diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomError.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomError.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bfa2d00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomError.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+package io.github.siculo.sbtbom
+
+class BomError(message: String) extends Exception(message)
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomExtractor.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomExtractor.scala
index 11b5e5b..1bd00c9 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomExtractor.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomExtractor.scala
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import sbt._
 import java.util
 import java.util.UUID
 import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
+import scala.collection.immutable
 
 class BomExtractor(settings: BomExtractorParams, report: UpdateReport, log: Logger) {
   private val serialNumber: String = "urn:uuid:" + UUID.randomUUID.toString
@@ -61,9 +62,9 @@ class BomExtractor(settings: BomExtractorParams, report: UpdateReport, log: Logg
 
   class ComponentExtractor(moduleReport: ModuleReport) {
     def component: Component = {
-      val group = moduleReport.module.organization
-      val name = moduleReport.module.name
-      val version = moduleReport.module.revision
+      val group: String = moduleReport.module.organization
+      val name: String = moduleReport.module.name
+      val version: String = moduleReport.module.revision
       /*
         moduleReport.extraAttributes found keys are:
           - "info.apiURL"
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ class BomExtractor(settings: BomExtractorParams, report: UpdateReport, log: Logg
       val component = new Component()
       component.setGroup(group)
       component.setName(name)
-      component.setVersion(moduleReport.module.revision)
+      component.setVersion(version)
       component.setModified(false)
       component.setType(Component.Type.LIBRARY)
       component.setPurl(
@@ -97,16 +98,20 @@ class BomExtractor(settings: BomExtractorParams, report: UpdateReport, log: Logg
     }
 
     private def licenseChoice: Option[LicenseChoice] = {
-      if (moduleReport.licenses.isEmpty)
+      val licenses: Seq[model.License] = moduleReport.licenses.map {
+        case (name, mayBeUrl) =>
+          model.License(name, mayBeUrl)
+      }
+      if (licenses.isEmpty)
         None
       else {
         val choice = new LicenseChoice()
-        moduleReport.licenses.foreach {
-          case (name, mayBeUrl) =>
+        licenses.foreach {
+          modelLicense =>
             val license = new License()
-            license.setName(name)
+            license.setName(modelLicense.name)
             if (settings.schemaVersion != CycloneDxSchema.Version.VERSION_10) {
-              mayBeUrl.foreach(license.setUrl)
+              modelLicense.url.foreach(license.setUrl)
             }
             choice.addLicense(license)
         }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomSbtPlugin.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomSbtPlugin.scala
index 7286a90..a8f74f8 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomSbtPlugin.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomSbtPlugin.scala
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package io.github.siculo.sbtbom
 
+import io.github.siculo.sbtbom.PluginConstants._
 import org.cyclonedx.model.Component
 import sbt.Keys.{artifact, configuration, version}
-import sbt.SlashSyntax.RichConfiguration
 import sbt.{Def, _}
 
 import scala.language.postfixOps
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ object BomSbtPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
 
   object autoImport {
     lazy val bomFileName: SettingKey[String] = settingKey[String]("bom file name")
+    lazy val bomSchemaVersion: SettingKey[String] = settingKey[String](s"bom schema version; must be one of ${supportedVersionsDescr}; default is ${defaultSupportedVersionDescr}")
     lazy val makeBom: TaskKey[sbt.File] = taskKey[sbt.File]("Generates bom file")
     lazy val listBom: TaskKey[String] = taskKey[String]("Returns the bom")
     lazy val components: TaskKey[Component] = taskKey[Component]("Returns the bom")
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ object BomSbtPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
     }
     Seq(
       bomFileName := bomFileNameSetting.value,
+      bomSchemaVersion := defaultSupportedVersion.getVersionString,
       makeBom := Def.taskDyn(BomSbtSettings.makeBomTask(Classpaths.updateTask.value, Compile)).value,
       listBom := Def.taskDyn(BomSbtSettings.listBomTask(Classpaths.updateTask.value, Compile)).value,
       Test / makeBom := Def.taskDyn(BomSbtSettings.makeBomTask(Classpaths.updateTask.value, Test)).value,
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomSbtSettings.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomSbtSettings.scala
index 85436d8..1af5531 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomSbtSettings.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomSbtSettings.scala
@@ -1,50 +1,20 @@
 package io.github.siculo.sbtbom
 
-import _root_.io.github.siculo.sbtbom.BomSbtPlugin.autoImport._
-import org.apache.commons.io.FileUtils
-import org.cyclonedx.model.Bom
-import org.cyclonedx.{BomGeneratorFactory, CycloneDxSchema}
-import sbt.Keys.{configuration, sLog, target}
-import sbt.{Compile, Configuration, Def, File, IntegrationTest, Provided, Runtime, Test, _}
-
-import java.nio.charset.Charset
+import io.github.siculo.sbtbom.BomSbtPlugin.autoImport._
+import sbt.Keys.{sLog, target}
+import sbt._
 
 object BomSbtSettings {
-  val schemaVersion: CycloneDxSchema.Version = CycloneDxSchema.Version.VERSION_10
-
   def makeBomTask(report: UpdateReport, currentConfiguration: Configuration): Def.Initialize[Task[sbt.File]] = Def.task[File] {
-    val log: Logger = sLog.value
-
-    val bomFile = target.value / (currentConfiguration / bomFileName).value
-
-    log.info(s"Creating bom file ${bomFile.getAbsolutePath}")
-
-    val params = extractorParams(currentConfiguration)
-    val bom: Bom = new BomExtractor(params, report, log).bom
-    val bomText: String = getXmlText(bom, schemaVersion)
-    logBomInfo(log, params, bom)
-
-    FileUtils.write(bomFile, bomText, Charset.forName("UTF-8"), false)
-
-    log.info(s"Bom file ${bomFile.getAbsolutePath} created")
-
-    bomFile
+    new MakeBomTask(
+      BomTaskProperties(report, currentConfiguration, sLog.value, bomSchemaVersion.value),
+      target.value / (currentConfiguration / bomFileName).value
+    ).execute
   }
 
   def listBomTask(report: UpdateReport, currentConfiguration: Configuration): Def.Initialize[Task[String]] =
     Def.task[String] {
-      val log: Logger = sLog.value
-
-      log.info("Creating bom")
-
-      val params = extractorParams(currentConfiguration)
-      val bom: Bom = new BomExtractor(params, report, log).bom
-      val bomText: String = getXmlText(bom, schemaVersion)
-      logBomInfo(log, params, bom)
-
-      log.info("Bom created")
-
-      bomText
+      new ListBomTask(BomTaskProperties(report, currentConfiguration, sLog.value, bomSchemaVersion.value)).execute
     }
 
   def bomConfigurationTask(currentConfiguration: Option[Configuration]): Def.Initialize[Task[Seq[Configuration]]] =
@@ -76,20 +46,4 @@ object BomSbtSettings {
       }
     }
 
-  private def extractorParams(currentConfiguration: Configuration): BomExtractorParams =
-    BomExtractorParams(schemaVersion, currentConfiguration)
-
-  private def logBomInfo(log: Logger, params: BomExtractorParams, bom: Bom): Unit = {
-    log.info(s"Schema version: ${schemaVersion.getVersionString}")
-    log.info(s"Serial number : ${bom.getSerialNumber}")
-    log.info(s"Scope         : ${params.configuration.id}")
-  }
-
-  private def getXmlText(bom: Bom, schemaVersion: CycloneDxSchema.Version) = {
-    val bomGenerator = BomGeneratorFactory.createXml(schemaVersion, bom)
-    bomGenerator.generate
-    val bomText = bomGenerator.toXmlString
-    bomText
-  }
-
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomTask.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomTask.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62ed7a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/BomTask.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+package io.github.siculo.sbtbom
+
+import io.github.siculo.sbtbom.PluginConstants._
+import org.apache.commons.io.FileUtils
+import org.cyclonedx.model.Bom
+import org.cyclonedx.parsers.XmlParser
+import org.cyclonedx.{BomGeneratorFactory, CycloneDxSchema}
+import sbt._
+
+import java.nio.charset.Charset
+import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
+
+case class BomTaskProperties(report: UpdateReport, currentConfiguration: Configuration, log: Logger, schemaVersion: String)
+
+abstract class BomTask[T](protected val properties: BomTaskProperties) {
+
+  def execute: T
+
+  protected def getBomText: String = {
+    val params: BomExtractorParams = extractorParams(currentConfiguration)
+    val bom: Bom = new BomExtractor(params, report, log).bom
+    val bomText: String = getXmlText(bom)
+    logBomInfo(params, bom)
+    bomText
+  }
+
+  protected def writeToFile(destFile: File, text: String): Unit = {
+    FileUtils.write(destFile, text, Charset.forName("UTF-8"), false)
+  }
+
+  protected def validateBomFile(bomFile: File): Unit = {
+    val parser = new XmlParser()
+    val exceptions = parser.validate(bomFile, schemaVersion).asScala
+    if (exceptions.nonEmpty) {
+      val message = s"The BOM file ${bomFile.getAbsolutePath} does not conform to the CycloneDX BOM standard as defined by the XSD"
+      log.error(s"$message:")
+      exceptions.foreach {
+        exception =>
+          log.error(s"- ${exception.getMessage}")
+      }
+      throw new BomError(message)
+    }
+  }
+
+  @throws[BomError]
+  protected def raiseException(message: String): Unit = {
+    log.error(message)
+    throw new BomError(message)
+  }
+
+  private def extractorParams(currentConfiguration: Configuration): BomExtractorParams =
+    BomExtractorParams(schemaVersion, currentConfiguration)
+
+  private def getXmlText(bom: Bom): String = {
+    val bomGenerator = BomGeneratorFactory.createXml(schemaVersion, bom)
+    bomGenerator.generate
+    val bomText = bomGenerator.toXmlString
+    bomText
+  }
+
+  protected def logBomInfo(params: BomExtractorParams, bom: Bom): Unit = {
+    log.info(s"Schema version: ${schemaVersion.getVersionString}")
+    // log.info(s"Serial number : ${bom.getSerialNumber}")
+    log.info(s"Scope         : ${params.configuration.id}")
+  }
+
+  protected def report: UpdateReport = properties.report
+
+  protected def currentConfiguration: Configuration = properties.currentConfiguration
+
+  protected def log: Logger = properties.log
+
+  protected lazy val schemaVersion: CycloneDxSchema.Version =
+    supportedVersions.find(_.getVersionString == properties.schemaVersion) match {
+      case Some(foundVersion) => foundVersion
+      case None =>
+        val message = s"Unsupported schema version ${properties.schemaVersion}"
+        log.error(message)
+        throw new BomError(message)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/ListBomTask.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/ListBomTask.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df67692
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/ListBomTask.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package io.github.siculo.sbtbom
+
+class ListBomTask(properties: BomTaskProperties) extends BomTask[String](properties) {
+  override def execute: String = {
+    log.info("Creating bom")
+    val bomText = getBomText
+    log.info("Bom created")
+    bomText
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/MakeBomTask.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/MakeBomTask.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..816658e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/MakeBomTask.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package io.github.siculo.sbtbom
+
+import sbt._
+
+class MakeBomTask(properties: BomTaskProperties,
+                  bomFile: File)
+  extends BomTask[File](properties) {
+
+  override def execute: File = {
+    log.info(s"Creating bom file ${bomFile.getAbsolutePath}")
+    val bomText = getBomText
+    writeToFile(bomFile, bomText)
+    validateBomFile(bomFile)
+    log.info(s"Bom file ${bomFile.getAbsolutePath} created")
+    bomFile
+  }
+}
+
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/PluginConstants.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/PluginConstants.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8eecb1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/PluginConstants.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package io.github.siculo.sbtbom
+
+import org.cyclonedx.CycloneDxSchema
+
+object PluginConstants {
+  val supportedVersions: Seq[CycloneDxSchema.Version] = Seq(
+    CycloneDxSchema.Version.VERSION_10,
+    CycloneDxSchema.Version.VERSION_11,
+    CycloneDxSchema.Version.VERSION_12,
+    CycloneDxSchema.Version.VERSION_13,
+    CycloneDxSchema.Version.VERSION_14
+  )
+  val defaultSupportedVersion = CycloneDxSchema.Version.VERSION_10
+  val supportedVersionsDescr: String = {
+    supportedVersions.take(supportedVersions.size - 1).map(schemaVersionDescr).mkString(", ") + " or " + schemaVersionDescr(supportedVersions.last)
+  }
+  val defaultSupportedVersionDescr: String = schemaVersionDescr(defaultSupportedVersion)
+
+  private def schemaVersionDescr(version: CycloneDxSchema.Version): String = {
+    s""""${version.getVersionString}""""
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/model/License.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/model/License.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..895eb59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/model/License.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+package io.github.siculo.sbtbom.model
+
+case class License(name: String, url: Option[String])
diff --git a/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/model/Module.scala b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/model/Module.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..955a8d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/model/Module.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package io.github.siculo.sbtbom.model
+
+import org.cyclonedx.model.Component.{Scope, Type}
+
+case class Module(
+                   group: String,
+                   name: String,
+                   version: String,
+                   modified: Boolean,
+                   componentType: Type,
+                   componentScope: Scope,
+                   licenses: Seq[License]
+                 )
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/build.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f029da0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/build.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import sbt.Keys._
+
+lazy val root = (project in file("."))
+  .settings(
+    name := "dependencies",
+    version := "0.1",
+    libraryDependencies ++= Dependencies.library,
+    Test / bomFileName := "bom.xml",
+    scalaVersion := "2.12.8",
+    bomSchemaVersion := "999",
+    check := Def.sequential(
+      Compile / clean,
+      Compile / compile,
+      checkTask
+    ).value
+  )
+
+lazy val check = taskKey[Unit]("check")
+lazy val checkTask = Def.task {
+  val s: TaskStreams = streams.value
+  s.log.info("Verifying makeBom param validation...")
+  (Test / makeBom).value
+}
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/project/Dependencies.scala b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/project/Dependencies.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1de6282
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/project/Dependencies.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import sbt._
+
+object Dependencies {
+
+  private val circeVersion = "0.10.0"
+  private val scalatestVersion = "3.0.5"
+
+  lazy val library = Seq(
+    "io.circe" %% "circe-core" % circeVersion,
+    "io.circe" %% "circe-generic" % circeVersion,
+    "io.circe" %% "circe-parser" % circeVersion,
+    "org.scalatest" %% "scalatest" % scalatestVersion % Test,
+  )
+
+}
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/project/build.properties b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/project/build.properties
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19479ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/project/build.properties
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+sbt.version=1.5.2
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/project/plugins.sbt b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/project/plugins.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..20b5061
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/project/plugins.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+(
+  sys.props.get("plugin.version"),
+  sys.props.get("plugin.organization")
+) match {
+  case (Some(version), Some(organization)) =>
+    addSbtPlugin(organization % "sbt-bom" % version)
+  case (None, _) =>
+    sys.error(
+      """|The system property 'plugin.version' is not defined.
+         |Specify this property using the scriptedLaunchOpts -D.""".stripMargin
+    )
+  case (_, None) =>
+    sys.error(
+      """|The system property 'plugin.organization' is not defined.
+         |Specify this property using the scriptedLaunchOpts -D.""".stripMargin
+    )
+}
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/test b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c2c893
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/schemaVersion/unsupported/test
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+-> check
diff --git a/src/test/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/PluginConstantsSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/PluginConstantsSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c584866
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/scala/io/github/siculo/sbtbom/PluginConstantsSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package io.github.siculo.sbtbom
+
+import org.scalatest.matchers.should.Matchers
+import org.scalatest.wordspec.AnyWordSpec
+
+class PluginConstantsSpec extends AnyWordSpec with Matchers {
+  "PluginConstants" should {
+    "return the description of the supported versions" in {
+      PluginConstants.supportedVersionsDescr shouldBe """"1.0", "1.1", "1.2", "1.3" or "1.4""""
+    }
+  }
+}