diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index 8ed660b9..bff5a16a 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Release History
 
+## 2.5.0 (2019-12-30)
+
+**Changed**
+
+- refactor: use loader.load_cases to validate test files
+
 ## 2.4.9 (2019-12-29)
 
 **Added**
diff --git a/httprunner/cli.py b/httprunner/cli.py
index 5e8a5576..1314cb8a 100644
--- a/httprunner/cli.py
+++ b/httprunner/cli.py
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ import sys
 
 from sentry_sdk import capture_exception
 
-from httprunner import __description__, __version__
+from httprunner import __description__, __version__, exceptions
 from httprunner.api import HttpRunner
 from httprunner.compat import is_py2
-from httprunner.loader import validate_test_file
-from httprunner.logger import color_print
+from httprunner.loader import load_cases
+from httprunner.logger import color_print, log_error
 from httprunner.report import gen_html_report
 from httprunner.utils import (create_scaffold, get_python2_retire_msg,
                               prettify_json_file)
@@ -73,8 +73,17 @@ def main():
         sys.exit(0)
 
     if args.validate:
-        validate_test_file(args.validate)
+        for validate_path in args.validate:
+            try:
+                color_print("validate test file: {}".format(validate_path), "GREEN")
+                load_cases(validate_path, args.dot_env_path)
+            except exceptions.MyBaseError as ex:
+                log_error(str(ex))
+                continue
+
+        color_print("done!", "BLUE")
         sys.exit(0)
+
     if args.prettify:
         prettify_json_file(args.prettify)
         sys.exit(0)
diff --git a/httprunner/loader/__init__.py b/httprunner/loader/__init__.py
index 79fc4a3c..8c6320b2 100644
--- a/httprunner/loader/__init__.py
+++ b/httprunner/loader/__init__.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ HttpRunner loader
 
 """
 
-from httprunner.loader.check import is_testcase_path, is_testcases, validate_test_file
+from httprunner.loader.check import is_testcase_path, is_testcases
 from httprunner.loader.locate import get_project_working_directory as get_pwd
 from httprunner.loader.load import load_csv_file, load_builtin_functions
 from httprunner.loader.buildup import load_cases, load_project_data
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ from httprunner.loader.buildup import load_cases, load_project_data
 __all__ = [
     "is_testcase_path",
     "is_testcases",
-    "validate_test_file",
     "get_pwd",
     "load_csv_file",
     "load_builtin_functions",
diff --git a/httprunner/loader/check.py b/httprunner/loader/check.py
index 4e5943b3..3d535c9d 100644
--- a/httprunner/loader/check.py
+++ b/httprunner/loader/check.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import io
-import json
 import os
 import types
 
@@ -149,25 +147,6 @@ def check_testcase_format(file_path, content):
         raise exceptions.FileFormatError(err_msg)
 
 
-def validate_test_file(file_list):
-    """ validate JSON testcase format
-    """
-    for test_file in set(file_list):
-        if not test_file.endswith(".json"):
-            logger.log_warning("Only JSON file format can be validated, skip: {}".format(test_file))
-            continue
-
-        logger.color_print("Start to validate JSON file: {}".format(test_file), "GREEN")
-
-        with io.open(test_file) as stream:
-            try:
-                json.load(stream)
-            except ValueError as e:
-                raise SystemExit(e)
-
-        print("OK")
-
-
 def is_function(item):
     """ Takes item object, returns True if it is a function.
     """
diff --git a/httprunner/loader/load.py b/httprunner/loader/load.py
index 3b783856..287b2560 100644
--- a/httprunner/loader/load.py
+++ b/httprunner/loader/load.py
@@ -22,7 +22,12 @@ def _load_yaml_file(yaml_file):
     """ load yaml file and check file content format
     """
     with io.open(yaml_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as stream:
-        yaml_content = yaml.load(stream)
+        try:
+            yaml_content = yaml.load(stream)
+        except yaml.YAMLError as ex:
+            logger.log_error(str(ex))
+            raise exceptions.FileFormatError
+
         check_testcase_format(yaml_file, yaml_content)
         return yaml_content