diff --git a/cmd/helm/install.go b/cmd/helm/install.go
index b16a921b0..18be2d299 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/install.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/install.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/action"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/chart"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/chart/loader"
+	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/chartutil"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/downloader"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/getter"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/hapi/release"
@@ -231,12 +232,9 @@ func (o *installOptions) run(out io.Writer) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	chartType := chartRequested.Metadata.Type
-	if strings.EqualFold(chartType, "library") {
-		return errors.New("Library charts are not installable")
-	}
-	if chartType != "" && !strings.EqualFold(chartType, "application") {
-		return errors.New("Invalid chart type. Valid types are: application or library")
+	validInstallableChart, err := chartutil.IsChartInstallable(chartRequested)
+	if !validInstallableChart {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	if req := chartRequested.Metadata.Dependencies; req != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/helm/install_test.go b/cmd/helm/install_test.go
index 0a96d010f..1a42c95f1 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/install_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/install_test.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func TestInstall(t *testing.T) {
 			name:      "install chart with bad type",
 			cmd:       "install badtype testdata/testcharts/chart-bad-type",
 			wantError: true,
-			golden:    "output/template-chart-bad-type.txt",
+			golden:    "output/install-chart-bad-type.txt",
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/helm/package.go b/cmd/helm/package.go
index 6ff9d348c..04395607d 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/package.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/package.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
-	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 
 	"github.com/Masterminds/semver"
@@ -135,10 +134,9 @@ func (o *packageOptions) run(out io.Writer) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	chartType := ch.Metadata.Type
-	if chartType != "" && !strings.EqualFold(chartType, "library") &&
-		!strings.EqualFold(chartType, "application") {
-		return errors.New("Invalid chart type. Valid types are: application or library")
+	validChartType, err := chartutil.IsValidChartType(ch)
+	if !validChartType {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	overrideVals, err := o.mergedValues()
diff --git a/cmd/helm/template.go b/cmd/helm/template.go
index 81053c208..f89aaed2b 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/template.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/template.go
@@ -157,12 +157,9 @@ func (o *templateOptions) run(out io.Writer) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	chartType := c.Metadata.Type
-	if strings.EqualFold(chartType, "library") {
-		return errors.New("Library charts are not installable")
-	}
-	if chartType != "" && !strings.EqualFold(chartType, "application") {
-		return errors.New("Invalid chart type. Valid types are: application or library")
+	validInstallableChart, err := chartutil.IsChartInstallable(c)
+	if !validInstallableChart {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	if req := c.Metadata.Dependencies; req != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/helm/template_test.go b/cmd/helm/template_test.go
index 2d5976bba..d34409e44 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/template_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/template_test.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func TestTemplateCmd(t *testing.T) {
 			name:      "check chart bad type",
 			cmd:       fmt.Sprintf("template '%s'", "testdata/testcharts/chart-bad-type"),
 			wantError: true,
-			golden:    "output/template-chart-bad-type.txt",
+			golden:    "output/install-chart-bad-type.txt",
 		},
 	}
 	runTestCmd(t, tests)
diff --git a/cmd/helm/testdata/output/install-chart-bad-type.txt b/cmd/helm/testdata/output/install-chart-bad-type.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..22308ac51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/helm/testdata/output/install-chart-bad-type.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Error: Invalid chart types are not installable
diff --git a/cmd/helm/testdata/output/template-chart-bad-type.txt b/cmd/helm/testdata/output/template-chart-bad-type.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index dd109fe4a..000000000
--- a/cmd/helm/testdata/output/template-chart-bad-type.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Error: Invalid chart type. Valid types are: application or library
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/chartfile.go b/pkg/chartutil/chartfile.go
index 38bcd54db..7e90966b4 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/chartfile.go
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/chartfile.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -82,3 +83,30 @@ func IsChartDir(dirName string) (bool, error) {
 
 	return true, nil
 }
+
+// IsChartInstallable validates if a chart can be installed
+//
+// Application chart type is only installable
+func IsChartInstallable(chart *chart.Chart) (bool, error) {
+	chartType := chart.Metadata.Type
+	if strings.EqualFold(chartType, "library") {
+		return false, errors.New("Library charts are not installable")
+	}
+	validChartType, _ := IsValidChartType(chart)
+	if !validChartType {
+		return false, errors.New("Invalid chart types are not installable")
+	}
+	return true, nil
+}
+
+// IsValidChartType validates the chart type
+//
+// Valid types are: application or library
+func IsValidChartType(chart *chart.Chart) (bool, error) {
+	chartType := chart.Metadata.Type
+	if chartType != "" && !strings.EqualFold(chartType, "library") &&
+		!strings.EqualFold(chartType, "application") {
+		return false, errors.New("Invalid chart type. Valid types are: application or library")
+	}
+	return true, nil
+}