diff --git a/api/util_test.go b/api/util_test.go
index 408d93a54d0..30feafdd3f4 100644
--- a/api/util_test.go
+++ b/api/util_test.go
@@ -21,7 +21,12 @@ func assertWriteMeta(t *testing.T, wm *WriteMeta) {
 
 func testJob() *Job {
 	task := NewTask("task1", "exec").
-		Require(&Resources{MemoryMB: 256})
+		Require(&Resources{
+		CPU:      100,
+		MemoryMB: 256,
+		DiskMB:   25,
+		IOPS:     10,
+	})
 
 	group := NewTaskGroup("group1", 1).
 		AddTask(task)
diff --git a/command/util_test.go b/command/util_test.go
index 5515a386552..c9bd741f6d0 100644
--- a/command/util_test.go
+++ b/command/util_test.go
@@ -40,7 +40,11 @@ func testServer(
 
 func testJob(jobID string) *api.Job {
 	task := api.NewTask("task1", "exec").
-		Require(&api.Resources{MemoryMB: 256})
+		Require(&api.Resources{
+		MemoryMB: 256,
+		DiskMB:   20,
+		CPU:      100,
+	})
 
 	group := api.NewTaskGroup("group1", 1).
 		AddTask(task)
diff --git a/jobspec/parse.go b/jobspec/parse.go
index 8f69ee8b2e6..8623a7e4378 100644
--- a/jobspec/parse.go
+++ b/jobspec/parse.go
@@ -619,6 +619,10 @@ func parseResources(result *structs.Resources, list *ast.ObjectList) error {
 		result.Networks = []*structs.NetworkResource{&r}
 	}
 
+	// Combine the parsed resources with a default resource block.
+	min := structs.DefaultResources()
+	min.Merge(result)
+	*result = *min
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/jobspec/parse_test.go b/jobspec/parse_test.go
index 31a9edbbceb..e45203757a4 100644
--- a/jobspec/parse_test.go
+++ b/jobspec/parse_test.go
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ func TestParse(t *testing.T) {
 								Resources: &structs.Resources{
 									CPU:      500,
 									MemoryMB: 128,
+									DiskMB:   10,
+									IOPS:     1,
 									Networks: []*structs.NetworkResource{
 										&structs.NetworkResource{
 											MBits:         100,
@@ -132,6 +134,8 @@ func TestParse(t *testing.T) {
 								Resources: &structs.Resources{
 									CPU:      500,
 									MemoryMB: 128,
+									DiskMB:   10,
+									IOPS:     30,
 								},
 								Constraints: []*structs.Constraint{
 									&structs.Constraint{
diff --git a/jobspec/test-fixtures/basic.hcl b/jobspec/test-fixtures/basic.hcl
index 50e91d441ac..d7a313a3302 100644
--- a/jobspec/test-fixtures/basic.hcl
+++ b/jobspec/test-fixtures/basic.hcl
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ job "binstore-storagelocker" {
             resources {
                 cpu = 500
                 memory = 128
+                IOPS = 30
             }
             constraint {
                 attribute = "kernel.arch"
diff --git a/nomad/mock/mock.go b/nomad/mock/mock.go
index 13083588744..f6fa7b1bebb 100644
--- a/nomad/mock/mock.go
+++ b/nomad/mock/mock.go
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ func Job() *structs.Job {
 						Resources: &structs.Resources{
 							CPU:      500,
 							MemoryMB: 256,
+							DiskMB:   100,
 							Networks: []*structs.NetworkResource{
 								&structs.NetworkResource{
 									MBits:        50,
diff --git a/nomad/structs/structs.go b/nomad/structs/structs.go
index 7f2820b6362..52e65fa8780 100644
--- a/nomad/structs/structs.go
+++ b/nomad/structs/structs.go
@@ -592,6 +592,60 @@ type Resources struct {
 	Networks []*NetworkResource
 }
 
+// DefaultResources returns the minimum resources a task can use and be valid.
+func DefaultResources() *Resources {
+	return &Resources{
+		CPU:      100,
+		MemoryMB: 10,
+		DiskMB:   10,
+		IOPS:     1,
+	}
+}
+
+// Merge merges this resource with another resource.
+func (r *Resources) Merge(other *Resources) {
+	if other.CPU != 0 {
+		r.CPU = other.CPU
+	}
+	if other.MemoryMB != 0 {
+		r.MemoryMB = other.MemoryMB
+	}
+	if other.DiskMB != 0 {
+		r.DiskMB = other.DiskMB
+	}
+	if other.IOPS != 0 {
+		r.IOPS = other.IOPS
+	}
+	if len(other.Networks) != 0 {
+		r.Networks = other.Networks
+	}
+}
+
+// MeetsMinResources returns an error if the resources specified are less than
+// the minimum allowed.
+func (r *Resources) MeetsMinResources() error {
+	var mErr multierror.Error
+	if r.CPU < 100 {
+		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("minimum CPU value is 100; got %d", r.CPU))
+	}
+	if r.MemoryMB < 10 {
+		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("minimum MemoryMB value is 10; got %d", r.MemoryMB))
+	}
+	if r.DiskMB < 10 {
+		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("minimum DiskMB value is 10; got %d", r.DiskMB))
+	}
+	if r.IOPS < 0 {
+		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("minimum IOPS value is 0; got %d", r.IOPS))
+	}
+	for i, n := range r.Networks {
+		if err := n.MeetsMinResources(); err != nil {
+			mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("network resource at index %d failed: %v", i, err))
+		}
+	}
+
+	return mErr.ErrorOrNil()
+}
+
 // Copy returns a deep copy of the resources
 func (r *Resources) Copy() *Resources {
 	newR := new(Resources)
@@ -676,6 +730,16 @@ type NetworkResource struct {
 	DynamicPorts  []Port // Dynamically assigned ports
 }
 
+// MeetsMinResources returns an error if the resources specified are less than
+// the minimum allowed.
+func (n *NetworkResource) MeetsMinResources() error {
+	var mErr multierror.Error
+	if n.MBits < 1 {
+		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, fmt.Errorf("minimum MBits value is 1; got %d", n.MBits))
+	}
+	return mErr.ErrorOrNil()
+}
+
 // Copy returns a deep copy of the network resource
 func (n *NetworkResource) Copy() *NetworkResource {
 	newR := new(NetworkResource)
@@ -1545,12 +1609,17 @@ func (t *Task) Validate() error {
 	if t.Driver == "" {
 		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, errors.New("Missing task driver"))
 	}
-	if t.Resources == nil {
-		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, errors.New("Missing task resources"))
-	}
 	if t.KillTimeout.Nanoseconds() < 0 {
 		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, errors.New("KillTimeout must be a positive value"))
 	}
+
+	// Validate the resources.
+	if t.Resources == nil {
+		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, errors.New("Missing task resources"))
+	} else if err := t.Resources.MeetsMinResources(); err != nil {
+		mErr.Errors = append(mErr.Errors, err)
+	}
+
 	for idx, constr := range t.Constraints {
 		if err := constr.Validate(); err != nil {
 			outer := fmt.Errorf("Constraint %d validation failed: %s", idx+1, err)
diff --git a/nomad/structs/structs_test.go b/nomad/structs/structs_test.go
index 22e5dfea914..25b54311894 100644
--- a/nomad/structs/structs_test.go
+++ b/nomad/structs/structs_test.go
@@ -252,9 +252,14 @@ func TestTask_Validate(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	task = &Task{
-		Name:      "web",
-		Driver:    "docker",
-		Resources: &Resources{},
+		Name:   "web",
+		Driver: "docker",
+		Resources: &Resources{
+			CPU:      100,
+			DiskMB:   100,
+			MemoryMB: 100,
+			IOPS:     10,
+		},
 	}
 	err = task.Validate()
 	if err != nil {