diff --git a/lib/helpers/validate-account.js b/lib/helpers/validate-account.js
index 6d2e924d..ecac3ff8 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/validate-account.js
+++ b/lib/helpers/validate-account.js
@@ -22,12 +22,34 @@ var getRequiredRegistrationFields = require('./get-required-registration-fields'
  */
 module.exports = function (formData, stormpathConfig, callback) {
   var accountFieldNames = Object.keys(formData);
+  var customFieldNames = formData.customData
+    ? Object.keys(formData.customData)
+    : [];
   var errors = [];
 
+  // Considers `0` and `false` valid values
+  function isSet(value) {
+    return value !== '' && value !== null && typeof value !== 'undefined';
+  }
+
+  function isFieldIncluded(field) {
+    // Is it included directly in the core object?
+    if (accountFieldNames.indexOf(field.name) >= 0 && isSet(formData[field.name])) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    // Is it included in the custom data?
+    if (customFieldNames.indexOf(field.name) >= 0 && isSet(formData.customData[field.name])) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+  }
+
   getRequiredRegistrationFields(stormpathConfig, function (requiredFields) {
     async.each(requiredFields, function (field, cb) {
-      if (accountFieldNames.indexOf(field.name) <= -1 || (accountFieldNames.indexOf(field.name) > -1 && !formData[field.name])) {
-        errors.push(new Error((field.label || field.label) + ' required.'));
+      if (!isFieldIncluded(field)) {
+        errors.push(new Error((field.label || field.name) + ' required.'));
       }
 
       cb();
diff --git a/test/helpers/test-validate-account.js b/test/helpers/test-validate-account.js
index a3d9c02b..e17b37f4 100644
--- a/test/helpers/test-validate-account.js
+++ b/test/helpers/test-validate-account.js
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ describe('validateAccount', function () {
             confirmPassword: {
               enabled: true,
               required: true
+            },
+            color: {
+              enabled: true,
+              required: true,
+              label: 'Color'
             }
           }
         }
@@ -42,7 +47,26 @@ describe('validateAccount', function () {
       surname: 'Degges',
       email: 'randall@stormpath.com',
       password: 'FASRbaBjkrqJSNVlUrV2ZyUy5iUX8UEZ3TW3nejX',
-      confirmPassword: 'FASRbaBjkrqJSNVlUrV2ZyUy5iUX8UEZ3TW3nejX'
+      confirmPassword: 'FASRbaBjkrqJSNVlUrV2ZyUy5iUX8UEZ3TW3nejX',
+      customData: {
+        color: 'purple'
+      }
+    };
+
+    helpers.validateAccount(accountData, config, function (errors) {
+      assert.equal(errors, null);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should support custom data properties on the root object', function (done) {
+    var accountData = {
+      givenName: 'Randall',
+      surname: 'Degges',
+      email: 'randall@stormpath.com',
+      password: 'FASRbaBjkrqJSNVlUrV2ZyUy5iUX8UEZ3TW3nejX',
+      confirmPassword: 'FASRbaBjkrqJSNVlUrV2ZyUy5iUX8UEZ3TW3nejX',
+      color: 'purple'
     };
 
     helpers.validateAccount(accountData, config, function (errors) {
@@ -57,7 +81,10 @@ describe('validateAccount', function () {
       surname: 'Degges',
       email: 'randall@stormpath.com',
       password: 'woot',
-      confirmPassword: 'woothi'
+      confirmPassword: 'woothi',
+      customData: {
+        color: 'purple'
+      }
     };
 
     helpers.validateAccount(accountData, config, function (errors) {
@@ -70,7 +97,10 @@ describe('validateAccount', function () {
   it('should return the right number of errors if errors are present', function (done) {
     var accountData = {
       givenName: 'Randall',
-      surname: 'Degges'
+      surname: 'Degges',
+      customData: {
+        color: 'purple'
+      }
     };
 
     helpers.validateAccount(accountData, config, function (errors) {
@@ -78,4 +108,20 @@ describe('validateAccount', function () {
       done();
     });
   });
+
+  it('should correctly validate required fields by also looking into custom data', function (done) {
+    var accountData = {
+      givenName: 'Randall',
+      surname: 'Degges',
+      email: 'randall@stormpath.com',
+      password: 'FASRbaBjkrqJSNVlUrV2ZyUy5iUX8UEZ3TW3nejX',
+      confirmPassword: 'FASRbaBjkrqJSNVlUrV2ZyUy5iUX8UEZ3TW3nejX'
+    };
+
+    helpers.validateAccount(accountData, config, function (errors) {
+      assert.equal(errors.length, 1);
+      assert.equal(errors[0].message, 'Color required.');
+      done();
+    });
+  });
 });