diff --git a/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/state/actions.test.ts b/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/state/actions.test.ts
index d6c366ed545..c37192e18ee 100644
--- a/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/state/actions.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/state/actions.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import { thunkTester } from 'test/core/thunk/thunkTester';
 
 import { setBackendSrv } from '@grafana/runtime';
 
+import { validateDashboardJson } from '../utils/validation';
+
 import { importDashboard } from './actions';
 import { DataSourceInput, ImportDashboardDTO, initialImportDashboardState, InputType } from './reducers';
 
@@ -75,3 +77,32 @@ describe('importDashboard', () => {
     });
   });
 });
+
+describe('validateDashboardJson', () => {
+  it('Should return true if correct json', async () => {
+    const jsonImportCorrectFormat = '{"title": "Correct Format", "tags": ["tag1", "tag2"], "schemaVersion": 36}';
+    const validateDashboardJsonCorrectFormat = await validateDashboardJson(jsonImportCorrectFormat);
+    expect(validateDashboardJsonCorrectFormat).toBe(true);
+  });
+  it('Should not return true if nested tags', async () => {
+    const jsonImportNestedTags =
+      '{"title": "Nested tags","tags": ["tag1", "tag2", ["nestedTag1", "nestedTag2"]],"schemaVersion": 36}';
+    const validateDashboardJsonNestedTags = await validateDashboardJson(jsonImportNestedTags);
+    expect(validateDashboardJsonNestedTags).toBe('tags expected array of strings');
+  });
+  it('Should not return true if not an array', async () => {
+    const jsonImportNotArray = '{"title": "Not Array","tags": "tag1","schemaVersion":36}';
+    const validateDashboardJsonNotArray = await validateDashboardJson(jsonImportNotArray);
+    expect(validateDashboardJsonNotArray).toBe('tags expected array');
+  });
+  it('Should not return true if not an array and is blank string', async () => {
+    const jsonImportEmptyTags = '{"schemaVersion": 36,"tags": "", "title": "Empty Tags"}';
+    const validateDashboardJsonEmptyTags = await validateDashboardJson(jsonImportEmptyTags);
+    expect(validateDashboardJsonEmptyTags).toBe('tags expected array');
+  });
+  it('Should not return true if not valid JSON', async () => {
+    const jsonImportInvalidJson = '{"schemaVersion": 36,"tags": {"tag", "nested tag"}, "title": "Nested lists"}';
+    const validateDashboardJsonNotValid = await validateDashboardJson(jsonImportInvalidJson);
+    expect(validateDashboardJsonNotValid).toBe('Not valid JSON');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/utils/validation.ts b/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/utils/validation.ts
index bee8a2200c8..282b011cb00 100644
--- a/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/utils/validation.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/utils/validation.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,23 @@ import { getBackendSrv } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { validationSrv } from '../services/ValidationSrv';
 
 export const validateDashboardJson = (json: string) => {
+  let dashboard;
   try {
-    JSON.parse(json);
-    return true;
+    dashboard = JSON.parse(json);
   } catch (error) {
     return 'Not valid JSON';
   }
+  if (dashboard && dashboard.hasOwnProperty('tags')) {
+    if (Array.isArray(dashboard.tags)) {
+      const hasInvalidTag = dashboard.tags.some((tag: string) => typeof tag !== 'string');
+      if (hasInvalidTag) {
+        return 'tags expected array of strings';
+      }
+    } else {
+      return 'tags expected array';
+    }
+  }
+  return true;
 };
 
 export const validateGcomDashboard = (gcomDashboard: string) => {