diff --git a/barbican/common/validators.py b/barbican/common/validators.py
index eb2335efa..426979b8c 100644
--- a/barbican/common/validators.py
+++ b/barbican/common/validators.py
@@ -154,9 +154,9 @@ class NewSecretValidator(ValidatorBase):
         expiration = self._extract_expiration(json_data, schema_name)
         self._assert_expiration_is_valid(expiration, schema_name)
         json_data['expiration'] = expiration
+        content_type = json_data.get('payload_content_type')
 
         if 'payload' in json_data:
-            content_type = json_data.get('payload_content_type')
             content_encoding = json_data.get('payload_content_encoding')
             self._validate_content_parameters(content_type, content_encoding,
                                               schema_name)
@@ -173,6 +173,10 @@ class NewSecretValidator(ValidatorBase):
                                       "payload_content_type is specified"),
                                   "payload")
 
+            if content_type:
+                self._validate_payload_content_type_is_supported(content_type,
+                                                                 schema_name)
+
         return json_data
 
     def _extract_name(self, json_data):
@@ -225,12 +229,8 @@ class NewSecretValidator(ValidatorBase):
                 "be supplied."),
             "payload_content_type")
 
-        self._assert_validity(
-            content_type.lower() in mime_types.SUPPORTED,
-            schema_name,
-            u._("payload_content_type is not one of {supported}").format(
-                supported=mime_types.SUPPORTED),
-            "payload_content_type")
+        self._validate_payload_content_type_is_supported(content_type,
+                                                         schema_name)
 
         if content_type == 'application/octet-stream':
             self._assert_validity(
@@ -248,6 +248,15 @@ class NewSecretValidator(ValidatorBase):
                     "payload_content_type is text/plain"),
                 "payload_content_encoding")
 
+    def _validate_payload_content_type_is_supported(self, content_type,
+                                                    schema_name):
+        self._assert_validity(
+            content_type.lower() in mime_types.SUPPORTED,
+            schema_name,
+            u._("payload_content_type is not one of {supported}").format(
+                supported=mime_types.SUPPORTED),
+            "payload_content_type")
+
     def _extract_payload(self, json_data):
         """Extracts and returns the payload from the JSON data.
 
diff --git a/barbican/tests/api/test_resources.py b/barbican/tests/api/test_resources.py
index 5da851fe9..ac1ce37e7 100644
--- a/barbican/tests/api/test_resources.py
+++ b/barbican/tests/api/test_resources.py
@@ -1516,8 +1516,7 @@ class WhenCreatingOrdersUsingOrdersResource(FunctionalTest):
                      "algorithm": "AES",
                      "bit_length": 256,
                      "mode": "cbc",
-                     'payload_content_type':
-                     'application/octet-stream'}
+                     'payload_content_type': 'application/octet-stream'}
 
         self.key_order_req = {'type': self.type,
                               'meta': self.meta}
@@ -1594,6 +1593,15 @@ class WhenCreatingOrdersUsingOrdersResource(FunctionalTest):
         )
         self.assertEqual(resp.status_int, 415)
 
+    def test_should_raise_add_new_order_with_unsupported_content_type(self):
+        self.meta["payload_content_type"] = 'unsupported type'
+        resp = self.app.post_json(
+            '/orders/',
+            self.key_order_req,
+            expect_errors=True,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(resp.status_int, 400)
+
 
 class WhenGettingOrdersListUsingOrdersResource(FunctionalTest):
     def setUp(self):
diff --git a/barbican/tests/common/test_validators.py b/barbican/tests/common/test_validators.py
index ea51a543a..d2592a479 100644
--- a/barbican/tests/common/test_validators.py
+++ b/barbican/tests/common/test_validators.py
@@ -887,8 +887,10 @@ class WhenTestingAsymmetricTypeOrderValidator(utils.BaseTestCase):
                           self.asymmetric_order_req)
 
     def test_should_raise_with_wrong_payload_content_type_in_order_refs(self):
-        self.asymmetric_order_req['meta'
-                                  ]['payload_content_type'] = 'plain/text'
+        # NOTE(jaosorior): this is actually a valid content type, but it is not
+        # supported by asymmetric key orders.
+        self.asymmetric_order_req['meta']['payload_content_type'] = (
+            'text/plain')
         self.assertRaises(excep.UnsupportedField,
                           self.validator.validate,
                           self.asymmetric_order_req)
diff --git a/functionaltests/api/v1/functional/test_orders.py b/functionaltests/api/v1/functional/test_orders.py
index 25689eaf9..c0f34c541 100644
--- a/functionaltests/api/v1/functional/test_orders.py
+++ b/functionaltests/api/v1/functional/test_orders.py
@@ -384,11 +384,8 @@ class OrdersTestCase(base.TestCase):
 
     @utils.parameterized_dataset({
         'empty': [''],
-        'invalid': ['invalid'],
-        'text': ['text'],
         'text/plain': ['text/plain'],
         'text_plain_space_charset_utf8': ['text/plain; charset=utf-8'],
-        'text_slash_with_no_subtype': ['text/']
     })
     @testcase.attr('positive')
     def test_create_order_defaults_valid_payload_content_type(self, pct):
@@ -402,7 +399,10 @@ class OrdersTestCase(base.TestCase):
 
     @utils.parameterized_dataset({
         'int': [123],
-        'oversized_string': [base.TestCase.oversized_field]
+        'invalid': ['invalid'],
+        'oversized_string': [base.TestCase.oversized_field],
+        'text': ['text'],
+        'text_slash_with_no_subtype': ['text/'],
     })
     @testcase.attr('negative')
     def test_create_order_defaults_invalid_payload_content_type(self, pct):