diff --git a/PepperDashEssentials/ControlSystem.cs b/PepperDashEssentials/ControlSystem.cs
index 4cb58a24..17004617 100644
--- a/PepperDashEssentials/ControlSystem.cs
+++ b/PepperDashEssentials/ControlSystem.cs
@@ -95,9 +95,7 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials
 
                 var dirSeparator = Global.DirectorySeparator;
 
-                var version = Crestron.SimplSharp.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version;
-
-                var versionString = string.Format("{0}.{1}.{2}", version.Major, version.Minor, version.Build);
+                var versionString = Global.GetAssemblyVersion();
 
                 string directoryPrefix;
 
@@ -254,6 +252,27 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials
                                 var loadPlugin = methods.FirstOrDefault(m => m.Name.Equals("LoadPlugin"));
                                 if (loadPlugin != null)
                                 {
+                                    var properties = type.GetProperties(BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Static);
+                                    var minimumVersion = properties.FirstOrDefault(p => p.Name.Equals("MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion"));
+                                    if (minimumVersion != null)
+                                    {
+                                        var minimumVersionString = minimumVersion.GetValue(null, null) as string;
+
+                                        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(minimumVersionString))
+                                        {
+                                            var passed = Global.IsRunningMinimumVersionOrHigher(minimumVersionString);
+
+                                            if (!passed)
+                                            {
+                                                Debug.Console(0, Debug.ErrorLogLevel.Error, "Plugin indicates minimum Essentials version {0}.  Dependency check failed.  Skipping Plugin", minimumVersionString);
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                        else
+                                        {
+                                            Debug.Console(0, Debug.ErrorLogLevel.Warning, "MinimumEssentialsFrameworkVersion not defined.  Loading plugin, but your mileage may vary.");
+                                        }
+                                    }
+
                                     Debug.Console(0, Debug.ErrorLogLevel.Notice, "Adding type {0}", assy.Key, type.FullName);
                                     loadPlugin.Invoke(null, null);
                                 }
@@ -263,7 +282,6 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials
                                 Debug.Console(2, "Load Plugin not found. {0} is not a plugin assembly", assy.Value.FullName);
                                 continue;
                             }
-
                         }
                     }
                     catch
diff --git a/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/Global/Global.cs b/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/Global/Global.cs
index 6ce3446e..174042de 100644
--- a/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/Global/Global.cs	
+++ b/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/Global/Global.cs	
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-using Crestron.SimplSharp;
+using System;
+using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
+using Crestron.SimplSharp;
 using Crestron.SimplSharp.CrestronDataStore;
 using Crestron.SimplSharpPro;
 
@@ -45,6 +47,109 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core
             FilePathPrefix = prefix;
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets the Assembly Version of Essentials
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>The Assembly Version at Runtime</returns>
+        public static string GetAssemblyVersion()
+        {
+            var version = Crestron.SimplSharp.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version;
+
+            return string.Format("{0}.{1}.{2}", version.Major, version.Minor, version.Build);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Checks to see if the running version meets or exceed the minimum specified version.  For beta versions (0.xx.yy), will always return true.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="minimumVersion">Minimum specified version in format of xx.yy.zz</param>
+        /// <returns>Returns true if the running version meets or exceeds the minimum specified version</returns>
+        public static bool IsRunningMinimumVersionOrHigher(string minimumVersion)
+        {
+            var runtimeVersion = Crestron.SimplSharp.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version;
+
+            Debug.Console(2, "Comparing running version '{0}' to minimum version '{1}'", GetAssemblyVersion(), minimumVersion);
+
+            if (runtimeVersion.Major == 0)
+            {
+                Debug.Console(2, "Running Beta Build.  Bypassing Dependency Check.");
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            var minVersion = Regex.Match(minimumVersion, @"^(\d*).(\d*).(\d*)$");
+
+            if(!minVersion.Success)
+            {
+                Debug.Console(2, "minimumVersion String does not match format xx.yy.zz");
+                return false;
+
+            }
+
+            var minVersionMajor = Int16.Parse(minVersion.Groups[1].Value);
+            var minVersionMinor = Int16.Parse(minVersion.Groups[2].Value);
+            var minVersionBuild = Int16.Parse(minVersion.Groups[3].Value);
+
+            if (minVersionMajor < runtimeVersion.Major)
+                return false;
+
+            if (minVersionMinor < runtimeVersion.Minor)
+                return false;
+
+            if (minVersionBuild < runtimeVersion.Build)
+                return false;
+
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Attempts to validate the JSON against the specified schema
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="json">JSON to be validated</param>
+        /// <param name="schemaFileName">File name of schema to validate against</param>
+        public static void ValidateSchema(string json, string schemaFileName)
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                Debug.Console(0, Debug.ErrorLogLevel.Notice, "Validating Config against Schema...");
+                JObject config = JObject.Parse(json);
+
+                Debug.Console(2, "Config: \n{0}", json);
+
+                using (StreamReader fileStream = new StreamReader(schemaFileName))
+                {
+                    JsonSchemaResolver resolver = new JsonSchemaResolver();
+
+                    JsonSchema schema = JsonSchema.Parse(fileStream.ReadToEnd(), resolver);
+
+                    
+                    Debug.Console(2, "Schema: \n{0}", schema.ToString());
+
+                    if (config.IsValid(schema))
+                        Debug.Console(0, Debug.ErrorLogLevel.Notice, "Configuration successfully Validated Against Schema");
+                    else
+                    {
+                        Debug.Console(0, Debug.ErrorLogLevel.Warning, "Validation Errors Found in Configuration:");
+                        config.Validate(schema, Json_ValidationEventHandler);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                Debug.Console(1, "Error in ValidateSchema: {0}", e);
+            }
+        }
+
+
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Event Handler callback for JSON validation
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="sender"></param>
+        /// <param name="args"></param>
+        public static void Json_ValidationEventHandler(object sender, ValidationEventArgs args)
+        {
+            Debug.Console(0, Debug.ErrorLogLevel.Error, "JSON Validation error at line {0} position {1}: {2}", args.Exception.LineNumber, args.Exception.LinePosition, args.Message);
+        }
+
 		static Global()
 		{
 			// Fire up CrestronDataStoreStatic
diff --git a/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/PepperDash_Essentials_Core.csproj b/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/PepperDash_Essentials_Core.csproj
index c6915164..caffdc5b 100644
--- a/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/PepperDash_Essentials_Core.csproj	
+++ b/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/PepperDash_Essentials_Core.csproj	
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@
     <Compile Include="Monitoring\SystemMonitorController.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Microphone Privacy\MicrophonePrivacyController.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Microphone Privacy\MicrophonePrivacyControllerConfig.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Plugins\IEssentialsPlugin.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Ramps and Increments\ActionIncrementer.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Comm and IR\CommFactory.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Comm and IR\CommunicationExtras.cs" />