diff --git a/cmd/notary/tuf.go b/cmd/notary/tuf.go
index 6df51366ae..73edfb351b 100644
--- a/cmd/notary/tuf.go
+++ b/cmd/notary/tuf.go
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ package main
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"crypto/sha256"
+	"crypto/x509"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"encoding/pem"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
@@ -207,7 +209,7 @@ func tufList(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		"json",
 		"",
 	)
-	c, err := bootstrapClient(remote, repo, kdb)
+	c, err := bootstrapClient(gun, remote, repo, kdb)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -244,7 +246,7 @@ func tufLookup(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		"json",
 		"",
 	)
-	c, err := bootstrapClient(remote, repo, kdb)
+	c, err := bootstrapClient(gun, remote, repo, kdb)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -439,7 +441,7 @@ func saveRepo(repo *tuf.TufRepo, filestore store.MetadataStore) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func bootstrapClient(remote store.RemoteStore, repo *tuf.TufRepo, kdb *keys.KeyDB) (*client.Client, error) {
+func bootstrapClient(gun string, remote store.RemoteStore, repo *tuf.TufRepo, kdb *keys.KeyDB) (*client.Client, error) {
 	rootJSON, err := remote.GetMeta("root", 5<<20)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -449,7 +451,10 @@ func bootstrapClient(remote store.RemoteStore, repo *tuf.TufRepo, kdb *keys.KeyD
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	// TODO: Validate the root file against the key store
+	err = validateRoot(gun, root)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	err = repo.SetRoot(root)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -461,6 +466,35 @@ func bootstrapClient(remote store.RemoteStore, repo *tuf.TufRepo, kdb *keys.KeyD
 	), nil
 }
 
+func validateRoot(gun string, root *data.Signed) error {
+	rootSigned := &data.Root{}
+	err := json.Unmarshal(root.Signed, rootSigned)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	certs := make(map[string]*data.PublicKey)
+	for _, kID := range rootSigned.Roles["root"].KeyIDs {
+		// TODO: currently assuming only one cert contained in
+		// public key entry
+		k, _ := pem.Decode([]byte(rootSigned.Keys["kid"].Public()))
+		rootCert, err := x509.ParseCertificates(k.Bytes)
+		if err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		err = caStore.Verify(gun, rootCert[0])
+		if err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		certs[kID] = rootSigned.Keys[kID]
+	}
+	_, err = signed.VerifyRoot(root, 0, certs, 1)
+	if err != nil {
+		// failed to validate the signatures against the certificates
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func bootstrapRepo(gun string, repo *tuf.TufRepo) store.MetadataStore {
 	filestore, err := store.NewFilesystemStore(
 		path.Join(viper.GetString("tufDir"), gun),
diff --git a/trustmanager/x509filestore.go b/trustmanager/x509filestore.go
index 3d03c304a0..6d3685cfe7 100644
--- a/trustmanager/x509filestore.go
+++ b/trustmanager/x509filestore.go
@@ -203,6 +203,28 @@ func (s X509FileStore) GetVerifyOptions(dnsName string) (x509.VerifyOptions, err
 	return opts, nil
 }
 
+func (s X509FileStore) Verify(dnsName string, certs ...*x509.Certificate) error {
+	// If we have no Certificates loaded return error (we don't want to rever to using
+	// system CAs).
+	if len(s.fingerprintMap) == 0 {
+		return errors.New("no root CAs available")
+	}
+
+	// TODO: determine which cert in rootCerts is the leaf and add
+	// the intermediates to verifyOpts.Intermediates
+	opts := x509.VerifyOptions{
+		DNSName: dnsName,
+		Roots:   s.GetCertificatePool(),
+	}
+
+	// TODO: assuming only one cert ever passed and that it's the leaf
+	chains, err := certs[0].Verify(opts)
+	if len(chains) == 0 || err != nil {
+		return errors.New("Certificate did not verify")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func fileName(cert *x509.Certificate) string {
 	return path.Join(cert.Subject.CommonName, string(FingerprintCert(cert)))
 }
diff --git a/trustmanager/x509memstore.go b/trustmanager/x509memstore.go
index d9c7e0923c..d5506efe8a 100644
--- a/trustmanager/x509memstore.go
+++ b/trustmanager/x509memstore.go
@@ -171,3 +171,27 @@ func (s X509MemStore) GetVerifyOptions(dnsName string) (x509.VerifyOptions, erro
 
 	return opts, nil
 }
+
+// TODO: Create a parent Store object that implements the shared methods
+// and gets embedded into this and the X509MemoryStore
+func (s X509MemStore) Verify(dnsName string, certs ...*x509.Certificate) error {
+	// If we have no Certificates loaded return error (we don't want to rever to using
+	// system CAs).
+	if len(s.fingerprintMap) == 0 {
+		return errors.New("no root CAs available")
+	}
+
+	// TODO: determine which cert in rootCerts is the leaf and add
+	// the intermediates to verifyOpts.Intermediates
+	opts := x509.VerifyOptions{
+		DNSName: dnsName,
+		Roots:   s.GetCertificatePool(),
+	}
+
+	// TODO: assuming only one cert ever passed and that it's the leaf
+	chains, err := certs[0].Verify(opts)
+	if len(chains) == 0 || err != nil {
+		return errors.New("Certificate did not verify")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/trustmanager/x509store.go b/trustmanager/x509store.go
index b644a38789..7de219e2cb 100644
--- a/trustmanager/x509store.go
+++ b/trustmanager/x509store.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ type X509Store interface {
 	GetCertificates() []*x509.Certificate
 	GetCertificatePool() *x509.CertPool
 	GetVerifyOptions(dnsName string) (x509.VerifyOptions, error)
+	Verify(dnsName string, certs ...*x509.Certificate) error
 }
 
 type CertID string