diff --git a/pkg/cmd/create/create.go b/pkg/cmd/create/create.go
index dc4e87e..eaf57fa 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/create/create.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ type CreateOptions struct {
 	Args                  []string
 }
 
-// NewCmdCreate creates a command object for the "create" command
+// NewCmdCreate creates a command object for the command
 func NewCmdCreate() (*cobra.Command, *CreateOptions) {
 	o := &CreateOptions{}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/run/run.go b/pkg/cmd/run/run.go
index c525c08..4da551d 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/run/run.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/run/run.go
@@ -330,6 +330,10 @@ func (o *RunOptions) verifyBootSecret(requirements *config.RequirementsConfig) e
 		data := secret.Data[key]
 		if len(data) > 0 {
 			found = true
+			err := secretmgr.VerifyBootSecrets(string(data))
+			if err != nil {
+				return errors.Wrapf(err, "invalid secrets yaml in kubernetes secret %s in namespace %s. Please run 'jxl boot secrets edit' to populate them", name, ns)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	if !found {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets.go b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets.go
index a325916..3eae01d 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets.go
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ func NewCmdSecrets() *cobra.Command {
 		},
 	}
 	command.AddCommand(common.SplitCommand(NewCmdEdit()))
-	command.AddCommand(common.SplitCommand(NewCmdImport()))
 	command.AddCommand(common.SplitCommand(NewCmdExport()))
+	command.AddCommand(common.SplitCommand(NewCmdImport()))
+	command.AddCommand(common.SplitCommand(NewCmdVerify()))
 	return command
 }
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_export.go b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_export.go
index 4049b18..166456a 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_export.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_export.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ type ExportOptions struct {
 	Console bool
 }
 
-// NewCmdExport creates a command object for the "create" command
+// NewCmdExport creates a command object for the command
 func NewCmdExport() (*cobra.Command, *ExportOptions) {
 	o := &ExportOptions{}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_import.go b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_import.go
index 77f5190..ee64f69 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_import.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_import.go
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ type ImportOptions struct {
 	File string
 }
 
-// NewCmdImport creates a command object for the "create" command
+// NewCmdImport creates a command object for the command
 func NewCmdImport() (*cobra.Command, *ImportOptions) {
 	o := &ImportOptions{}
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:     "import",
-		Short:   "imports the secrets from the local file system",
+		Short:   "Imports the secrets from the local file system",
 		Long:    importLong,
 		Example: fmt.Sprintf(importExample, common.BinaryName),
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_test.go b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_test.go
index 8962e25..ad70375 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_test.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ func TestImportExportCommands(t *testing.T) {
 
 	_, eo := secrets.NewCmdExport()
 	_, io := secrets.NewCmdImport()
+	_, vo := secrets.NewCmdVerify()
 
 	ns := "jx"
 	devEnv := kube.CreateDefaultDevEnvironment(ns)
@@ -51,6 +52,11 @@ func TestImportExportCommands(t *testing.T) {
 	f := fakejxfactory.NewFakeFactoryWithObjects(nil, jxObjects, ns)
 	eo.Factory = f
 	io.Factory = f
+	vo.Factory = f
+
+	err = vo.Run()
+	require.Errorf(t, err, "should have failed to verify secrets before they are imported")
+	t.Logf("caught expected error when no secrets yet: %s", err.Error())
 
 	fileName := tmpFile.Name()
 
@@ -74,4 +80,8 @@ func TestImportExportCommands(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to read the exported secrets file %s", fileName)
 	actual := string(data)
 	assert.Equal(t, modifiedYaml, actual, "the re-exported secrets YAML")
+
+	err = vo.Run()
+	require.NoError(t, err, "should not have failed to to verify secrets after they are imported")
+
 }
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_verify.go b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_verify.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a3e0e3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cmd/secrets/secrets_verify.go
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+package secrets
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/jenkins-x-labs/helmboot/pkg/common"
+	"github.com/jenkins-x-labs/helmboot/pkg/secretmgr/factory"
+	"github.com/jenkins-x/jx/pkg/cmd/helper"
+	"github.com/jenkins-x/jx/pkg/cmd/templates"
+	"github.com/jenkins-x/jx/pkg/log"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+var (
+	verifyLong = templates.LongDesc(`
+		Verifies the secrets are populated correctly
+`)
+
+	verifyExample = templates.Examples(`
+		# verifies the secrets are setup correctly
+		%s secrets verify
+	`)
+)
+
+// VerifyOptions the options for viewing running PRs
+type VerifyOptions struct {
+	factory.KindResolver
+	File string
+}
+
+// NewCmdVerify creates a command object for the command
+func NewCmdVerify() (*cobra.Command, *VerifyOptions) {
+	o := &VerifyOptions{}
+
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:     "verify",
+		Short:   "Verifies the secrets are populated correctly",
+		Long:    verifyLong,
+		Example: fmt.Sprintf(verifyExample, common.BinaryName),
+		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			err := o.Run()
+			helper.CheckErr(err)
+		},
+	}
+	AddKindResolverFlags(cmd, &o.KindResolver)
+	return cmd, o
+}
+
+// Run implements the command
+func (o *VerifyOptions) Run() error {
+	err := o.VerifySecrets()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	log.Logger().Infof("secrets are valid")
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/step/step_status.go b/pkg/cmd/step/step_status.go
index 7dd55c3..7855590 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/step/step_status.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/step/step_status.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ type StatusOptions struct {
 	JXFactory jxfactory.Factory
 }
 
-// NewCmdStatus creates a command object for the "create" command
+// NewCmdStatus creates a command object for the command
 func NewCmdStatus() (*cobra.Command, *StatusOptions) {
 	o := &StatusOptions{}
 
diff --git a/pkg/secretmgr/factory/resolver.go b/pkg/secretmgr/factory/resolver.go
index 3f28f13..088bd89 100644
--- a/pkg/secretmgr/factory/resolver.go
+++ b/pkg/secretmgr/factory/resolver.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package factory
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/jenkins-x-labs/helmboot/pkg/reqhelpers"
 	"github.com/jenkins-x-labs/helmboot/pkg/secretmgr"
@@ -57,6 +58,30 @@ func (r *KindResolver) CreateSecretManager() (secretmgr.SecretManager, error) {
 	return NewSecretManager(r.Kind, r.Factory, requirements)
 }
 
+// VerifySecrets verifies that the secrets are valid
+func (r *KindResolver) VerifySecrets() error {
+	secretsYAML := ""
+	sm, err := r.CreateSecretManager()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	cb := func(currentYAML string) (string, error) {
+		secretsYAML = currentYAML
+		return currentYAML, nil
+	}
+	err = sm.UpsertSecrets(cb, secretmgr.DefaultSecretsYaml)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to load Secrets YAML from secret manager %s", sm.String())
+	}
+
+	secretsYAML = strings.TrimSpace(secretsYAML)
+	if secretsYAML == "" {
+		return errors.Errorf("empty secrets YAML")
+	}
+	return secretmgr.VerifyBootSecrets(secretsYAML)
+}
+
 func (r *KindResolver) resolveKind(requirements *config.RequirementsConfig) (string, error) {
 	if requirements.Cluster.Provider == cloud.GKE {
 		// lets check if we have a Local secret otherwise default to Google
diff --git a/pkg/secretmgr/helpers.go b/pkg/secretmgr/helpers.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b8571e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/secretmgr/helpers.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+package secretmgr
+
+import (
+	"github.com/jenkins-x/jx/pkg/util"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
+)
+
+var expectedSecretPaths = []string{
+	"secrets.adminUser.username",
+	"secrets.adminUser.password",
+	"secrets.hmacToken",
+	"secrets.pipelineUser.username",
+	"secrets.pipelineUser.email",
+	"secrets.pipelineUser.token",
+}
+
+// VerifyBootSecrets verifies the boot secrets
+func VerifyBootSecrets(secretsYAML string) error {
+	data := map[string]interface{}{}
+
+	err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(secretsYAML), &data)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to unmarshal secrets YAML")
+	}
+
+	// simple validation for now, using presence of a string value
+	for _, path := range expectedSecretPaths {
+		value := util.GetMapValueAsStringViaPath(data, path)
+		if value == "" {
+			return errors.Errorf("missing secret entry: %s", path)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}