diff --git a/src/plugins/validation/2and3/semantic-validators/schema-ibm.js b/src/plugins/validation/2and3/semantic-validators/schema-ibm.js
index 181f36da3..0175594f7 100644
--- a/src/plugins/validation/2and3/semantic-validators/schema-ibm.js
+++ b/src/plugins/validation/2and3/semantic-validators/schema-ibm.js
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ module.exports.validate = function({ jsSpec, isOAS3 }, config) {
   });
 
   schemas.forEach(({ schema, path }) => {
-    let res = generateFormatErrors(schema, path, config);
+    let res = generateFormatErrors(schema, path, config, isOAS3);
     errors.push(...res.error);
     warnings.push(...res.warning);
 
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ module.exports.validate = function({ jsSpec, isOAS3 }, config) {
 
 // Flag as an error any property that does not have a recognized "type" and "format" according to the
 // [Swagger 2.0 spec](https://github.com/OAI/OpenAPI-Specification/blob/master/versions/2.0.md#data-types)
-function generateFormatErrors(schema, contextPath, config) {
+function generateFormatErrors(schema, contextPath, config, isOAS3) {
   const result = {};
   result.error = [];
   result.warning = [];
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ function generateFormatErrors(schema, contextPath, config) {
   }
 
   checkStatus = config.invalid_type_format_pair;
-  if (checkStatus !== 'off' && !formatValid(schema)) {
+  if (checkStatus !== 'off' && !formatValid(schema, contextPath, isOAS3)) {
     const path = contextPath.concat(['type']);
     const message = 'Property type+format is not well-defined.';
     result[checkStatus].push({ path, message });
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ function generateFormatErrors(schema, contextPath, config) {
   return result;
 }
 
-function formatValid(property) {
+function formatValid(property, path, isOAS3) {
   if (property.$ref) {
     return true;
   }
@@ -169,6 +169,12 @@ function formatValid(property) {
     case 'array':
       valid = true;
       break;
+    case 'file':
+      // schemas of type file are allowed in swagger2 for responses and parameters
+      // of type 'formData' - the violating parameters are caught by parameters-ibm
+      // note: type file is only allowed for root schemas (not properties, etc.)
+      valid = !isOAS3 && isRootSchema(path);
+      break;
     default:
       valid = false;
   }
@@ -303,3 +309,17 @@ function checkEnumValues(schema, contextPath, config) {
 
   return result;
 }
+
+// NOTE: this function is Swagger 2 specific and would need to be adapted to be used with OAS
+function isRootSchema(path) {
+  const current = path[path.length - 1];
+  const parent = path[path.length - 2];
+
+  // `schema` can only exist in parameter or response objects
+  // root schemas can also appear under a variable key in the `definitions` section
+  // if it is the top level `definitions` section (rather than some property named "definitions"),
+  // the path length will be 2
+  return (
+    current === 'schema' || (parent === 'definitions' && path.length === 2)
+  );
+}
diff --git a/test/plugins/validation/2and3/schema-ibm.js b/test/plugins/validation/2and3/schema-ibm.js
index fb4bad1af..9b5a37c5a 100644
--- a/test/plugins/validation/2and3/schema-ibm.js
+++ b/test/plugins/validation/2and3/schema-ibm.js
@@ -159,6 +159,105 @@ describe('validation plugin - semantic - schema-ibm - Swagger 2', () => {
     expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
   });
 
+  it('should non return an error for a response schema of type file', () => {
+    const config = {
+      schemas: {
+        invalid_type_format_pair: 'error'
+      }
+    };
+
+    const spec = {
+      paths: {
+        '/pets': {
+          get: {
+            responses: {
+              '200': {
+                description: 'legal response',
+                schema: {
+                  type: 'file'
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec }, config);
+    expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(0);
+    expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
+  });
+
+  it('should non return an error for a definition with root type of file', () => {
+    const config = {
+      schemas: {
+        invalid_type_format_pair: 'error'
+      }
+    };
+
+    const spec = {
+      definitions: {
+        SomeSchema: {
+          type: 'file',
+          description: 'file schema, used for parameter or response'
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec }, config);
+    expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(0);
+    expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
+  });
+
+  it('should return an error for a response schema with non-root type file', () => {
+    const config = {
+      schemas: {
+        invalid_type_format_pair: 'error'
+      }
+    };
+
+    const spec = {
+      paths: {
+        '/pets': {
+          get: {
+            responses: {
+              '200': {
+                description: 'legal response',
+                schema: {
+                  properties: {
+                    this_is_bad: {
+                      type: 'file',
+                      description: 'non-root type of file is bad'
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec }, config);
+    expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(1);
+    expect(res.errors[0].path).toEqual([
+      'paths',
+      '/pets',
+      'get',
+      'responses',
+      '200',
+      'schema',
+      'properties',
+      'this_is_bad',
+      'type'
+    ]);
+    expect(res.errors[0].message).toEqual(
+      'Property type+format is not well-defined.'
+    );
+
+    expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
+  });
+
   it('should return a warning when a property name is not snake case', () => {
     const config = {
       schemas: {
@@ -574,7 +673,7 @@ describe('validation plugin - semantic - schema-ibm - OpenAPI 3', () => {
       }
     };
 
-    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec }, config);
+    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec, isOAS3: true }, config);
     expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(1);
     expect(res.errors[0].path).toEqual([
       'components',
@@ -593,6 +692,52 @@ describe('validation plugin - semantic - schema-ibm - OpenAPI 3', () => {
     expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
   });
 
+  it('should return an error for a response schema of type file', () => {
+    const config = {
+      schemas: {
+        invalid_type_format_pair: 'error'
+      }
+    };
+
+    const spec = {
+      paths: {
+        '/pets': {
+          get: {
+            responses: {
+              '200': {
+                content: {
+                  'application/json': {
+                    schema: {
+                      type: 'file'
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec, isOAS3: true }, config);
+    expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(1);
+    expect(res.errors[0].path).toEqual([
+      'paths',
+      '/pets',
+      'get',
+      'responses',
+      '200',
+      'content',
+      'application/json',
+      'schema',
+      'type'
+    ]);
+    expect(res.errors[0].message).toEqual(
+      'Property type+format is not well-defined.'
+    );
+    expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(0);
+  });
+
   it('should not validate an example when it contains the resemblence of a problem', () => {
     const config = {
       schemas: {
@@ -638,7 +783,7 @@ describe('validation plugin - semantic - schema-ibm - OpenAPI 3', () => {
       }
     };
 
-    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec }, config);
+    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec, isOAS3: true }, config);
     expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(1);
     expect(res.errors[0].path).toEqual([
       'paths',
@@ -704,7 +849,7 @@ describe('validation plugin - semantic - schema-ibm - OpenAPI 3', () => {
       }
     };
 
-    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec }, config);
+    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec, isOAS3: true }, config);
     expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(0);
     expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(1);
     expect(res.warnings[0].path).toEqual([
@@ -750,7 +895,7 @@ describe('validation plugin - semantic - schema-ibm - OpenAPI 3', () => {
       }
     };
 
-    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec }, config);
+    const res = validate({ jsSpec: spec, isOAS3: true }, config);
     expect(res.errors.length).toEqual(0);
     expect(res.warnings.length).toEqual(1);
     expect(res.warnings[0].path).toEqual([