diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidationState.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidationState.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..54bbde9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidationState.java
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2022.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Object used to record state of a QInstance having been validated.
+ **
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public enum QInstanceValidationState
+{
+   PENDING,
+   RUNNING,
+   COMPLETE
+}
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java
index 765e8e7c..9ece09aa 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/instances/QInstanceValidator.java
@@ -139,14 +139,20 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
     *******************************************************************************/
    public void validate(QInstance qInstance) throws QInstanceValidationException
    {
-      if(qInstance.getHasBeenValidated())
+      if(qInstance.getHasBeenValidated() || qInstance.getValidationIsRunning())
       {
-         //////////////////////////////////////////
-         // don't re-validate if previously done //
-         //////////////////////////////////////////
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // don't re-validate if previously complete or currently running (avoids recursive re-validation chaos!) //
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          return;
       }
 
+      ////////////////////////////////////
+      // mark validation as running now //
+      ////////////////////////////////////
+      QInstanceValidationKey validationKey = new QInstanceValidationKey();
+      qInstance.setValidationIsRunning(validationKey);
+
       /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       // the enricher will build a join graph (if there are any joins).  we'd like to only do that       //
       // once, during the enrichment/validation work, so, capture it, and store it back in the instance. //
@@ -207,9 +213,11 @@ public class QInstanceValidator
          throw (new QInstanceValidationException(errors));
       }
 
-      QInstanceValidationKey validationKey = new QInstanceValidationKey();
-      qInstance.setHasBeenValidated(validationKey);
+      //////////////////////////////
+      // mark validation complete //
+      //////////////////////////////
       qInstance.setJoinGraph(validationKey, joinGraph);
+      qInstance.setHasBeenValidated(validationKey);
    }
 
 
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/QInstance.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/QInstance.java
index 3efc1cda..fea69209 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/QInstance.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/metadata/QInstance.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.metadata.MetaDataAction;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QInstanceHelpContentManager;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QInstanceValidationKey;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.instances.QInstanceValidationState;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.AbstractActionInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.metadata.MetaDataInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.metadata.MetaDataOutput;
@@ -112,10 +113,13 @@ public class QInstance
    private QPermissionRules defaultPermissionRules = QPermissionRules.defaultInstance();
    private QAuditRules      defaultAuditRules      = QAuditRules.defaultInstanceLevelNone();
 
-   // todo - lock down the object (no more changes allowed) after it's been validated?
+   //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+   // todo - lock down the object (no more changes allowed) after it's been validated? //
+   //  if doing so, may need to copy all of the collections into read-only versions... //
+   //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
    @JsonIgnore
-   private boolean hasBeenValidated = false;
+   private QInstanceValidationState validationState = QInstanceValidationState.PENDING;
 
    private Map<String, String> memoizedTablePaths   = new HashMap<>();
    private Map<String, String> memoizedProcessPaths = new HashMap<>();
@@ -799,32 +803,58 @@ public class QInstance
     *******************************************************************************/
    public boolean getHasBeenValidated()
    {
-      return hasBeenValidated;
+      return validationState.equals(QInstanceValidationState.COMPLETE);
    }
 
 
 
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** If pass a QInstanceValidationKey (which can only be instantiated by the validator),
-    ** then the hasBeenValidated field will be set to true.
+    ** then the validationState will be set to COMPLETE.
     **
-    ** Else, if passed a null, hasBeenValidated will be reset to false - e.g., to
+    ** Else, if passed a null, the validationState will be reset to PENDING.  e.g., to
     ** re-trigger validation (can be useful in tests).
     *******************************************************************************/
    public void setHasBeenValidated(QInstanceValidationKey key)
    {
       if(key == null)
       {
-         this.hasBeenValidated = false;
+         this.validationState = QInstanceValidationState.PENDING;
       }
       else
       {
-         this.hasBeenValidated = true;
+         this.validationState = QInstanceValidationState.COMPLETE;
       }
    }
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** If pass a QInstanceValidationKey (which can only be instantiated by the validator),
+    ** then the validationState set to RUNNING.
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public void setValidationIsRunning(QInstanceValidationKey key)
+   {
+      if(key != null)
+      {
+         this.validationState = QInstanceValidationState.RUNNING;
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** check if the instance is currently running validation.
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public boolean getValidationIsRunning()
+   {
+      return validationState.equals(QInstanceValidationState.RUNNING);
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Getter for branding
     **