diff --git a/curriculum/schema/challengeSchema.js b/curriculum/schema/challengeSchema.js
index 829dee334f..53d25622b6 100644
--- a/curriculum/schema/challengeSchema.js
+++ b/curriculum/schema/challengeSchema.js
@@ -1,84 +1,89 @@
 const Joi = require('joi');
 Joi.objectId = require('joi-objectid')(Joi);
-const path = require('path');
-require('dotenv').config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, '../../.env') });
 
-const { LOCALE: lang = 'english' } = process.env;
-
-let schema = Joi.object().keys({
-  block: Joi.string(),
-  blockId: Joi.objectId(),
-  challengeOrder: Joi.number(),
-  challengeType: Joi.number()
-    .min(0)
-    .max(9)
-    .required(),
-  checksum: Joi.number(),
-  dashedName: Joi.string(),
-  description: Joi.string().required(),
-  fileName: Joi.string(),
-  files: Joi.array().items(
-    Joi.object().keys({
-      key: Joi.string(),
-      ext: Joi.string(),
-      name: Joi.string(),
-      head: [Joi.array().items(Joi.string().allow('')), Joi.string().allow('')],
-      tail: [Joi.array().items(Joi.string().allow('')), Joi.string().allow('')],
-      contents: [
-        Joi.array().items(Joi.string().allow('')),
-        Joi.string().allow('')
-      ]
-    })
-  ),
-  guideUrl: Joi.string().uri({ scheme: 'https' }),
-  videoUrl: Joi.string().allow(''),
-  helpRoom: Joi.string(),
-  id: Joi.objectId().required(),
-  instructions: Joi.string().required(),
-  isBeta: Joi.bool(),
-  isComingSoon: Joi.bool(),
-  isLocked: Joi.bool(),
-  isPrivate: Joi.bool(),
-  isRequired: Joi.bool(),
-  name: Joi.string(),
-  order: Joi.number(),
-  required: Joi.array().items(
-    Joi.object().keys({
-      link: Joi.string(),
-      raw: Joi.bool(),
-      src: Joi.string(),
-      crossDomain: Joi.bool()
-    })
-  ),
-  solutions: Joi.array().items(Joi.string().optional()),
-  superBlock: Joi.string(),
-  superOrder: Joi.number(),
-  suborder: Joi.number(),
-  tests: Joi.array().items(
-    // public challenges
-    Joi.object().keys({
-      text: Joi.string().required(),
-      testString: Joi.string()
-        .allow('')
-        .required()
-    }),
-    // our tests used in certification verification
-    Joi.object().keys({
-      id: Joi.string().required(),
-      title: Joi.string().required()
-    })
-  ),
-  template: Joi.string().allow(''),
-  time: Joi.string().allow(''),
-  title: Joi.string().required()
-});
-
-if (lang !== 'english') {
-  schema = schema.append({
-    localeTitle: Joi.string().required()
+function getSchemaForLang(lang) {
+  let schema = Joi.object().keys({
+    block: Joi.string(),
+    blockId: Joi.objectId(),
+    challengeOrder: Joi.number(),
+    challengeType: Joi.number()
+      .min(0)
+      .max(9)
+      .required(),
+    checksum: Joi.number(),
+    dashedName: Joi.string(),
+    description: Joi.string().required(),
+    fileName: Joi.string(),
+    files: Joi.array().items(
+      Joi.object().keys({
+        key: Joi.string(),
+        ext: Joi.string(),
+        name: Joi.string(),
+        head: [
+          Joi.array().items(Joi.string().allow('')),
+          Joi.string().allow('')
+        ],
+        tail: [
+          Joi.array().items(Joi.string().allow('')),
+          Joi.string().allow('')
+        ],
+        contents: [
+          Joi.array().items(Joi.string().allow('')),
+          Joi.string().allow('')
+        ]
+      })
+    ),
+    guideUrl: Joi.string().uri({ scheme: 'https' }),
+    videoUrl: Joi.string().allow(''),
+    helpRoom: Joi.string(),
+    id: Joi.objectId().required(),
+    instructions: Joi.string().required(),
+    isBeta: Joi.bool(),
+    isComingSoon: Joi.bool(),
+    isLocked: Joi.bool(),
+    isPrivate: Joi.bool(),
+    isRequired: Joi.bool(),
+    name: Joi.string(),
+    order: Joi.number(),
+    required: Joi.array().items(
+      Joi.object().keys({
+        link: Joi.string(),
+        raw: Joi.bool(),
+        src: Joi.string(),
+        crossDomain: Joi.bool()
+      })
+    ),
+    solutions: Joi.array().items(Joi.string().optional()),
+    superBlock: Joi.string(),
+    superOrder: Joi.number(),
+    suborder: Joi.number(),
+    tests: Joi.array().items(
+      // public challenges
+      Joi.object().keys({
+        text: Joi.string().required(),
+        testString: Joi.string()
+          .allow('')
+          .required()
+      }),
+      // our tests used in certification verification
+      Joi.object().keys({
+        id: Joi.string().required(),
+        title: Joi.string().required()
+      })
+    ),
+    template: Joi.string().allow(''),
+    time: Joi.string().allow(''),
+    title: Joi.string().required()
   });
-}
 
-exports.validateChallenge = function validateChallenge(challenge) {
-  return Joi.validate(challenge, schema);
+  if (lang !== 'english') {
+    schema = schema.append({
+      localeTitle: Joi.string().required()
+    });
+  }
+  return schema;
+}
+exports.challengeSchemaValidator = lang => {
+  const schema = getSchemaForLang(lang);
+  return challenge => Joi.validate(challenge, schema);
 };
diff --git a/curriculum/test/test-challenges.js b/curriculum/test/test-challenges.js
index 4de813bd75..7f76cdb622 100644
--- a/curriculum/test/test-challenges.js
+++ b/curriculum/test/test-challenges.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const { getChallengesForLang } = require('../getChallenges');
 
 const MongoIds = require('./utils/mongoIds');
 const ChallengeTitles = require('./utils/challengeTitles');
-const { validateChallenge } = require('../schema/challengeSchema');
+const { challengeSchemaValidator } = require('../schema/challengeSchema');
 const { challengeTypes } = require('../../client/utils/challengeTypes');
 
 const { LOCALE: lang = 'english' } = process.env;
@@ -40,8 +40,9 @@ Mocha.Runner.prototype.fail = function(test, err) {
   return oldRunnerFail.call(this, test, err);
 };
 
-let mongoIds = new MongoIds();
-let challengeTitles = new ChallengeTitles();
+const mongoIds = new MongoIds();
+const challengeTitles = new ChallengeTitles();
+const validateChallenge = challengeSchemaValidator(lang);
 
 const { JSDOM } = jsdom;