diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0fbf5121c..9c9f07960 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ test_reconnect:
 
 validate_examples:
 	go run dev/update-examples-deps/main.go
-	bash dev/validate_examples.sh
+	go run dev/validate-examples/main.go
 
 
 fmt:
diff --git a/_examples/cqrs-protobuf/.validate_example.sh b/_examples/cqrs-protobuf/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 63c030d58..000000000
--- a/_examples/cqrs-protobuf/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=30
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="beers ordered to room 3"
diff --git a/_examples/cqrs-protobuf/.validate_example.yml b/_examples/cqrs-protobuf/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..edbcefd0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_examples/cqrs-protobuf/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 30
+expected_output: "beers ordered to room 3"
diff --git a/_examples/http-to-kafka/.validate_example.sh b/_examples/http-to-kafka/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 19554e7fa..000000000
--- a/_examples/http-to-kafka/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output
-TIMEOUT=30
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="Starting handler"
diff --git a/_examples/http-to-kafka/.validate_example.yml b/_examples/http-to-kafka/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d0a33528
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_examples/http-to-kafka/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 30
+expected_output: "Starting handler"
diff --git a/_examples/kafka-to-http/.validate_example.sh b/_examples/kafka-to-http/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index d999080bb..000000000
--- a/_examples/kafka-to-http/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=60
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="POST /foo_or_bar: message"
diff --git a/_examples/kafka-to-http/.validate_example.yml b/_examples/kafka-to-http/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1e3d3abdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_examples/kafka-to-http/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 60
+expected_output: "POST /foo_or_bar: message"
diff --git a/_examples/metrics/.validate_example.sh b/_examples/metrics/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index d24d1c80b..000000000
--- a/_examples/metrics/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output
-TIMEOUT=60
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="msg=\"Message acked\""
diff --git a/_examples/metrics/.validate_example.yml b/_examples/metrics/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1ef92d09a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_examples/metrics/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 60
+expected_output: "msg=\"Message acked\""
diff --git a/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_publishing.sh b/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_publishing.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 808c99df1..000000000
--- a/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_publishing.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=60
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="msg=\"Message sent to Kafka\""
diff --git a/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_publishing.yml b/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_publishing.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..93b21ff8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_publishing.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 60
+expected_output: "msg=\"Message sent to Kafka\""
diff --git a/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_subscribing.sh b/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_subscribing.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 1eac20413..000000000
--- a/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_subscribing.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=60
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="msg=\"Starting handler\""
diff --git a/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_subscribing.yml b/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_subscribing.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..34613422d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_examples/simple-app/.validate_example_subscribing.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 60
+expected_output: "msg=\"Starting handler\""
diff --git a/_examples/your-first-app/.validate_example.sh b/_examples/your-first-app/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 24c6e9e55..000000000
--- a/_examples/your-first-app/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=60
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="received event [0-9]+"
diff --git a/_examples/your-first-app/.validate_example.yml b/_examples/your-first-app/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d0358a4fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_examples/your-first-app/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 60
+expected_output: "received event [0-9]+"
diff --git a/dev/validate-examples/go.mod b/dev/validate-examples/go.mod
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..31e12fe96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/validate-examples/go.mod
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module github.com/ThreeDotsLabs/watermill/dev/validate-examples
+
+go 1.12
+
+require gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.2 // indirect
diff --git a/dev/validate-examples/go.sum b/dev/validate-examples/go.sum
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd555a333
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/validate-examples/go.sum
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
+gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.2 h1:ZCJp+EgiOT7lHqUV2J862kp8Qj64Jo6az82+3Td9dZw=
+gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.2/go.mod h1:hI93XBmqTisBFMUTm0b8Fm+jr3Dg1NNxqwp+5A1VGuI=
diff --git a/dev/validate-examples/main.go b/dev/validate-examples/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..839184bb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/validate-examples/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"regexp"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	yaml "gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
+)
+
+type Config struct {
+	ValidationCmd  string `yaml:"validation_cmd"`
+	TeardownCmd    string `yaml:"teardown_cmd"`
+	Timeout        int    `yaml:"timeout"`
+	ExpectedOutput string `yaml:"expected_output"`
+}
+
+func (c *Config) LoadFrom(path string) error {
+	file, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = yaml.Unmarshal(file, c)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func main() {
+	walkErr := filepath.Walk(".", func(exampleConfig string, f os.FileInfo, _ error) error {
+		matches, _ := filepath.Match(".validate_example*.yml", f.Name())
+		if !matches {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		exampleDirectory := filepath.Dir(exampleConfig)
+		ok, err := validate(exampleConfig)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Printf("validation for %s failed, err: %v\n", exampleDirectory, err)
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		if ok {
+			fmt.Printf("validation for %s succeeded\n", exampleDirectory)
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		fmt.Printf("validation for %s failed\n", exampleDirectory)
+		return nil
+	})
+	if walkErr != nil {
+		panic(walkErr)
+	}
+
+}
+
+func validate(path string) (bool, error) {
+	config := &Config{}
+	err := config.LoadFrom(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("could not load config, err: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	cmdAndArgs := strings.Fields(config.ValidationCmd)
+	validationCmd := exec.Command(cmdAndArgs[0], cmdAndArgs[1:]...)
+	validationCmd.Dir = filepath.Dir(path)
+	defer func() {
+		if config.TeardownCmd == "" {
+			return
+		}
+		cmdAndArgs := strings.Fields(config.TeardownCmd)
+		teardownCmd := exec.Command(cmdAndArgs[0], cmdAndArgs[1:]...)
+		teardownCmd.Dir = filepath.Dir(path)
+		_ = teardownCmd.Run()
+	}()
+
+	stdout, err := validationCmd.StdoutPipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("could not attach to stdout, err: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = validationCmd.Start()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("could not start validation, err: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	success := make(chan bool)
+
+	go func() {
+		output := bufio.NewReader(stdout)
+		for {
+			line, _, err := output.ReadLine()
+			if err != nil {
+				if err == io.EOF {
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			ok, _ := regexp.Match(config.ExpectedOutput, line)
+			if ok {
+				success <- true
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		success <- false
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case success := <-success:
+		return success, nil
+	case <-time.After(time.Duration(config.Timeout) * time.Second):
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("validation command timed out")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/dev/validate_examples.sh b/dev/validate_examples.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index fb2173440..000000000
--- a/dev/validate_examples.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,122 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-# DISCLAIMER
-#
-# The timeouts in this file are arbitrary and may not be reliable.
-# Thus, it is not suitable for CI, rather to be run locally by developers 
-# to ensure that their changes didn't break existing examples/snippets.
-#
-# If any code check fails, investigate the log to find out about the cause.
-
-set -e
-
-function enumerate() {
-        msg=$1
-        # message in green
-        echo -e "\e[32m\t✓ $msg\e[39m"
-}
-
-function pass() {
-        # light green
-        echo -e "\e[92m\tPASS\e[39m"
-        tput sgr0
-}
-
-function fail() {
-        # red
-        echo -e "\e[31m\tFAIL\e[39m"
-}
-
-# check_output runs a selected command in the caller's working directory for a defined time;
-# It looks in the logs for a defined phrase. The phrase may be a grep-compatible regexp.
-#
-# Returns 0 if the phrase is found before the timeout.
-# Returns the error code from the command if it ended in an error.
-# Returns 125 if the requested phrase was not found in output.
-function check_output() {
-        cmd=$1
-        timeout=$2
-        look_for=$3
-
-        # prepare the log dump
-        output=$(mktemp)
-
-        # run the command and dump the logs
-        echo "$(pwd)"
-        echo "timeout $timeout "$cmd" &> "$output""
-        timeout $timeout $cmd &> $output
-        exitCode=$?
-
-        if [ "$exitCode" -eq 124 ]
-        then
-                echo "Command timed out in ${timeout}s"
-        elif [ "$exitCode" -ne 0 ]
-        then
-                echo "Command exited with error $exitCode"
-                rm "$output"
-                return $exitCode
-        fi
-
-        # check the logs for the defined phrase
-        echo "Checking logs for $look_for"
-        phrase="$(grep -E "$look_for" "$output")" || true
-
-        if [ -z "$phrase" ]
-        then
-                echo "Phrase $look_for not found in output"
-                echo "$output left for inspection"
-                return 125
-        else
-                echo "Found phrase $look_for in output:"
-                echo "$phrase"
-                rm "$output"
-                return
-        fi
-}
-
-function check_examples() {
-        anyError=0
-
-        echo "Checking output of snippets and examples..."
-
-        for conf in $(find . -name ".validate_example*.sh")
-        do
-                dir="$(dirname $conf)"
-                # we expect $conf to supply $CMD, $TIMEOUT and $EXPECTED_OUTPUT
-                source "$conf"
-                pushd $dir &> /dev/null
-                enumerate "$conf"
-                wrap_check_output "$CMD" $TIMEOUT "$EXPECTED_OUTPUT"  || anyError=1
-                popd &> /dev/null
-                unset CMD && unset TIMEOUT && unset EXPECTED_OUTPUT
-        done
-        
-
-        echo "...done"
-        return $anyError
-}
-
-function wrap_check_output() {
-        RESULT=$(check_output "$@")
-
-        if [[ "$?" -eq 0 ]]
-        then
-                pass
-        else
-                echo -e "\e[91m$RESULT\e[39m" # light red
-                fail
-                anyError=1
-        fi
-
-        return $anyError
-}
-
-if [ "$0" = "$BASH_SOURCE" ]
-then
-# script executed directly, not sourced
-        anyError=0
-
-        check_examples || anyError=1
-        exit $anyError
-fi
-
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/amqp/.validate_example.sh b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/amqp/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 8ef8e3dc1..000000000
--- a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/amqp/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=30
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="received message: [0-9a-f\\-]+, payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/amqp/.validate_example.yml b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/amqp/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8df014ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/amqp/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 30
+expected_output: "received message: [0-9a-f\\-]+, payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/go-channel/.validate_example.sh b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/go-channel/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 2e1c2fc9b..000000000
--- a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/go-channel/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="go run main.go"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=1
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/go-channel/.validate_example.yml b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/go-channel/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f75a0bf19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/go-channel/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+timeout: 1
+expected_output: "payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/googlecloud/.validate_example.sh b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/googlecloud/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 3d7a25efc..000000000
--- a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/googlecloud/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=30
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/googlecloud/.validate_example.yml b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/googlecloud/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..146b39f16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/googlecloud/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 30
+expected_output: "payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/kafka/.validate_example.sh b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/kafka/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index f95e0b338..000000000
--- a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/kafka/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=60
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/kafka/.validate_example.yml b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/kafka/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7f97a98c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/kafka/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 60
+expected_output: "payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/nats-streaming/.validate_example.sh b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/nats-streaming/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 3d7a25efc..000000000
--- a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/nats-streaming/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=30
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/nats-streaming/.validate_example.yml b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/nats-streaming/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..146b39f16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/nats-streaming/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 30
+expected_output: "payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/router/.validate_example.sh b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/router/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 309767d56..000000000
--- a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/router/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="go run main.go"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=3
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="structHandler received message [0-9a-f\\-]+"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/getting-started/router/.validate_example.yml b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/router/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0977a6bcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/docs/getting-started/router/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+validation_cmd: "go run main.go"
+timeout: 3
+expected_output: "structHandler received message [0-9a-f\\-]+"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/message/.validate_example.yml b/docs/content/docs/message/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3b31cc305
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/docs/message/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+validation_cmd: "go run receiving-ack.go"
+timeout: 1
+expected_output: "ack received"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/snippets/amqp-consumer-groups/.validate_example.sh b/docs/content/docs/snippets/amqp-consumer-groups/.validate_example.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 8ef8e3dc1..000000000
--- a/docs/content/docs/snippets/amqp-consumer-groups/.validate_example.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# configuration for the dev/validate_example script.
-#
-# how to run the command
-CMD="docker-compose up"
-# how long to wait for the output 
-TIMEOUT=30
-# we expect this regexp to be present in the output
-EXPECTED_OUTPUT="received message: [0-9a-f\\-]+, payload: Hello, world!"
diff --git a/docs/content/docs/snippets/amqp-consumer-groups/.validate_example.yml b/docs/content/docs/snippets/amqp-consumer-groups/.validate_example.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8df014ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/docs/snippets/amqp-consumer-groups/.validate_example.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+validation_cmd: "docker-compose up"
+teardown_cmd: "docker-compose down"
+timeout: 30
+expected_output: "received message: [0-9a-f\\-]+, payload: Hello, world!"