:
+            file.write(str(e))
+            # ValidationError does not have an add_note method yet
+            # e.add_note(f"See {file.name} for full error log.")
+            raise e
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/tests/test_schema.py b/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/tests/test_schema.py
index bd5fc28942..6c52f0c2c1 100644
--- a/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/tests/test_schema.py
+++ b/tools/schemacode/bidsschematools/tests/test_schema.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from collections.abc import Mapping
 
 import pytest
+from jsonschema.exceptions import ValidationError
 
 from bidsschematools import __bids_version__, schema, types
 
@@ -356,3 +357,30 @@ def check_for_namespaces(obj):
             raise ValueError("Namespace object found in dict")
 
     check_for_namespaces(schema.load_schema().to_dict())
+
+
+def test_valid_schema():
+    """Test that a valid schema does not raise an error."""
+    namespace = schema.load_schema()
+    schema.validate_schema(namespace)
+
+
+def test_add_legal_field():
+    """Test that adding a legal field does not raise an error."""
+    namespace = schema.load_schema()
+    namespace["rules"]["files"]["deriv"]["preprocessed_data"]["anat_nonparametric_common"][
+        "entities"
+    ]["density"] = "optional"
+    schema.validate_schema(namespace)
+
+
+def test_invalid_value():
+    """Test that an invalid value raises an error."""
+    namespace = schema.load_schema()
+    namespace["rules"]["files"]["deriv"]["preprocessed_data"]["anat_nonparametric_common"][
+        "entities"
+    ]["density"] = "invalid"
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError) as e:
+        schema.validate_schema(namespace)
+    print(e.value)
+    assert "invalid" in str(e.value)
diff --git a/tools/schemacode/setup.cfg b/tools/schemacode/setup.cfg
index 27159dee84..f75732b593 100644
--- a/tools/schemacode/setup.cfg
+++ b/tools/schemacode/setup.cfg
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ install_requires =
     click
     pyyaml
     importlib_resources; python_version < "3.9"
+    jsonschema
 packages = find:
 include_package_data = false
 zip_safe = false
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ all =
 
 [options.package_data]
 bidsschematools =
+    data/metaschema.json
     data/schema/BIDS_VERSION
     data/schema/SCHEMA_VERSION
     data/schema/**/*.yaml