diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/Entity.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/Entity.ts
index 80c5765ee1..70d2ba4d2b 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/Entity.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/Entity.ts
@@ -95,6 +95,12 @@ export type EntityMeta = {
    */
   namespace?: string;
 
+  /**
+   * A short (typically relatively few words, on one line) description of the
+   * entity.
+   */
+  description?: string;
+
   /**
    * Key/value pairs of identifying information attached to the entity.
    */
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy.test.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy.test.ts
index 8db33955a7..5bc39f4e93 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy.test.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy.test.ts
@@ -61,4 +61,9 @@ describe('ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy', () => {
       /annotation.*apiVersion/i,
     );
   });
+
+  it('rejects core fields mistakenly placed in metadata', async () => {
+    data.metadata.owner = 'emma';
+    await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/owner/i);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy.ts
index 57029ffa24..a258e9a16a 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy.ts
@@ -17,47 +17,70 @@
 import { EntityPolicy } from '../../types';
 import { Entity } from '../Entity';
 
-const DEFAULT_RESERVED_ENTITY_FIELDS = [
-  'apiVersion',
-  'kind',
-  'uid',
-  'etag',
-  'generation',
-  'name',
-  'namespace',
-  'labels',
-  'annotations',
-  'spec',
-];
+type ExceptWhere = 'metadata' | 'spec' | 'labels' | 'annotations';
+type ReservedFields = Record<string, ExceptWhere[]>;
+
+const DEFAULT_RESERVED_ENTITY_FIELDS: ReservedFields = {
+  apiVersion: [],
+  kind: [],
+  spec: [],
+  uid: ['metadata'],
+  etag: ['metadata'],
+  generation: ['metadata'],
+  name: ['metadata'],
+  namespace: ['metadata'],
+  description: ['metadata'],
+  labels: ['metadata'],
+  annotations: ['metadata'],
+  // The below items are known to appear in core kinds, and therefore should
+  // not be appearing in metadata (which would indicate that the user made a
+  // mistake in where to place them).
+  lifecycle: ['spec'],
+  owner: ['spec'],
+};
 
 /**
  * Ensures that fields are not given certain reserved names.
  */
 export class ReservedFieldsEntityPolicy implements EntityPolicy {
-  private readonly reservedFields: string[];
+  private readonly reservedFields: ReservedFields;
 
-  constructor(fields?: string[]) {
-    this.reservedFields = [
-      ...(fields ?? []),
+  constructor(fields?: ReservedFields) {
+    this.reservedFields = {
+      ...(fields ?? {}),
       ...DEFAULT_RESERVED_ENTITY_FIELDS,
-    ];
+    };
   }
 
   async enforce(entity: Entity): Promise<Entity> {
-    for (const field of this.reservedFields) {
-      if (entity.spec?.hasOwnProperty(field)) {
+    for (const [name, exceptWhere] of Object.entries(this.reservedFields)) {
+      if (
+        !exceptWhere.includes('metadata') &&
+        entity.metadata.hasOwnProperty(name)
+      ) {
         throw new Error(
-          `The spec may not contain the field ${field}, because it has reserved meaning`,
+          `The metadata may not contain the field ${name}, because it has reserved meaning`,
         );
       }
-      if (entity.metadata.labels?.hasOwnProperty(field)) {
+      if (!exceptWhere.includes('spec') && entity.spec?.hasOwnProperty(name)) {
         throw new Error(
-          `A label may not have the field ${field}, because it has reserved meaning`,
+          `The spec may not contain the field ${name}, because it has reserved meaning`,
         );
       }
-      if (entity.metadata.annotations?.hasOwnProperty(field)) {
+      if (
+        !exceptWhere.includes('labels') &&
+        entity.metadata.labels?.hasOwnProperty(name)
+      ) {
         throw new Error(
-          `An annotation may not have the field ${field}, because it has reserved meaning`,
+          `A label may not have the field ${name}, because it has reserved meaning`,
+        );
+      }
+      if (
+        !exceptWhere.includes('annotations') &&
+        entity.metadata.annotations?.hasOwnProperty(name)
+      ) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `An annotation may not have the field ${name}, because it has reserved meaning`,
         );
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/SchemaValidEntityPolicy.test.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/SchemaValidEntityPolicy.test.ts
index c53fbf3e46..9a3c02d85a 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/SchemaValidEntityPolicy.test.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/SchemaValidEntityPolicy.test.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,11 @@ describe('SchemaValidEntityPolicy', () => {
     await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/uid/);
   });
 
+  it('rejects empty uid', async () => {
+    data.metadata.uid = '';
+    await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/uid/);
+  });
+
   it('accepts missing etag', async () => {
     delete data.metadata.etag;
     await expect(policy.enforce(data)).resolves.toBe(data);
@@ -110,6 +115,11 @@ describe('SchemaValidEntityPolicy', () => {
     await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/etag/);
   });
 
+  it('rejects empty etag', async () => {
+    data.metadata.etag = '';
+    await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/etag/);
+  });
+
   it('accepts missing generation', async () => {
     delete data.metadata.generation;
     await expect(policy.enforce(data)).resolves.toBe(data);
@@ -120,6 +130,16 @@ describe('SchemaValidEntityPolicy', () => {
     await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/generation/);
   });
 
+  it('rejects zero generation', async () => {
+    data.metadata.generation = 0;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/generation/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects non-integer generation', async () => {
+    data.metadata.generation = 1.5;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/generation/);
+  });
+
   it('rejects missing name', async () => {
     delete data.metadata.name;
     await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/name/);
@@ -140,6 +160,16 @@ describe('SchemaValidEntityPolicy', () => {
     await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/namespace/);
   });
 
+  it('accepts missing description', async () => {
+    delete data.metadata.description;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(data)).resolves.toBe(data);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects bad description type', async () => {
+    data.metadata.description = 7;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(data)).rejects.toThrow(/description/);
+  });
+
   it('accepts missing labels', async () => {
     delete data.metadata.labels;
     await expect(policy.enforce(data)).resolves.toBe(data);
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/SchemaValidEntityPolicy.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/SchemaValidEntityPolicy.ts
index d367022ff1..e901e82d8b 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/SchemaValidEntityPolicy.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/entity/policies/SchemaValidEntityPolicy.ts
@@ -23,32 +23,12 @@ const DEFAULT_ENTITY_SCHEMA = yup.object({
   kind: yup.string().required(),
   metadata: yup
     .object({
-      uid: yup
-        .string()
-        .notRequired()
-        .test(
-          'metadata.uid',
-          'The uid must not be empty',
-          value => value === undefined || value.length > 0,
-        ),
-      etag: yup
-        .string()
-        .notRequired()
-        .test(
-          'metadata.etag',
-          'The etag must not be empty',
-          value => value === undefined || value.length > 0,
-        ),
-      generation: yup
-        .number()
-        .notRequired()
-        .test(
-          'metadata.generation',
-          'The generation must be an integer greater than zero',
-          value => value === undefined || (value === (value | 0) && value > 0),
-        ),
+      uid: yup.string().notRequired().min(1),
+      etag: yup.string().notRequired().min(1),
+      generation: yup.number().notRequired().integer().min(1),
       name: yup.string().required(),
       namespace: yup.string().notRequired(),
+      description: yup.string().notRequired(),
       labels: yup.object<Record<string, string>>().notRequired(),
       annotations: yup.object<Record<string, string>>().notRequired(),
     })
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1beta1.test.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1beta1.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a7988047b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1beta1.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { EntityPolicy } from '../types';
+import {
+  ComponentEntityV1beta1,
+  ComponentEntityV1beta1Policy,
+} from './ComponentEntityV1beta1';
+
+describe('ComponentV1beta1Policy', () => {
+  let entity: ComponentEntityV1beta1;
+  let policy: EntityPolicy;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    entity = {
+      apiVersion: 'backstage.io/v1beta1',
+      kind: 'Component',
+      metadata: {
+        name: 'test',
+      },
+      spec: {
+        type: 'service',
+        lifecycle: 'production',
+        owner: 'me',
+      },
+    };
+    policy = new ComponentEntityV1beta1Policy();
+  });
+
+  it('happy path: accepts valid data', async () => {
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).resolves.toBe(entity);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects unknown apiVersion', async () => {
+    (entity as any).apiVersion = 'backstage.io/v1beta2';
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/apiVersion/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects unknown kind', async () => {
+    (entity as any).kind = 'Wizard';
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/kind/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects missing type', async () => {
+    delete (entity as any).spec.type;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/type/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects wrong type', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.type = 7;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/type/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects empty wrong type', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.type = '';
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/type/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects missing lifecycle', async () => {
+    delete (entity as any).spec.lifecycle;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/lifecycle/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects wrong lifecycle', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.lifecycle = 7;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/lifecycle/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects wrong empty', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.lifecycle = '';
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/lifecycle/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects missing owner', async () => {
+    delete (entity as any).spec.owner;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/owner/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects wrong owner', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.owner = 7;
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/owner/);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects empty owner', async () => {
+    (entity as any).spec.owner = '';
+    await expect(policy.enforce(entity)).rejects.toThrow(/owner/);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1beta1.ts b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1beta1.ts
index 2f5e8e079c..02bcffbd28 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1beta1.ts
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/src/kinds/ComponentEntityV1beta1.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ export interface ComponentEntityV1beta1 extends Entity {
   kind: typeof KIND;
   spec: {
     type: string;
+    lifecycle: string;
+    owner: string;
   };
 }
 
@@ -36,7 +38,9 @@ export class ComponentEntityV1beta1Policy implements EntityPolicy {
     this.schema = yup.object<Partial<ComponentEntityV1beta1>>({
       spec: yup
         .object({
-          type: yup.string().required(),
+          type: yup.string().required().min(1),
+          lifecycle: yup.string().required().min(1),
+          owner: yup.string().required().min(1),
         })
         .required(),
     });