diff --git a/bin/lesson_check.py b/bin/lesson_check.py
index 9e051bd..016b395 100755
--- a/bin/lesson_check.py
+++ b/bin/lesson_check.py
@@ -146,6 +146,16 @@ def check_config(reporter, source_dir):
     config_file = os.path.join(source_dir, '_config.yml')
     config = load_yaml(config_file)
     reporter.check_field(config_file, 'configuration', config, 'kind', 'lesson')
+    reporter.check_field(config_file, 'configuration', config, 'carpentry', ('swc', 'dc'))
+    reporter.check_field(config_file, 'configuration', config, 'title')
+    reporter.check_field(config_file, 'configuration', config, 'email')
+    reporter.check_field(config_file, 'configuration', config, 'repo')
+    reporter.check_field(config_file, 'configuration', config, 'root')
+    if ('repo' in config) and ('root' in config):
+        reporter.check(config['repo'].endswith(config['root']),
+                       config_file,
+                       'Repository name "{0}" not consistent with root "{1}"',
+                       config['repo'], config['root'])
 
 
 def read_all_markdown(source_dir, parser):
diff --git a/bin/util.py b/bin/util.py
index 8ce17fe..2341bdb 100644
--- a/bin/util.py
+++ b/bin/util.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 ]
 
 
+REPORTER_NOT_SET = []
+
 class Reporter(object):
     """Collect and report errors."""
 
@@ -26,11 +28,16 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.messages = []
 
 
-    def check_field(self, filename, name, values, key, expected):
+    def check_field(self, filename, name, values, key, expected=REPORTER_NOT_SET):
         """Check that a dictionary has an expected value."""
 
         if key not in values:
             self.add(filename, '{0} does not contain {1}', name, key)
+        elif expected is REPORTER_NOT_SET:
+            pass
+        elif type(expected) in (tuple, set, list):
+            if values[key] not in expected:
+                self.add(filename, '{0} {1} value {2} is not in {3}', name, key, values[key], expected)
         elif values[key] != expected:
             self.add(filename, '{0} {1} is {2} not {3}', name, key, values[key], expected)