diff --git a/src/plugins/validation/2and3/semantic-validators/parameters-ibm.js b/src/plugins/validation/2and3/semantic-validators/parameters-ibm.js
index c56d8a963..77dffed7d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/validation/2and3/semantic-validators/parameters-ibm.js
+++ b/src/plugins/validation/2and3/semantic-validators/parameters-ibm.js
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ module.exports.validate = function({ jsSpec, isOAS3 }, config) {
       return;
     }
 
-    const contentsOfParameterObject = path[path.length - 2] === 'parameters';
+    const contentsOfParameterObject = isParameter(path, isOAS3);
 
-    // obj is a parameter object
     if (contentsOfParameterObject) {
+      // obj is a parameter object
       const isRef = !!obj.$ref;
       const hasDescription = !!obj.description;
 
@@ -157,6 +157,36 @@ module.exports.validate = function({ jsSpec, isOAS3 }, config) {
   return { errors: result.error, warnings: result.warning };
 };
 
+function isParameter(path, isOAS3) {
+  const pathsForParameters = [
+    'get',
+    'put',
+    'post',
+    'delete',
+    'options',
+    'head',
+    'patch',
+    'trace',
+    'components'
+  ];
+
+  const inParametersSection = path[path.length - 2] === 'parameters';
+
+  // the above check is a necessary but not sufficient check for a parameter object
+  // use the following checks to verify the object is where a parameter is supposed to be.
+  // without these, a schema property named "parameters" would get validated as a parameter
+  const isParameterByPath = pathsForParameters.includes(path[path.length - 3]);
+  const isPathItemParameter =
+    path[path.length - 4] === 'paths' && path.length === 4;
+  const isTopLevelParameter =
+    !isOAS3 && path[0] === 'parameters' && path.length === 2;
+
+  return (
+    inParametersSection &&
+    (isParameterByPath || isPathItemParameter || isTopLevelParameter)
+  );
+}
+
 function formatValid(obj, isOAS3) {
   // References will be checked when the parameters / definitions / components are scanned.
   if (obj.$ref || (obj.schema && obj.schema.$ref)) {
diff --git a/test/plugins/validation/2and3/parameters-ibm.js b/test/plugins/validation/2and3/parameters-ibm.js
index 4fe9c35cd..0731604e6 100644
--- a/test/plugins/validation/2and3/parameters-ibm.js
+++ b/test/plugins/validation/2and3/parameters-ibm.js
@@ -299,9 +299,58 @@ describe('validation plugin - semantic - parameters-ibm', () => {
       expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(0);
       expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
     });
+
+    it('should return an error for bad parameters that live in the top level', () => {
+      const spec = {
+        parameters: [
+          {
+            name: 'someparam',
+            in: 'header',
+            type: 'string',
+            required: true
+          }
+        ]
+      };
+
+      const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec, isOAS3: false }, config);
+      expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(1);
+      expect(res.errors[0].message).toEqual(
+        'Parameter objects must have a `description` field.'
+      );
+      expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('OpenAPI 3', () => {
+    it('should not complain about a property named parameters that is not a parameter object', () => {
+      const spec = {
+        components: {
+          responses: {
+            parameters: {
+              description: 'successful operation',
+              content: {
+                'application/json': {
+                  schema: {
+                    type: 'object',
+                    properties: {
+                      parameters: {
+                        type: 'string',
+                        description: 'this is a description',
+                        additionalProperties: {}
+                      }
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      };
+      const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec, isOAS3: true }, config);
+      expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
+      expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(0);
+    });
+
     it('should return an error when a parameter defines content-type, accept, or authorization', () => {
       const spec = {
         paths: {
@@ -510,5 +559,31 @@ describe('validation plugin - semantic - parameters-ibm', () => {
       expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
       expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(0);
     });
+
+    it('should complain about parameters not defined properly in a path item ', () => {
+      const spec = {
+        paths: {
+          '/pets': {
+            parameters: [
+              {
+                name: 'tags',
+                in: 'query',
+                schema: {
+                  type: 'string',
+                  format: 'binary'
+                }
+              }
+            ]
+          }
+        }
+      };
+
+      const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec, isOAS3: true }, config);
+      expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
+      expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(1);
+      expect(res.errors[0].message).toEqual(
+        'Parameter objects must have a `description` field.'
+      );
+    });
   });
 });