diff --git a/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/ruleset.go b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/ruleset.go
index a75433311..4c5eaf3ce 100644
--- a/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/ruleset.go
+++ b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/ruleset.go
@@ -67,11 +67,15 @@ func (r *Ruleset) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 	})
 
 	// attempt to unmarshal simple ruleset
-	//nolint:errcheck // intentionally not handling error
-	unmarshal(simple)
+	err := unmarshal(simple)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	// attempt to unmarshal advanced ruleset
-	//nolint:errcheck // intentionally not handling error
-	unmarshal(advanced)
+	err = unmarshal(advanced)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	// set ruleset `unless` to advanced `unless` rules
 	r.Unless = advanced.Unless
diff --git a/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/ruleset_test.go b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/ruleset_test.go
index cb4e0466f..ef76afb9b 100644
--- a/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/ruleset_test.go
+++ b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/ruleset_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 
 	"github.com/go-vela/server/compiler/types/pipeline"
+	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
 )
 
 func TestYaml_Ruleset_ToPipeline(t *testing.T) {
@@ -95,8 +96,9 @@ func TestYaml_Ruleset_ToPipeline(t *testing.T) {
 func TestYaml_Ruleset_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 	// setup tests
 	tests := []struct {
-		file string
-		want *Ruleset
+		file    string
+		want    *Ruleset
+		wantErr bool
 	}{
 		{
 			file: "testdata/ruleset_simple.yml",
@@ -148,6 +150,27 @@ func TestYaml_Ruleset_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 				Matcher:  "regex",
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			file: "testdata/ruleset_unknown_field.yml",
+			want: &Ruleset{
+				If: Rules{
+					Branch: []string{"main"},
+					Event:  []string{"push"},
+				},
+				Matcher:  "filepath",
+				Operator: "and",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			file:    "testdata/ruleset_collide.yml",
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			file:    "testdata/ruleset_collide_adv.yml",
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
 	}
 
 	// run tests
@@ -161,12 +184,20 @@ func TestYaml_Ruleset_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 
 		err = yaml.Unmarshal(b, got)
 
+		if test.wantErr {
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Errorf("UnmarshalYAML should have returned err")
+			}
+
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("UnmarshalYAML returned err: %v", err)
 		}
 
-		if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, test.want) {
-			t.Errorf("UnmarshalYAML is %v, want %v", got, test.want)
+		if diff := cmp.Diff(got, test.want); diff != "" {
+			t.Errorf("UnmarshalYAML mismatch (-got +want):\n%s", diff)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -247,6 +278,11 @@ func TestYaml_Rules_UnmarshalYAML(t *testing.T) {
 				Target:   []string{"production"},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			failure: true,
+			file:    "testdata/ruleset_collide.yml",
+			want:    nil,
+		},
 		{
 			failure: true,
 			file:    "",
diff --git a/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/testdata/ruleset_collide.yml b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/testdata/ruleset_collide.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d560b601b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/testdata/ruleset_collide.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+branch: main
+branch:
+event: push
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/testdata/ruleset_collide_adv.yml b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/testdata/ruleset_collide_adv.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd8cb469c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/testdata/ruleset_collide_adv.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+if:
+  event: push
+  branch: main
+  event:
+unless:
+  tag: v3*
+  matcher: filepath
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/testdata/ruleset_unknown_field.yml b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/testdata/ruleset_unknown_field.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..db2a6296c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/types/yaml/yaml/testdata/ruleset_unknown_field.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+event: push
+branch: main
+user: octocat
\ No newline at end of file