diff --git a/src/pkg/packager/creator/creator_test.go b/src/pkg/packager/creator/creator_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fb7eb9cfa3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pkg/packager/creator/creator_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021-Present The Zarf Authors
+
+// Package creator contains functions for creating Zarf packages.
+package creator
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/src/pkg/layout"
+	"github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/src/types"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestLoadPackageDefinitionWithValidate(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	tests := []struct {
+		name        string
+		testDir     string
+		expectedErr string
+		creator     Creator
+	}{
+		{
+			name:        "valid package definition",
+			testDir:     "valid",
+			expectedErr: "",
+			creator:     NewPackageCreator(types.ZarfCreateOptions{}, ""),
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "invalid package definition",
+			testDir:     "invalid",
+			expectedErr: "package must have at least 1 component",
+			creator:     NewPackageCreator(types.ZarfCreateOptions{}, ""),
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "valid package definition",
+			testDir:     "valid",
+			expectedErr: "",
+			creator:     NewSkeletonCreator(types.ZarfCreateOptions{}, types.ZarfPublishOptions{}),
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "invalid package definition",
+			testDir:     "invalid",
+			expectedErr: "package must have at least 1 component",
+			creator:     NewSkeletonCreator(types.ZarfCreateOptions{}, types.ZarfPublishOptions{}),
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		tt := tt
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			src := layout.New(filepath.Join("testdata", tt.testDir))
+			pkg, _, err := tt.creator.LoadPackageDefinition(context.Background(), src)
+
+			if tt.expectedErr == "" {
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+				require.NotEmpty(t, pkg)
+				return
+			}
+
+			require.EqualError(t, err, tt.expectedErr)
+			require.Empty(t, pkg)
+		})
+	}
+}