diff --git a/cmd/gaia/app/sim_test.go b/cmd/gaia/app/sim_test.go
index bf03f9a10..b4504bdf8 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/app/sim_test.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/app/sim_test.go
@@ -76,14 +76,15 @@ func appStateFn(r *rand.Rand, accs []simulation.Account) json.RawMessage {
 	}
 
 	// Random genesis states
+	vp := time.Duration(r.Intn(2*172800)) * time.Second
 	govGenesis := gov.GenesisState{
 		StartingProposalID: uint64(r.Intn(100)),
 		DepositParams: gov.DepositParams{
 			MinDeposit:       sdk.Coins{sdk.NewInt64Coin(stakeTypes.DefaultBondDenom, int64(r.Intn(1e3)))},
-			MaxDepositPeriod: time.Duration(r.Intn(2*172800)) * time.Second,
+			MaxDepositPeriod: vp,
 		},
 		VotingParams: gov.VotingParams{
-			VotingPeriod: time.Duration(r.Intn(2*172800)) * time.Second,
+			VotingPeriod: vp,
 		},
 		TallyParams: gov.TallyParams{
 			Threshold:         sdk.NewDecWithPrec(5, 1),
diff --git a/x/gov/genesis.go b/x/gov/genesis.go
index 8498e3b5a..7a8fab0b6 100644
--- a/x/gov/genesis.go
+++ b/x/gov/genesis.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package gov
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
@@ -61,6 +62,34 @@ func DefaultGenesisState() GenesisState {
 
 // ValidateGenesis TODO https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/issues/3007
 func ValidateGenesis(data GenesisState) error {
+	threshold := data.TallyParams.Threshold
+	if threshold.IsNegative() || threshold.GT(sdk.OneDec()) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Governance vote threshold should be positive and less or equal to one, is %s",
+			threshold.String())
+	}
+
+	veto := data.TallyParams.Veto
+	if veto.IsNegative() || veto.GT(sdk.OneDec()) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Governance vote veto threshold should be positive and less or equal to one, is %s",
+			veto.String())
+	}
+
+	govPenalty := data.TallyParams.GovernancePenalty
+	if govPenalty.IsNegative() || govPenalty.GT(sdk.OneDec()) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Governance vote veto threshold should be positive and less or equal to one, is %s",
+			govPenalty.String())
+	}
+
+	if data.DepositParams.MaxDepositPeriod > data.VotingParams.VotingPeriod {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Governance deposit period should be less than or equal to the voting period (%ds), is %ds",
+			data.VotingParams.VotingPeriod, data.DepositParams.MaxDepositPeriod)
+	}
+
+	if !data.DepositParams.MinDeposit.IsValid() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Governance deposit amount must be a valid sdk.Coins amount, is %s",
+			data.DepositParams.MinDeposit.String())
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }