diff --git a/pkg/api/errors/errors.go b/pkg/api/errors/errors.go
index d1172d03fa9..6c8d3980c06 100644
--- a/pkg/api/errors/errors.go
+++ b/pkg/api/errors/errors.go
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ type StatusError struct {
 	ErrStatus api.Status
 }
 
+var _ error = &statusError{}
+
 // Error implements the Error interface.
 func (e *StatusError) Error() string {
 	return e.ErrStatus.Message
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@ func NewConflict(kind, name string, err error) error {
 func NewInvalid(kind, name string, errs ValidationErrorList) error {
 	causes := make([]api.StatusCause, 0, len(errs))
 	for i := range errs {
-		if err, ok := errs[i].(ValidationError); ok {
+		if err, ok := errs[i].(*ValidationError); ok {
 			causes = append(causes, api.StatusCause{
 				Type:    api.CauseType(err.Type),
 				Message: err.Error(),
@@ -130,18 +132,16 @@ func NewInvalid(kind, name string, errs ValidationErrorList) error {
 
 // NewBadRequest creates an error that indicates that the request is invalid and can not be processed.
 func NewBadRequest(reason string) error {
-	return &StatusError{
-		api.Status{
-			Status: api.StatusFailure,
-			Code:   http.StatusBadRequest,
-			Reason: api.StatusReasonBadRequest,
-			Details: &api.StatusDetails{
-				Causes: []api.StatusCause{
-					{Message: reason},
-				},
+	return &StatusError{api.Status{
+		Status: api.StatusFailure,
+		Code:   http.StatusBadRequest,
+		Reason: api.StatusReasonBadRequest,
+		Details: &api.StatusDetails{
+			Causes: []api.StatusCause{
+				{Message: reason},
 			},
 		},
-	}
+	}}
 }
 
 // NewInternalError returns an error indicating the item is invalid and cannot be processed.
diff --git a/pkg/api/errors/errors_test.go b/pkg/api/errors/errors_test.go
index 1e56ef94acc..c1def08febe 100644
--- a/pkg/api/errors/errors_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/errors/errors_test.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func TestErrorNew(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestNewInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {
-		Err     ValidationError
+		Err     *ValidationError
 		Details *api.StatusDetails
 	}{
 		{
diff --git a/pkg/api/errors/validation.go b/pkg/api/errors/validation.go
index a9d711466a9..2ec06ceecf9 100644
--- a/pkg/api/errors/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/api/errors/validation.go
@@ -80,38 +80,40 @@ type ValidationError struct {
 	BadValue interface{}
 }
 
-func (v ValidationError) Error() string {
+var _ error = &ValidationError{}
+
+func (v *ValidationError) Error() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s: %v '%v'", v.Field, ValueOf(v.Type), v.BadValue)
 }
 
-// NewFieldRequired returns a ValidationError indicating "value required"
-func NewFieldRequired(field string, value interface{}) ValidationError {
-	return ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeRequired, field, value}
+// NewFieldRequired returns a *ValidationError indicating "value required"
+func NewFieldRequired(field string, value interface{}) *ValidationError {
+	return &ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeRequired, field, value}
 }
 
-// NewFieldInvalid returns a ValidationError indicating "invalid value"
-func NewFieldInvalid(field string, value interface{}) ValidationError {
-	return ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeInvalid, field, value}
+// NewFieldInvalid returns a *ValidationError indicating "invalid value"
+func NewFieldInvalid(field string, value interface{}) *ValidationError {
+	return &ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeInvalid, field, value}
 }
 
-// NewFieldNotSupported returns a ValidationError indicating "unsupported value"
-func NewFieldNotSupported(field string, value interface{}) ValidationError {
-	return ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeNotSupported, field, value}
+// NewFieldNotSupported returns a *ValidationError indicating "unsupported value"
+func NewFieldNotSupported(field string, value interface{}) *ValidationError {
+	return &ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeNotSupported, field, value}
 }
 
-// NewFieldForbidden returns a ValidationError indicating "forbidden"
-func NewFieldForbidden(field string, value interface{}) ValidationError {
-	return ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeForbidden, field, value}
+// NewFieldForbidden returns a *ValidationError indicating "forbidden"
+func NewFieldForbidden(field string, value interface{}) *ValidationError {
+	return &ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeForbidden, field, value}
 }
 
-// NewFieldDuplicate returns a ValidationError indicating "duplicate value"
-func NewFieldDuplicate(field string, value interface{}) ValidationError {
-	return ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeDuplicate, field, value}
+// NewFieldDuplicate returns a *ValidationError indicating "duplicate value"
+func NewFieldDuplicate(field string, value interface{}) *ValidationError {
+	return &ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeDuplicate, field, value}
 }
 
-// NewFieldNotFound returns a ValidationError indicating "value not found"
-func NewFieldNotFound(field string, value interface{}) ValidationError {
-	return ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeNotFound, field, value}
+// NewFieldNotFound returns a *ValidationError indicating "value not found"
+func NewFieldNotFound(field string, value interface{}) *ValidationError {
+	return &ValidationError{ValidationErrorTypeNotFound, field, value}
 }
 
 // ValidationErrorList is a collection of ValidationErrors.  This does not
@@ -131,7 +133,7 @@ func (list ValidationErrorList) ToError() error {
 // Returns the list for convenience.
 func (list ValidationErrorList) Prefix(prefix string) ValidationErrorList {
 	for i := range list {
-		if err, ok := list[i].(ValidationError); ok {
+		if err, ok := list[i].(*ValidationError); ok {
 			if strings.HasPrefix(err.Field, "[") {
 				err.Field = prefix + err.Field
 			} else if len(err.Field) != 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/api/errors/validation_test.go b/pkg/api/errors/validation_test.go
index 0ed29359a30..4044f2b4eb0 100644
--- a/pkg/api/errors/validation_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/errors/validation_test.go
@@ -23,27 +23,27 @@ import (
 
 func TestMakeFuncs(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {
-		fn       func() ValidationError
+		fn       func() *ValidationError
 		expected ValidationErrorType
 	}{
 		{
-			func() ValidationError { return NewFieldInvalid("f", "v") },
+			func() *ValidationError { return NewFieldInvalid("f", "v") },
 			ValidationErrorTypeInvalid,
 		},
 		{
-			func() ValidationError { return NewFieldNotSupported("f", "v") },
+			func() *ValidationError { return NewFieldNotSupported("f", "v") },
 			ValidationErrorTypeNotSupported,
 		},
 		{
-			func() ValidationError { return NewFieldDuplicate("f", "v") },
+			func() *ValidationError { return NewFieldDuplicate("f", "v") },
 			ValidationErrorTypeDuplicate,
 		},
 		{
-			func() ValidationError { return NewFieldNotFound("f", "v") },
+			func() *ValidationError { return NewFieldNotFound("f", "v") },
 			ValidationErrorTypeNotFound,
 		},
 		{
-			func() ValidationError { return NewFieldRequired("f", "v") },
+			func() *ValidationError { return NewFieldRequired("f", "v") },
 			ValidationErrorTypeRequired,
 		},
 	}
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func TestValidationError(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestErrListPrefix(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {
-		Err      ValidationError
+		Err      *ValidationError
 		Expected string
 	}{
 		{
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func TestErrListPrefix(t *testing.T) {
 		if prefix == nil || len(prefix) != len(errList) {
 			t.Errorf("Prefix should return self")
 		}
-		if e, a := testCase.Expected, errList[0].(ValidationError).Field; e != a {
+		if e, a := testCase.Expected, errList[0].(*ValidationError).Field; e != a {
 			t.Errorf("expected %s, got %s", e, a)
 		}
 	}
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func TestErrListPrefix(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestErrListPrefixIndex(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {
-		Err      ValidationError
+		Err      *ValidationError
 		Expected string
 	}{
 		{
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func TestErrListPrefixIndex(t *testing.T) {
 		if prefix == nil || len(prefix) != len(errList) {
 			t.Errorf("PrefixIndex should return self")
 		}
-		if e, a := testCase.Expected, errList[0].(ValidationError).Field; e != a {
+		if e, a := testCase.Expected, errList[0].(*ValidationError).Field; e != a {
 			t.Errorf("expected %s, got %s", e, a)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
index bedc22d226d..b2a3ee107d3 100644
--- a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import (
 
 func expectPrefix(t *testing.T, prefix string, errs errors.ValidationErrorList) {
 	for i := range errs {
-		if f, p := errs[i].(errors.ValidationError).Field, prefix; !strings.HasPrefix(f, p) {
+		if f, p := errs[i].(*errors.ValidationError).Field, prefix; !strings.HasPrefix(f, p) {
 			t.Errorf("expected prefix '%s' for field '%s' (%v)", p, f, errs[i])
 		}
 	}
@@ -69,10 +69,10 @@ func TestValidateVolumes(t *testing.T) {
 			continue
 		}
 		for i := range errs {
-			if errs[i].(errors.ValidationError).Type != v.T {
+			if errs[i].(*errors.ValidationError).Type != v.T {
 				t.Errorf("%s: expected errors to have type %s: %v", k, v.T, errs[i])
 			}
-			if errs[i].(errors.ValidationError).Field != v.F {
+			if errs[i].(*errors.ValidationError).Field != v.F {
 				t.Errorf("%s: expected errors to have field %s: %v", k, v.F, errs[i])
 			}
 		}
@@ -125,10 +125,10 @@ func TestValidatePorts(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("expected failure for %s", k)
 		}
 		for i := range errs {
-			if errs[i].(errors.ValidationError).Type != v.T {
+			if errs[i].(*errors.ValidationError).Type != v.T {
 				t.Errorf("%s: expected errors to have type %s: %v", k, v.T, errs[i])
 			}
-			if errs[i].(errors.ValidationError).Field != v.F {
+			if errs[i].(*errors.ValidationError).Field != v.F {
 				t.Errorf("%s: expected errors to have field %s: %v", k, v.F, errs[i])
 			}
 		}
@@ -995,7 +995,7 @@ func TestValidateReplicationController(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("expected failure for %s", k)
 		}
 		for i := range errs {
-			field := errs[i].(errors.ValidationError).Field
+			field := errs[i].(*errors.ValidationError).Field
 			if !strings.HasPrefix(field, "spec.template.") &&
 				field != "name" &&
 				field != "namespace" &&
@@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ func TestValidateMinion(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("expected failure for %s", k)
 		}
 		for i := range errs {
-			field := errs[i].(errors.ValidationError).Field
+			field := errs[i].(*errors.ValidationError).Field
 			if field != "name" &&
 				field != "label" {
 				t.Errorf("%s: missing prefix for: %v", k, errs[i])
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index a74f2a48b6a..a215e805a5a 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func CreateObjects(typer runtime.ObjectTyper, mapper meta.RESTMapper, clientFor
 		}
 
 		if err := CreateObject(client, mapping, obj); err != nil {
-			reportError(&allErrors, i, *err)
+			reportError(&allErrors, i, err)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -65,21 +65,18 @@ func CreateObjects(typer runtime.ObjectTyper, mapper meta.RESTMapper, clientFor
 func CreateObject(client *client.RESTClient, mapping *meta.RESTMapping, obj runtime.Object) *errs.ValidationError {
 	name, err := mapping.MetadataAccessor.Name(obj)
 	if err != nil || name == "" {
-		e := errs.NewFieldRequired("name", err)
-		return &e
+		return errs.NewFieldRequired("name", err)
 	}
 
 	namespace, err := mapping.Namespace(obj)
 	if err != nil {
-		e := errs.NewFieldRequired("namespace", err)
-		return &e
+		return errs.NewFieldRequired("namespace", err)
 	}
 
 	// TODO: This should be using RESTHelper
 	err = client.Post().Path(mapping.Resource).Namespace(namespace).Body(obj).Do().Error()
 	if err != nil {
-		e := errs.NewFieldInvalid(name, err)
-		return &e
+		return errs.NewFieldInvalid(name, err)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -87,7 +84,7 @@ func CreateObject(client *client.RESTClient, mapping *meta.RESTMapping, obj runt
 
 // reportError reports the single item validation error and properly set the
 // prefix and index to match the Config item JSON index
-func reportError(allErrs *errs.ValidationErrorList, index int, err errs.ValidationError) {
+func reportError(allErrs *errs.ValidationErrorList, index int, err *errs.ValidationError) {
 	i := errs.ValidationErrorList{}
 	*allErrs = append(*allErrs, append(i, err).PrefixIndex(index).Prefix("item")...)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/config/config_test.go b/pkg/config/config_test.go
index 0c318f4e212..5f140be0553 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config_test.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config_test.go
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func TestCreateNoNameItem(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected required value error for missing name")
 	}
 
-	e := errs[0].(errors.ValidationError)
+	e := errs[0].(*errors.ValidationError)
 	if errors.ValueOf(e.Type) != "required value" {
 		t.Errorf("Expected ValidationErrorTypeRequired error, got %#v", e)
 	}
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func TestCreateInvalidItem(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected invalid value error for kind")
 	}
 
-	e := errs[0].(errors.ValidationError)
+	e := errs[0].(*errors.ValidationError)
 	if errors.ValueOf(e.Type) != "invalid value" {
 		t.Errorf("Expected ValidationErrorTypeInvalid error, got %#v", e)
 	}
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func TestCreateNoClientItems(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected invalid value error for client")
 	}
 
-	e := errs[0].(errors.ValidationError)
+	e := errs[0].(*errors.ValidationError)
 	if errors.ValueOf(e.Type) != "unsupported value" {
 		t.Errorf("Expected ValidationErrorTypeUnsupported error, got %#v", e)
 	}