diff --git a/nomenklatura/dataset/dataset.py b/nomenklatura/dataset/dataset.py
index f8d85e96..894e131e 100644
--- a/nomenklatura/dataset/dataset.py
+++ b/nomenklatura/dataset/dataset.py
@@ -1,21 +1,59 @@
-import yaml
 from functools import cached_property
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
-from typing import Any, Dict, TypeVar, Type, List, Optional, Set
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, List, Optional, Set, Type, TypeVar
+
+import yaml
 from followthemoney.types import registry
 
-from nomenklatura.dataset.resource import DataResource
-from nomenklatura.dataset.publisher import DataPublisher
 from nomenklatura.dataset.coverage import DataCoverage
-from nomenklatura.dataset.util import Named, cleanup, string_list
-from nomenklatura.dataset.util import type_check, type_require
-from nomenklatura.util import iso_to_version, PathLike
+from nomenklatura.dataset.publisher import DataPublisher
+from nomenklatura.dataset.resource import DataResource
+from nomenklatura.dataset.util import (
+    Named,
+    cleanup,
+    string_list,
+    type_check,
+    type_require,
+)
+from nomenklatura.util import PathLike, iso_to_version
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from nomenklatura.dataset.catalog import DataCatalog
 
 DS = TypeVar("DS", bound="Dataset")
 
+# aleph
+CATEGORIES = (
+    "news",
+    "leak",
+    "land",
+    "gazette",
+    "court",
+    "company",
+    "sanctions",
+    "procurement",
+    "finance",
+    "grey",
+    "library",
+    "license",
+    "regulatory",
+    "poi",
+    "customs",
+    "census",
+    "transport",
+    "casefile",
+    "other",
+)
+
+# aleph
+FREQUENCIES = (
+    "unknown",
+    "never",
+    "daily",
+    "weekly",
+    "monthly",
+    "annual",
+)
+
 
 class Dataset(Named):
     """A unit of entities. A dataset is a set of data, sez W3C."""
@@ -44,6 +82,9 @@ def __init__(self, catalog: "DataCatalog[DS]", data: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
             if rdata is not None:
                 self.resources.append(DataResource(rdata))
 
+        self.frequency = type_check(registry.string, data.get("frequency"), FREQUENCIES)
+        self.category = type_check(registry.string, data.get("category"), CATEGORIES)
+
         # TODO: get rid of the legacy namings
         self._parents = set(string_list(data.get("parents", [])))
         self._parents.update(string_list(data.get("collections", [])))
@@ -93,6 +134,8 @@ def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             "url": self.url,
             "version": self.version,
             "updated_at": self.updated_at,
+            "frequency": self.frequency,
+            "category": self.category,
             "resources": [r.to_dict() for r in self.resources],
             "children": [c.name for c in self.children],
         }
diff --git a/nomenklatura/dataset/util.py b/nomenklatura/dataset/util.py
index caf4fcd9..ced9f1a1 100644
--- a/nomenklatura/dataset/util.py
+++ b/nomenklatura/dataset/util.py
@@ -1,18 +1,25 @@
-from normality import stringify
-from typing import Any, Optional, Dict, List
+from typing import Any, Dict, Iterable, List, Optional
+
 from followthemoney.types import registry
 from followthemoney.types.common import PropertyType
+from normality import stringify
 
 from nomenklatura.exceptions import MetadataException
 
 
-def type_check(type_: PropertyType, value: Any) -> Optional[str]:
+def type_check(
+    type_: PropertyType, value: Any, literal: Iterable[Any] = []
+) -> Optional[str]:
     text = stringify(value)
     if text is None:
         return None
     cleaned = type_.clean_text(text)
     if cleaned is None:
         raise MetadataException("Invalid %s: %r" % (type_.name, value))
+    if literal and cleaned not in literal:
+        raise MetadataException(
+            "Invalid %s: %r not in %s" % (type_.name, value, ",".join(literal))
+        )
     return cleaned
 
 
diff --git a/tests/dataset/test_dataset.py b/tests/dataset/test_dataset.py
index 86ee7dd4..260d87f1 100644
--- a/tests/dataset/test_dataset.py
+++ b/tests/dataset/test_dataset.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-import pytest
-from typing import Dict, Any
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Dict
 
+import pytest
 from nomenklatura.dataset import DataCatalog, Dataset
+from nomenklatura.exceptions import MetadataException
 
 
 def test_donations_base(catalog_data: Dict[str, Any]):
@@ -62,3 +63,16 @@ def test_from_path(catalog_path: Path):
     data = catalog.to_dict()
     assert isinstance(data, dict)
     assert "datasets" in data
+
+
+def test_dataset_aleph_metadata(catalog_data: Dict[str, Any]):
+    catalog = DataCatalog(Dataset, catalog_data)
+    ds = catalog.require("leak")
+    assert ds.category == "leak"
+    assert ds.frequency == "unknown"
+
+    # invalid metadata
+    with pytest.raises(MetadataException):
+        ds = Dataset(
+            catalog, {"name": "invalid", "title": "Invalid metadata", "category": "foo"}
+        )
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/catalog.yml b/tests/fixtures/catalog.yml
index 061e435a..0de3584c 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/catalog.yml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/catalog.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ datasets:
         timestamp: 2021
   - name: leak
     title: Some data leak
+    category: leak
+    frequency: unknown
   - name: company_data
     title: Company data
     publisher: