diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index c6f265f68..8e79d2870 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -135,6 +135,20 @@
       <artifactId>spring-boot-devtools</artifactId>
       <scope>runtime</scope>
     </dependency>
+
+	<dependency>
+      <groupId>org.spockframework</groupId>
+      <artifactId>spock-core</artifactId>
+      <version>1.1-groovy-2.4-rc-3</version>
+      <scope>test</scope>
+    </dependency>	
+	
+	<dependency>
+		<groupId>org.codehaus.groovy</groupId>
+		<artifactId>groovy-all</artifactId>
+		<version>2.4.7</version>
+		<scope>test</scope>
+	</dependency>
   </dependencies>
 
   <build>
@@ -235,6 +249,19 @@
         </configuration>
       </plugin>
 
+	  <plugin>
+		  <groupId>org.codehaus.gmavenplus</groupId>
+		  <artifactId>gmavenplus-plugin</artifactId>
+		  <version>1.5</version>
+		  <executions>
+			<execution>
+			  <goals>
+                <goal>compile</goal>
+                <goal>testCompile</goal>
+			  </goals>
+			</execution>
+		  </executions>
+	  </plugin>
     </plugins>
   </build>
   <reporting>
diff --git a/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/samples/petclinic/model/ValidatorSpockTests.groovy b/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/samples/petclinic/model/ValidatorSpockTests.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d8c988716
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/samples/petclinic/model/ValidatorSpockTests.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+package org.springframework.samples.petclinic.model;
+
+//import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+
+import java.util.Locale;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import javax.validation.ConstraintViolation;
+import javax.validation.Validator;
+
+import org.springframework.context.i18n.LocaleContextHolder;
+import org.springframework.validation.beanvalidation.LocalValidatorFactoryBean;
+
+import spock.lang.Specification;
+
+/**
+ * @author Chris Jones
+ *         Simple tests adapted to use the Spock acceptance test framework.
+ */
+public class ValidatorSpockTests extends Specification {
+
+    private Validator createValidator() {
+        LocalValidatorFactoryBean localValidatorFactoryBean = new LocalValidatorFactoryBean();
+        localValidatorFactoryBean.afterPropertiesSet();
+        return localValidatorFactoryBean;
+    }
+	
+	// 1. validate against blank first name
+	def "first name cannot be empty"() {
+	  setup:
+	  def person = new Person();
+	  def validator = createValidator();
+	  
+	  when:
+	  person.setFirstName("")
+	  person.setLastName("smith")
+      Set<ConstraintViolation<Person>> constraintViolations = validator.validate(person);
+	  
+	  then:
+      constraintViolations.size() == 1;
+      ConstraintViolation<Person> violation = constraintViolations.iterator().next();
+	  violation.getPropertyPath().toString().equals("firstName");
+	  violation.getMessage().equals("may not be empty");
+	}
+	
+	// 2. TODO: validate against null first name.
+	
+	// 3. TODO: validate a against a valid first name (non-empty, non-null value).
+
+	// 4. TODO: validate against empty last name
+
+	// 5. TODO: validate against null last name
+	
+	// 6. TODO: validate a against a valid last name (non-empty, non-null value).
+}