diff --git a/decode.go b/decode.go
index b5fbc8a9..7573b990 100644
--- a/decode.go
+++ b/decode.go
@@ -405,8 +405,8 @@ func (d *Decoder) deleteStructKeys(structType reflect.Type, unknownFields map[st
 			continue
 		}
 
-		structField, ok := structFieldMap[field.Name]
-		if !ok {
+		structField, exists := structFieldMap[field.Name]
+		if !exists {
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -916,7 +916,10 @@ func (d *Decoder) decodeStruct(dst reflect.Value, src ast.Node) error {
 						continue
 					}
 					fieldName := fieldErr.StructField()
-					structField := structFieldMap[fieldName]
+					structField, exists := structFieldMap[fieldName]
+					if !exists {
+						continue
+					}
 					node, exists := keyToNodeMap[structField.RenderName]
 					if exists {
 						// TODO: to make FieldError message cutomizable
diff --git a/validate_test.go b/validate_test.go
index b21e4d3d..96402358 100644
--- a/validate_test.go
+++ b/validate_test.go
@@ -1,45 +1,79 @@
 package yaml_test
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"strings"
+	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/goccy/go-yaml"
 	"gopkg.in/go-playground/validator.v9"
 )
 
-type Person struct {
-	Name string `validate:"required"`
-	Age  int    `validate:"gte=0,lt=120"`
-}
+func TestStructValidator(t *testing.T) {
 
-func ExampleStructValidator() {
-	yml := `---
+	cases := []struct {
+		TestName    string
+		YAMLContent string
+		ExpectedErr string
+		Instance    interface{}
+	}{
+		{
+			TestName: "Test Simple Validation",
+			YAMLContent: `---
 - name: john
   age: 20
 - name: tom
   age: -1
 - name: ken
-  age: 10
-`
-	validate := validator.New()
-	dec := yaml.NewDecoder(
-		strings.NewReader(yml),
-		yaml.Validator(validate),
-	)
-	var v []*Person
-	err := dec.Decode(&v)
-	if err == nil {
-		panic("expected error")
+  age: 10`,
+			ExpectedErr: `[5:8] Key: 'Age' Error:Field validation for 'Age' failed on the 'gte' tag
+   2 | - name: john
+   3 |   age: 20
+   4 | - name: tom
+>  5 |   age: -1
+              ^
+   6 | - name: ken
+   7 |   age: 10`,
+			Instance: &[]struct {
+				Name string `yaml:"name" validate:"required"`
+				Age  int    `yaml:"age" validate:"gte=0,lt=120"`
+			}{},
+		},
+		{
+			TestName: "Test Nested Validation Missing Internal Required",
+			YAMLContent: `---
+name: john
+age: 10
+addr:
+  number: seven`,
+			ExpectedErr: "",
+			Instance: &struct {
+				Name string `yaml:"name" validate:"required"`
+				Age  int    `yaml:"age" validate:"gte=0,lt=120"`
+				Addr struct {
+					Number string `yaml:"number" validate:"required"`
+					State  string `yaml:"state" validate:"required"`
+				} `yaml:"addr"`
+			}{},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		tc := tc // NOTE: https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/CommonMistakes#using-goroutines-on-loop-iterator-variables
+		t.Run(tc.TestName, func(t *testing.T) {
+			validate := validator.New()
+			dec := yaml.NewDecoder(
+				strings.NewReader(tc.YAMLContent),
+				yaml.Validator(validate),
+			)
+			err := dec.Decode(tc.Instance)
+			switch {
+			case tc.ExpectedErr != "" && err == nil:
+				t.Fatal("expected error")
+			case tc.ExpectedErr == "" && err != nil:
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+			case tc.ExpectedErr != "" && tc.ExpectedErr != err.Error():
+				t.Fatalf("expected `%s` but actual `%s`", tc.ExpectedErr, err.Error())
+			}
+		})
 	}
-	fmt.Printf("%v", err)
-	// OUTPUT:
-	// [5:8] Key: 'Person.Age' Error:Field validation for 'Age' failed on the 'gte' tag
-	//        2 | - name: john
-	//        3 |   age: 20
-	//        4 | - name: tom
-	//     >  5 |   age: -1
-	//                   ^
-	//        6 | - name: ken
-	//        7 |   age: 10
 }