diff --git a/tools/lint/cmd_data.c b/tools/lint/cmd_data.c
index 25449f5..69f94bc 100644
--- a/tools/lint/cmd_data.c
+++ b/tools/lint/cmd_data.c
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
     uint8_t data_merge = 0;
     uint32_t options_print = 0;
     uint32_t options_parse = YL_DEFAULT_DATA_PARSE_OPTIONS;
-    uint32_t options_validate = 0;
+    uint32_t options_validate = YL_DEFAULT_DATA_VALIDATE_OPTIONS;
     enum lyd_type data_type = 0;
     uint8_t data_type_set = 0;
     LYD_FORMAT outformat = LYD_UNKNOWN;
diff --git a/tools/lint/common.h b/tools/lint/common.h
index 7c6a8ad..c3b8f95 100644
--- a/tools/lint/common.h
+++ b/tools/lint/common.h
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@
 #define YL_DEFAULT_DATA_PARSE_OPTIONS LYD_PARSE_STRICT
 
 /**
+ * @brief Default data validation flags.
+ */
+#define YL_DEFAULT_DATA_VALIDATE_OPTIONS LYD_VALIDATE_MULTI_ERROR
+
+/**
  * @brief log error message
  */
 #define YLMSG_E(...) \
diff --git a/tools/lint/main_ni.c b/tools/lint/main_ni.c
index 04c2340..6e00339 100644
--- a/tools/lint/main_ni.c
+++ b/tools/lint/main_ni.c
@@ -567,6 +567,7 @@
 
     c->ctx_options = YL_DEFAULT_CTX_OPTIONS;
     c->data_parse_options = YL_DEFAULT_DATA_PARSE_OPTIONS;
+    c->data_validate_options = YL_DEFAULT_DATA_VALIDATE_OPTIONS;
     c->line_length = 0;
 
     opterr = 0;