diff --git a/lemur/sources/service.py b/lemur/sources/service.py
index 5980c6f5..711c6452 100644
--- a/lemur/sources/service.py
+++ b/lemur/sources/service.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ from lemur.certificates import service as cert_service
 from lemur.endpoints import service as endpoint_service
 from lemur.destinations import service as destination_service
 
+from lemur.certificates.schemas import CertificateUploadInputSchema
+
 from lemur.plugins.base import plugins
 
 
@@ -62,11 +64,17 @@ def _disassociate_endpoints_from_source(endpoints, source):
 
 
 def certificate_create(certificate, source):
-    cert = cert_service.import_certificate(**certificate)
+    data, errors = CertificateUploadInputSchema().load(certificate)
+
+    if errors:
+        raise Exception("Unable to import certificate: {reasons}".format(reasons=errors))
+
+    cert = cert_service.import_certificate(**data)
     cert.description = "This certificate was automatically discovered by Lemur"
     cert.sources.append(source)
     sync_update_destination(cert, source)
     database.update(cert)
+    return cert
 
 
 def certificate_update(certificate, source):
diff --git a/lemur/tests/conftest.py b/lemur/tests/conftest.py
index 834b50d9..98ffb438 100644
--- a/lemur/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/lemur/tests/conftest.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from lemur.database import db as _db
 from lemur.auth.service import create_token
 
 from .factories import AuthorityFactory, NotificationFactory, DestinationFactory, \
-    CertificateFactory, UserFactory, RoleFactory
+    CertificateFactory, UserFactory, RoleFactory, SourceFactory
 
 
 def pytest_runtest_setup(item):
@@ -91,6 +91,13 @@ def destination(session):
     return d
 
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def source(session):
+    s = SourceFactory()
+    session.commit()
+    return s
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def notification(session):
     n = NotificationFactory()
diff --git a/lemur/tests/factories.py b/lemur/tests/factories.py
index c39aef9e..eeedab88 100644
--- a/lemur/tests/factories.py
+++ b/lemur/tests/factories.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from lemur.database import db
 from lemur.authorities.models import Authority
 from lemur.certificates.models import Certificate
 from lemur.destinations.models import Destination
+from lemur.sources.models import Source
 from lemur.notifications.models import Notification
 from lemur.users.models import User
 from lemur.roles.models import Role
@@ -145,6 +146,16 @@ class DestinationFactory(BaseFactory):
         model = Destination
 
 
+class SourceFactory(BaseFactory):
+    """Source factory."""
+    plugin_name = 'test-source'
+    label = Sequence(lambda n: 'source{0}'.format(n))
+
+    class Meta:
+        """Factory Configuration."""
+        model = Source
+
+
 class NotificationFactory(BaseFactory):
     """Notification factory."""
     plugin_name = 'test-notification'
diff --git a/lemur/tests/test_sources.py b/lemur/tests/test_sources.py
index 1dd7bf9b..c3dd613c 100644
--- a/lemur/tests/test_sources.py
+++ b/lemur/tests/test_sources.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import pytest
 
 from lemur.sources.views import *  # noqa
 
-from .vectors import VALID_ADMIN_HEADER_TOKEN, VALID_USER_HEADER_TOKEN
+from .vectors import VALID_ADMIN_HEADER_TOKEN, VALID_USER_HEADER_TOKEN, INTERNAL_PRIVATE_KEY_A_STR, INTERNAL_VALID_WILDCARD_STR
 
 
 def validate_source_schema(client):
@@ -18,6 +18,22 @@ def validate_source_schema(client):
     assert not errors
 
 
+def test_create_certificate(source):
+    from lemur.sources.service import certificate_create
+
+    with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        certificate_create({}, source)
+
+    data = {
+        'body': INTERNAL_VALID_WILDCARD_STR,
+        'private_key': INTERNAL_PRIVATE_KEY_A_STR,
+        'owner': 'bob@example.com'
+    }
+
+    cert = certificate_create(data, source)
+    assert cert.notifications
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("token,status", [
     (VALID_USER_HEADER_TOKEN, 404),
     (VALID_ADMIN_HEADER_TOKEN, 404),