diff --git a/pkg/validationfile/fileformat.go b/pkg/validationfile/fileformat.go
index d38d60786d..026ca4cde9 100644
--- a/pkg/validationfile/fileformat.go
+++ b/pkg/validationfile/fileformat.go
@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
 package validationfile
 
 import (
-	"errors"
-
 	yamlv3 "gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 
-	"github.com/ccoveille/go-safecast"
-
-	"github.com/authzed/spicedb/pkg/spiceerrors"
 	"github.com/authzed/spicedb/pkg/validationfile/blocks"
 )
 
@@ -48,36 +43,6 @@ type ValidationFile struct {
 	SchemaFile string `yaml:"schemaFile"`
 }
 
-func (vf *ValidationFile) UnmarshalYAML(node *yamlv3.Node) error {
-	type alias ValidationFile // To avoid recursion during decoding
-	temp := &alias{}
-	if err := node.Decode(temp); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	*vf = ValidationFile(*temp)
-
-	// Enforce either one of schema or schemaFile is set.
-	if vf.Schema == (blocks.ParsedSchema{}) && temp.SchemaFile == "" {
-		line, err := safecast.ToUint64(node.Line)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		column, err := safecast.ToUint64(node.Column)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		return spiceerrors.NewWithSourceError(
-			errors.New("validation file must specify either 'schema' or 'schemaFile'"),
-			"validation file",
-			line,
-			column,
-		)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // ParseAssertionsBlock parses the given contents as an assertions block.
 func ParseAssertionsBlock(contents []byte) (*blocks.Assertions, error) {
 	return blocks.ParseAssertionsBlock(contents)