diff --git a/lib/MemberBuilder.js b/lib/MemberBuilder.js
index 1719a86..14d848f 100644
--- a/lib/MemberBuilder.js
+++ b/lib/MemberBuilder.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ module.exports = function MemberBuilder( wrap_method, wrap_override )
     this._wrapOverride = wrap_override;
 
     // XXX: temporarily tightly coupled
-    this._validate     = validate;
+    this._validate = validate;
 };
 
 
@@ -174,58 +174,13 @@ exports.buildProp = function( members, meta, name, value, keywords, base )
 {
     // TODO: We can improve performance by not scanning each one individually
     // every time this method is called
-    var prev_data = scanMembers( members, name, base ),
-        prev      = ( prev_data ) ? prev_data.member : null;
+    var prev_data     = scanMembers( members, name, base ),
+        prev          = ( prev_data ) ? prev_data.member : null,
+        prev_keywords = ( prev ) ? prev[ 1 ] : null;
 
-    // disallow overriding methods with properties
-    if ( prev instanceof Function )
-    {
-        throw new TypeError(
-            "Cannot override method '" + name + "' with property"
-        );
-    }
-
-    // do not allow overriding getters/setters
-    if ( prev_data && ( prev_data.get || prev_data.set ) )
-     {
-        throw TypeError(
-            "Cannot override getter/setter '" + name + "' with property"
-        );
-    }
-
-    // do not permit visibility de-escalation
-    if ( prev &&
-        ( this._getVisibilityValue( prev[ 1 ] )
-            < this._getVisibilityValue( keywords )
-        )
-    )
-    {
-        throw TypeError(
-            "Cannot de-escalate visibility of property '" + name + "'"
-        );
-    }
-
-    // abstract properties do not make sense
-    if ( keywords[ 'abstract' ] )
-    {
-        throw TypeError(
-            "Property '" + name + "' cannot be declared as abstract"
-        );
-    }
-
-    if ( keywords[ 'static' ] && keywords[ 'const' ] )
-    {
-        throw TypeError(
-            "Static keyword cannot be used with const for property '" +
-            name + "'"
-        );
-    }
-
-    // properties are inherently virtual
-    if ( keywords['virtual'] )
-    {
-        throw TypeError( "Cannot declare property '" + name + "' as virtual" );
-    }
+    this._validate.validateProperty(
+        name, value, keywords, prev_data, prev_keywords
+    );
 
     getMemberVisibility( members, keywords )[ name ] = [ value, keywords ];
 };
diff --git a/lib/MemberBuilderValidator.js b/lib/MemberBuilderValidator.js
index b18cfbc..b11676d 100644
--- a/lib/MemberBuilderValidator.js
+++ b/lib/MemberBuilderValidator.js
@@ -156,6 +156,80 @@ exports.prototype.validateMethod = function(
 };
 
 
+/**
+ * Validates a property declaration, ensuring that keywords are valid, overrides
+ * make sense, etc.
+ *
+ * Throws exception on validation failure
+ *
+ * @param  {string}  name  method name
+ * @param  {*}       value method value
+ *
+ * @param  {Object.<string,boolean>}  keywords  parsed keywords
+ *
+ * @param  {Object}  prev_data      data of member being overridden
+ * @param  {Object}  prev_keywords  keywords of member being overridden
+ *
+ * @return {undefined}
+ */
+exports.prototype.validateProperty = function(
+    name, value, keywords, prev_data, prev_keywords
+)
+{
+    var prev = ( prev_data ) ? prev_data.member : null;
+
+    // disallow overriding methods with properties
+    if ( prev instanceof Function )
+    {
+        throw new TypeError(
+            "Cannot override method '" + name + "' with property"
+        );
+    }
+
+    // do not allow overriding getters/setters
+    if ( prev_data && ( prev_data.get || prev_data.set ) )
+     {
+        throw TypeError(
+            "Cannot override getter/setter '" + name + "' with property"
+        );
+    }
+
+    // do not permit visibility de-escalation
+    if ( prev &&
+        ( this._getVisibilityValue( prev_keywords )
+            < this._getVisibilityValue( keywords )
+        )
+    )
+    {
+        throw TypeError(
+            "Cannot de-escalate visibility of property '" + name + "'"
+        );
+    }
+
+    // abstract properties do not make sense
+    if ( keywords[ 'abstract' ] )
+    {
+        throw TypeError(
+            "Property '" + name + "' cannot be declared as abstract"
+        );
+    }
+
+    if ( keywords[ 'static' ] && keywords[ 'const' ] )
+    {
+        throw TypeError(
+            "Static keyword cannot be used with const for property '" +
+            name + "'"
+        );
+    }
+
+    // properties are inherently virtual
+    if ( keywords['virtual'] )
+    {
+        throw TypeError( "Cannot declare property '" + name + "' as virtual" );
+    }
+};
+
+
 /**
  * Return the visibility level as a numeric value, where 0 is public and 2 is
  * private
diff --git a/test/test-member_builder-prop.js b/test/test-member_builder-prop.js
index 27af60d..4ca47db 100644
--- a/test/test-member_builder-prop.js
+++ b/test/test-member_builder-prop.js
@@ -39,14 +39,13 @@ var common    = require( './common' ),
 ;
 
 
-mb_common.funcVal     = null;
-mb_common.value       = { baj: 'baz' };
-mb_common.buildMember = builder.buildProp
+mb_common.funcVal = null;
+mb_common.value   = { baj: 'baz' };
 
 // must wrap to call in proper context
-var builder_method = function()
+var builder_method = mb_common.buildMember = function()
 {
-    builder.buildMethod.apply( builder, arguments );
+    builder.buildProp.apply( builder, arguments );
 }
 
 // do assertions common to all member builders
@@ -94,6 +93,7 @@ mb_common.assertCommon();
 {
     try
     {
+        mb_common.buildMember = builder_method;
         mb_common.buildMemberQuick( { 'virtual': true } );
     }
     catch ( e )