I have added an ant task to copy the messages files to ValidatorMessages files as part of the build for now. Provided your messages files contain the validator.* and all other validator messages you have to only maintain the message files and still have all messages available in both seam and hibernate annotation. <copy todir="${messages.properties.path}"> | <fileset dir="${messages.properties.path}"/> | <globmapper from="messages*" to="ValidatorMessages*"/> | </copy> Not ideal but that works. manfred View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=3965847#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...