diff --git a/app/models/synapse.rb b/app/models/synapse.rb
index 943c8635..225485e5 100644
--- a/app/models/synapse.rb
+++ b/app/models/synapse.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ class Synapse < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   validates :desc, length: { minimum: 0, allow_nil: false }
 
+  validates :permission, presence: true
+  validates :permission, inclusion: { in: Perm::ISSIONS.map(&:to_s) }
+
   def user_name
     self.user.name
   end
diff --git a/app/models/topic.rb b/app/models/topic.rb
index 6f694868..e80d3df7 100644
--- a/app/models/topic.rb
+++ b/app/models/topic.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ class Topic < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   has_many :mappings, as: :mappable, dependent: :destroy
   has_many :maps, :through => :mappings
+
+  validates :permission, presence: true
+  validates :permission, inclusion: { in: Perm::ISSIONS.map(&:to_s) }
     
   # This method associates the attribute ":image" with a file attachment
   has_attached_file :image