diff --git a/docs/topology/validate.md b/docs/topology/validate.md
index 3e9db17a48..87f1e8c440 100644
--- a/docs/topology/validate.md
+++ b/docs/topology/validate.md
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ The **config** parameter can be a string (the template to deploy) or a dictionar
 **Notes:**
 
 * Every test entry should have **show**, **exec**, **config**, **suzieq**, **ansible** or **wait** parameter.
+* The device types specified in **show**, **exec**, or **valid** dictionaries can be *parent devices* (for example, `ios` to cover all Cisco IOS platforms).
 * A test entry with just the **wait** parameter is valid and can be used to delay the test procedure.
 * Test entries with **show** parameter must have **valid** expression.
 * Test entries with **valid** expression must have **show**,  **exec**, **suzieq**, or **ansible** parameter.
diff --git a/netsim/cli/validate/tests.py b/netsim/cli/validate/tests.py
index 00d68ac00a..84b133a6d6 100644
--- a/netsim/cli/validate/tests.py
+++ b/netsim/cli/validate/tests.py
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ def execute_node_validation(
   node = topology.nodes[n_name]
   result = data.get_empty_box()
 
-  action = utils.find_test_action(v_entry,node) # Find the action to show/execute/wait
+  # Find the action to show/execute/wait
+  action = utils.find_test_action(v_entry,node,topology)
   if action == 'wait':                          # Test with pure 'wait'
     return (True,True)                          # is assumed to be successful
 
diff --git a/netsim/cli/validate/utils.py b/netsim/cli/validate/utils.py
index aeff75d2b1..4e4421028c 100644
--- a/netsim/cli/validate/utils.py
+++ b/netsim/cli/validate/utils.py
@@ -7,26 +7,46 @@
 
 from box import Box, BoxList
 
+from ...augment import devices as a_devices
 from ...utils import log, templates
 from . import plugin, report
 
-'''
-Get generic or per-device action from a validation entry
 
-* If the validation entry is a string, use that
-* If the validation entry is a dictionary, use device-specific item
-* If the result of the above is not a string we have a failure, get out
-* If the resulting string contains '{{' run it through Jinja2 engine
+def get_device_inheritance_list(node: Box, topology: Box) -> list:
+  '''
+  Get the device inheritance list for the current node, starting with the
+  device type and ending with the most generic parent. If the device has no
+  'parent' attribute, the list has one element (the device type)
+  '''
+  dev_data = a_devices.get_consolidated_device_data(node,topology.defaults)
+  dev_search: list = dev_data.get('_parents',[]) + [ node.device ]
+  return list(reversed(dev_search))
 
-If we try to get the string to pass to the device from a plugin, then any
-plugin evaluation errors indicate something is badly broken, so we log the
-error with as much data as feasible... and if the end-user ever sees that
-error message, the author of the validation plugin did a lousy job.
-'''
 def get_entry_value(v_entry: Box, action: str, node: Box, topology: Box) -> typing.Any:
-  n_device = node.device
+  '''
+  Get generic or per-device action from a validation entry
+
+  * If the validation entry is a string, use that
+  * If the validation entry is a dictionary, use device-specific item
+  * If the result of the above is not a string we have a failure, get out
+  * If the resulting string contains '{{' run it through Jinja2 engine
+
+  If we try to get the string to pass to the device from a plugin, then any
+  plugin evaluation errors indicate something is badly broken, so we log the
+  error with as much data as feasible... and if the end-user ever sees that
+  error message, the author of the validation plugin did a lousy job.
+  '''
   if action in v_entry:
-    value = v_entry[action][n_device] if isinstance(v_entry[action],dict) else v_entry[action]
+    value = None
+    if not isinstance(v_entry[action],dict):
+      value = v_entry[action]
+    else:
+      for device in get_device_inheritance_list(node,topology):
+        if device in v_entry[action]:
+          if log.VERBOSE and device != node.device:
+            log.info(f'Using {device} {action} definition for node {node.name}/{node.device}')
+          value = v_entry[action][device]
+          break
   elif 'plugin' in v_entry:
     try:
       value = plugin.exec_plugin_function(action,v_entry,node)
@@ -81,7 +101,7 @@ def get_exec_list(v_entry: Box, action: str, node: Box, topology: Box) -> list:
 * If there's no plugin, but we have 'wait' action, return 'wait'
 * If everything fails, return None (nothing usable for the current node)
 '''
-def find_test_action(v_entry: Box, node: Box) -> typing.Optional[str]:
+def find_test_action(v_entry: Box, node: Box, topology: Box) -> typing.Optional[str]:
   action_kw_found = False
   for kw in ('show','exec','config','suzieq','ansible'):
     if kw not in v_entry:
@@ -90,8 +110,11 @@ def find_test_action(v_entry: Box, node: Box) -> typing.Optional[str]:
     action_kw_found = True
     if kw in ['suzieq','config'] or isinstance(v_entry[kw],(str,int)):
       return kw
-    if node.device in v_entry[kw]:
-      return kw
+
+    # Iterate device options from most-specific (device) to most generic (top parent)
+    for device in get_device_inheritance_list(node,topology):
+      if device in v_entry[kw]:
+        return kw
 
   if 'plugin' in v_entry:
     return plugin.find_plugin_action(v_entry,node)
diff --git a/netsim/defaults/attributes.yml b/netsim/defaults/attributes.yml
index 5d18f48f59..2fb615e788 100644
--- a/netsim/defaults/attributes.yml
+++ b/netsim/defaults/attributes.yml
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ _v_option:
     expression to evaluate.
   type: dict
   _alt_types: [ str ]
-  _keytype: device
+  _keytype: { type: device, include_templates: true }
 
 _r_import:
   _description: |
diff --git a/tests/integration/services/01-dns-client.yml b/tests/integration/services/01-dns-client.yml
index fdadeaa632..fab27a1698 100644
--- a/tests/integration/services/01-dns-client.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/services/01-dns-client.yml
@@ -32,14 +32,8 @@ validate:
     wait_msg: Waiting for interfaces/DNS to wake up
     exec:
       eos: ping t1 repeat 3
-      iol: ping t1
-      ioll2: ping t1
-      iosv: ping t1
-      iosvl2: ping t1
-      csr: ping t1
-      cat8000v: ping t1
+      ios: ping t1
       linux: ping -c 3 t1
-      bird: ping -c 3 t1
       frr: ping -c 3 t1
     valid: >-
       "172.16.0.4" in stdout