diff --git a/pkg/api/validation/validation.go b/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
index ea930ec9e0..b287747b34 100644
--- a/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
@@ -963,6 +963,11 @@ func ValidatePodSpec(spec *api.PodSpec) errs.ValidationErrorList {
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, ValidateLabels(spec.NodeSelector, "nodeSelector")...)
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, validateHostNetwork(spec.HostNetwork, spec.Containers).Prefix("hostNetwork")...)
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, validateImagePullSecrets(spec.ImagePullSecrets).Prefix("imagePullSecrets")...)
+	if len(spec.ServiceAccount) > 0 {
+		if ok, msg := ValidateServiceAccountName(spec.ServiceAccount, false); !ok {
+			allErrs = append(allErrs, errs.NewFieldInvalid("serviceAccount", spec.ServiceAccount, msg))
+		}
+	}
 
 	if spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds != nil {
 		if *spec.ActiveDeadlineSeconds <= 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
index 47d330b2f6..72bda67fdd 100644
--- a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
@@ -1052,6 +1052,7 @@ func TestValidatePodSpec(t *testing.T) {
 			NodeName:              "foobar",
 			DNSPolicy:             api.DNSClusterFirst,
 			ActiveDeadlineSeconds: &activeDeadlineSeconds,
+			ServiceAccount:        "acct",
 		},
 		{ // Populate HostNetwork.
 			Containers: []api.Container{
@@ -1092,6 +1093,12 @@ func TestValidatePodSpec(t *testing.T) {
 			RestartPolicy: api.RestartPolicyAlways,
 			Containers:    []api.Container{{Name: "ctr", Image: "image", ImagePullPolicy: "IfNotPresent"}},
 		},
+		"bad service account name": {
+			Containers:     []api.Container{{Name: "ctr", Image: "image", ImagePullPolicy: "IfNotPresent"}},
+			RestartPolicy:  api.RestartPolicyAlways,
+			DNSPolicy:      api.DNSClusterFirst,
+			ServiceAccount: "invalidName",
+		},
 		"bad restart policy": {
 			RestartPolicy: "UnknowPolicy",
 			DNSPolicy:     api.DNSClusterFirst,