diff --git a/ckan/lib/navl/dictization_functions.py b/ckan/lib/navl/dictization_functions.py
index f21eaf89764..bae614adfb7 100644
--- a/ckan/lib/navl/dictization_functions.py
+++ b/ckan/lib/navl/dictization_functions.py
@@ -230,8 +230,12 @@ def validate(data, schema, context=None):
     # empty fields and missing fields when doing partial updates.
     empty_lists = [key for key, value in data.items() if value == []]
 
+    # create a copy of the context which also includes the schema keys so
+    # they can be used by the validators
+    validators_context = dict(context, schema_keys=schema.keys())
+
     flattened = flatten_dict(data)
-    converted_data, errors = _validate(flattened, schema, context)
+    converted_data, errors = _validate(flattened, schema, validators_context)
     converted_data = unflatten(converted_data)
 
     # check config for partial update fix option
diff --git a/ckan/new_tests/lib/navl/test_dictization_functions.py b/ckan/new_tests/lib/navl/test_dictization_functions.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..226d6b3ef38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ckan/new_tests/lib/navl/test_dictization_functions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import nose
+from ckan.lib.navl.dictization_functions import validate
+
+
+eq_ = nose.tools.eq_
+
+
+class TestValidate(object):
+
+    def test_validate_passes_a_copy_of_the_context_to_validators(self):
+
+        # We need to pass some keys on the context, otherwise validate
+        # will do context = context || {}, which creates a new one, defeating
+        # the purpose of this test
+        context = {'foo': 'bar'}
+
+        def my_validator(key, data, errors, context_in_validator):
+
+            assert not id(context) == id(context_in_validator)
+
+        data_dict = {
+            'my_field': 'test',
+        }
+
+        schema = {
+            'my_field': [my_validator],
+        }
+
+        data, errors = validate(data_dict, schema, context)
+
+    def test_validate_adds_schema_keys_to_context(self):
+
+        def my_validator(key, data, errors, context):
+
+            assert 'schema_keys' in context
+
+            eq_(context['schema_keys'], ['my_field'])
+
+        data_dict = {
+            'my_field': 'test',
+        }
+
+        schema = {
+            'my_field': [my_validator],
+        }
+
+        context = {}
+
+        data, errors = validate(data_dict, schema, context)