diff --git a/src/dispatch/Dispatcher.py b/src/dispatch/Dispatcher.py
index fd4ebbed..a217b56c 100644
--- a/src/dispatch/Dispatcher.py
+++ b/src/dispatch/Dispatcher.py
@@ -94,17 +94,18 @@ def dispatch(self, case, components, sources):
     """
     raise NotImplementedError # must be implemented by inheriting classes
 
-  def validate(self, components, activity, times):
+  def validate(self, components, activity, times, meta):
     """
       Method to validate a dispatch activity.
       @ In, components, list, HERON components whose cashflows should be evaluated
       @ In, activity, DispatchState instance, activity by component/resources/time
       @ In, times, np.array(float), time values to evaluate; may be length 1 or longer
+      @ In, meta, dict, extra information needed for validation
       @ Out, validation, dict, information about validation
     """
     # default implementation
     if self._validator is not None:
-      return self._validator.validate(components, activity, times)
+      return self._validator.validate(components, activity, times, meta)
     else:
       # no validator, nothing needs to be changed
       return {}
diff --git a/src/dispatch/pyomo_dispatch.py b/src/dispatch/pyomo_dispatch.py
index 3dbd04a9..5cf7e2a3 100644
--- a/src/dispatch/pyomo_dispatch.py
+++ b/src/dispatch/pyomo_dispatch.py
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ def dispatch_window(self, time,
         raise RuntimeError
       # try validating
       print('DEBUGG ... validating ...')
-      validation_errs = self.validate(m.Components, m.Activity, m.Times)
+      validation_errs = self.validate(m.Components, m.Activity, m.Times, meta)
       if validation_errs:
         done_and_checked = False
         print('DEBUGG ... validation concerns raised:')
diff --git a/src/validators/ExampleValidator.py b/src/validators/ExampleValidator.py
index 4a058b5b..7d804147 100644
--- a/src/validators/ExampleValidator.py
+++ b/src/validators/ExampleValidator.py
@@ -60,12 +60,13 @@ def read_input(self, inputs):
 
   # ---------------------------------------------
   # API
-  def validate(self, components, dispatch, times):
+  def validate(self, components, dispatch, times, meta):
     """
       Method to validate a dispatch activity.
       @ In, components, list, HERON components whose cashflows should be evaluated
       @ In, activity, DispatchState instance, activity by component/resources/time
       @ In, times, np.array(float), time values to evaluate; may be length 1 or longer
+      @ In, meta, dict, extra information pertaining to validation
       @ Out, errs, list, information about validation failures
     """
     errs = [] # TODO best format for this?
@@ -73,6 +74,8 @@ def validate(self, components, dispatch, times):
       for res in info:
         for t, time in enumerate(times):
           current = dispatch.get_activity(comp, res, time)
+          if comp.get_interaction().is_type('Storage') and t == 0:
+            init_level = comp.get_interaction().get_initial_level(meta)
           if t > 0:
             previous = dispatch.get_activity(comp, res, times[t-1])
             delta = current - previous
diff --git a/src/validators/Validator.py b/src/validators/Validator.py
index b956db89..4a2cdc5b 100644
--- a/src/validators/Validator.py
+++ b/src/validators/Validator.py
@@ -57,13 +57,14 @@ def initialize(self, case, components, sources, **kwargs):
   # ---------------------------------------------
   # API
   # TODO make this a virtual method?
-  def validate(self, case, components, sources, dispatch):
+  def validate(self, case, components, sources, dispatch, meta):
     """
       Performs technoeconomic dispatch.
       @ In, case, Case, HERON case
       @ In, components, list, HERON components
       @ In, sources, list, HERON sources
       @ In, dispatch, HERON DispatchState, proposed activity
+      @ In, meta, dict, extra information
       @ Out, results, list(dict), list of violations with info about each (see Validator base class)
     """
     # The return results should be a list of dictionaries
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/validator/heron_input.xml b/tests/integration_tests/validator/heron_input.xml
index 7c8ae90e..4888e661 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/validator/heron_input.xml
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/validator/heron_input.xml
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@
     <Component name="electr_market">
       <demands resource="electricity" dispatch="dependent"><!---->
         <capacity>
-          <!-- <fixed_value>-2</fixed_value> -->
           <fixed_value>-2</fixed_value>
         </capacity>
       </demands>
@@ -105,7 +104,8 @@
       </economics>
     </Component>
 
-  </Components>
+
+</Components>
 
   <DataGenerators>
     <ARMA name='Price' variable="Signal">../ARMA/Sine/arma.pk</ARMA>