diff --git a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/plugin.md b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/plugin.md
index 60ae4b38..8ddf9d34 100644
--- a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/plugin.md
+++ b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/plugin.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ One-liner – What does this plugin contribution add or change?
 ## Plugin Documentation Checklist
 
 - README Validation
+    - [ ] `README.md` file exists in the plugin root folder
     - [ ] Clear installation instructions
     - [ ] Usage examples with code snippets
     - [ ] List of features and capabilities
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ One-liner – What does this plugin contribution add or change?
     - [ ] Contribution guidelines (if applicable)
 
 - Metadata Validation
+    - [ ] `plugin_metadata.yml` file exists in the plugin root folder
     - [ ] Complete metadata provided in reference to [plugin metadata template](../.././plugins/plugin_metadata_template.yml)
 
 ## Dev Testing
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-labeler.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-labeler.yml
index 658b2d29..a292bf4e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-labeler.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-labeler.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: Auto Label PR
 on:
   pull_request:
     branches: [ "main" ]
-    types: [opened, edited, reopened, synchronize]
+    types: [ opened, edited, reopened, synchronize ]
 
 jobs:
   label-plugin-pr:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-new-plugin-metadata.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-new-plugin-metadata.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6ae10bce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-new-plugin-metadata.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+name: Validate New Plugin Metadata
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ "main" ]
+    paths: [ "plugins/**" ]
+    types: [ opened, edited, reopened, synchronize ]
+
+jobs:
+  identify-new-plugins:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      plugin_dirs: ${{ steps.find_new_plugins.outputs.plugin_dirs }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
+
+      - name: Identify New Plugin Directories
+        id: find_new_plugins
+        run: |
+          # Fetch latest base branch state
+          git fetch origin ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }}
+          BASE_COMMIT=$(git merge-base origin/${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }} HEAD)
+
+          # Find newly added plugin directories
+          NEW_PLUGINS=()
+          for plugin_dir in $(git diff --diff-filter=A --name-only $BASE_COMMIT...HEAD | grep '^plugins/' | cut -d'/' -f1-2 | sort -u); do
+            # Ensure directory is completely new (does not exist in base branch)
+            if ! git rev-parse --verify origin/${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }}:"$plugin_dir" &>/dev/null; then
+              NEW_PLUGINS+=("$plugin_dir")
+            fi
+          done
+
+          # Exit early if no new plugins were found
+          if [[ ${#NEW_PLUGINS[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
+            echo "plugin_dirs=[]" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          # Convert plugin directory list to JSON format for use in next job
+          echo "plugin_dirs=$(jq -nc --argjson arr "$(printf '%s\n' "${NEW_PLUGINS[@]}" | jq -R . | jq -s .)" '$arr')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+  validate-individual-plugins:
+    needs: identify-new-plugins
+    if: ${{ needs.identify-new-plugins.outputs.plugin_dirs != '[]' }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        plugin_dir: ${{ fromJson(needs.identify-new-plugins.outputs.plugin_dirs) }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Validate Plugin Metadata
+        run: |
+          metadata_file="${{ matrix.plugin_dir }}/plugin_metadata.yml"
+          if [[ ! -f "$metadata_file" ]]; then
+            echo "::error file=$metadata_file::Missing plugin_metadata.yml"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          echo "::group::Validating $metadata_file"
+
+          metadata=$(yq '.' "$metadata_file")
+          errors=0
+
+          # Function to check if a required field is missing
+          check_required_field() {
+            local field="$1"
+            local value=$(echo "$metadata" | yq ".$field")
+            if [[ -z "$value" ]]; then
+              echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'$field' is missing"
+              ((errors++))
+            fi
+          }
+
+          # Function to validate a URL field (supports single values and arrays)
+          check_valid_url() {
+            local field="$1"
+            local required="${2:-optional}"  # Default to "optional" if no second parameter is provided
+            local value=$(echo "$metadata" | yq ".$field" || true)
+          
+            # If field is missing or empty
+            if [[ -z "$value" ]]; then
+              if [[ "$required" == "required" ]]; then
+                echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'$field' is required but missing"
+                ((errors++))
+              fi
+              return 0  # Skip validation if it's optional and missing
+            fi
+          
+            # Handle arrays of URLs (e.g., screenshots)
+            if [[ "$value" == "["*"]" ]]; then
+              for url in $(echo "$value" | yq '.[]'); do
+                if [[ ! "$url" =~ ^https?:\/\/[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+(\.[a-zA-Z]{2,})+(:[0-9]{1,5})?(\/.*)?$ ]]; then
+                  echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'$field' contains an invalid URL: $url"
+                  ((errors++))
+                fi
+              done
+            else
+              if [[ ! "$value" =~ ^https?:\/\/[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+(\.[a-zA-Z]{2,})+(:[0-9]{1,5})?(\/.*)?$ ]]; then
+                echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'$field' is not a valid URL"
+                ((errors++))
+              fi
+            fi
+          }
+
+          # Validate required fields
+          check_required_field "plugin_name"
+          check_required_field "author"
+          check_required_field "short_description"
+          check_required_field "detailed_description"
+          check_required_field "support_contact"
+
+          # Validate URLs
+          check_valid_url "community_url" "required"
+          check_valid_url "logo_url"
+          check_valid_url "plugin_logo_url"
+          check_valid_url "demo_video_url"
+          check_valid_url "documentation_url"
+          check_valid_url "changelog_url"
+          check_valid_url "screenshots"
+
+          # Validate date format (YYYY-MM)
+          release_date=$(echo "$metadata" | yq '.release_date')
+          if [[ -z "$release_date" ]]; then
+            echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'$release_date' is required but missing"
+            ((errors++))
+          else
+            if [[ ! "$release_date" =~ ^202[0-9]{1}-[0-9]{2}$ ]]; then
+              echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'release_date' should be in YYYY-MM format"
+              ((errors++))
+            fi
+          fi
+
+          # Validate X account handle format (@username)
+          x_account_handle=$(echo "$metadata" | yq '.x_account_handle')
+          if [[ -z "$x_account_handle" ]]; then
+            echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'$x_account_handle' is required but missing"
+            ((errors++))
+          else
+            if [[ -n "$x_account_handle" && ! "$x_account_handle" =~ ^@[a-zA-Z0-9_]{1,15}$ ]]; then
+              echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'x_account_handle' is not a valid X (Twitter) handle"
+              ((errors++))
+            fi
+          fi
+
+          # Validate support contact (must be a valid URL or email)
+          support_contact=$(echo "$metadata" | yq '.support_contact')
+          if [[ -z "$support_contact" ]]; then
+            echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'$support_contact' is required but missing"
+            ((errors++))
+          else
+            if [[ ! "$support_contact" =~ ^(https?:\/\/[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+(\.[a-zA-Z]{2,})+(:[0-9]{1,5})?(\/.*)?|[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,})$ ]]; then
+              echo "::error file=$metadata_file::'support_contact' must be a valid URL or email address"
+              ((errors++))
+            fi
+          fi
+
+          echo "::endgroup::"
+          exit $errors
diff --git a/plugins/allora/try_new_file.txt b/plugins/allora/try_new_file.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/plugins/new_plugin/plugin_metadata.yml b/plugins/new_plugin/plugin_metadata.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3cf99688
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/new_plugin/plugin_metadata.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# General Information
+plugin_name: "Plugin's Name"
+author: "Plugin's Author"
+logo_url: ""
+release_date: ""
+
+# Description
+short_description: "Plugin's short description"
+detailed_description: "Plugin's detailed description"
+
+# Media & Assets
+plugin_logo_url: ""
+screenshots:
+  - ""
+  - ""
+demo_video_url: ""
+documentation_url: ""
+changelog_url: ""
+
+# Contact & Support
+x_account_handle: ""
+support_contact: "Plugin's support contact in wrong format"
+community_url: ""
diff --git a/plugins/new_plugin/test.txt b/plugins/new_plugin/test.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/plugins/plugin_metadata_template.yml b/plugins/plugin_metadata_template.yml
index cc8fde05..f38d847e 100644
--- a/plugins/plugin_metadata_template.yml
+++ b/plugins/plugin_metadata_template.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # General Information
 plugin_name: ""           # Name of the plugin
 author: ""                # Author and team name
-logo_url: ""              # URL to the author photo or team logo (512x512 recommended)
-release_date: ""          # Release date (DD-MM-YYYY)
+logo_url: ""              # URL to the author photo or team logo (512x512 recommended) (if any)
+release_date: ""          # Release date (YYYY-MM)
 
 # Description
 short_description: ""      # One-liner description for listings
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@ detailed_description: ""   # Full description with features and benefits
 
 # Media & Assets
 plugin_logo_url: ""        # URL to the plugin logo (512x512 recommended) (if any or fallback to logo_url)
-screenshots:               # List of screenshots showcasing the plugin
+screenshots:               # List of screenshots showcasing the plugin (if any)
   - ""                     # e.g., "https://example.com/screenshot1.png"
   - ""
-demo_video_url: ""         # Link to a demo or walkthrough video (if available)
-documentation_url: ""      # Link to the plugin's official documentation (if available)
+demo_video_url: ""         # Link to a demo or walkthrough video (if any)
+documentation_url: ""      # Link to the plugin's official documentation (if any)
 changelog_url: ""          # Link to the changelog (if maintained)
 
 # Contact & Support
 x_account_handle: ""       # X (formerly known as Twitter) account handle (ie: @GAME_Virtuals)
 support_contact: ""        # Email or Slack/Discord link for user support
-community_link: ""         # Forum or community link (if any)
+community_url: ""          # Forum or community link (if any)