diff --git a/x/gov/types/v1/genesis.go b/x/gov/types/v1/genesis.go
index 97b8ded8..40f0bd74 100644
--- a/x/gov/types/v1/genesis.go
+++ b/x/gov/types/v1/genesis.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 
 	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 
+	"cosmossdk.io/math"
+
 	codectypes "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec/types"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	sdkgovtypes "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/gov/types"
@@ -49,6 +51,16 @@ func ValidateGenesis(data *GenesisState) error {
 		return errors.New("starting proposal id must be greater than 0")
 	}
 
+	if err := validateParticipationEma(data.ParticipationEma, "participation_ema"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := validateParticipationEma(data.ConstitutionAmendmentParticipationEma, "constitution_amendment_participation_ema"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := validateParticipationEma(data.LawParticipationEma, "law_participation_ema"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	var errGroup errgroup.Group
 
 	// weed out duplicate proposals
@@ -152,6 +164,20 @@ func ValidateGenesis(data *GenesisState) error {
 	return errGroup.Wait()
 }
 
+func validateParticipationEma(value, field string) error {
+	dec, err := math.LegacyNewDecFromStr(value)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid %s: %w", field, err)
+	}
+	if dec.IsNegative() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s must not be negative: %s", field, value)
+	}
+	if dec.GT(math.LegacyOneDec()) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s must not be greater than 1: %s", field, value)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 var _ codectypes.UnpackInterfacesMessage = GenesisState{}
 
 // UnpackInterfaces implements UnpackInterfacesMessage.UnpackInterfaces
diff --git a/x/gov/types/v1/genesis_test.go b/x/gov/types/v1/genesis_test.go
index 17fc5cf6..09400076 100644
--- a/x/gov/types/v1/genesis_test.go
+++ b/x/gov/types/v1/genesis_test.go
@@ -393,6 +393,54 @@ func TestValidateGenesis(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			expErrMsg: "duplicate deposit: proposal_id:1 depositor:\"depositor\"",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid participation_ema - not a decimal",
+			genesisState: func() *v1.GenesisState {
+				params := v1.DefaultParams()
+				return v1.NewGenesisState(v1.DefaultStartingProposalID, "notadecimal", v1.DefaultParticipationEma, v1.DefaultParticipationEma, params)
+			},
+			expErrMsg: "invalid participation_ema",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "negative participation_ema",
+			genesisState: func() *v1.GenesisState {
+				params := v1.DefaultParams()
+				return v1.NewGenesisState(v1.DefaultStartingProposalID, "-0.1", v1.DefaultParticipationEma, v1.DefaultParticipationEma, params)
+			},
+			expErrMsg: "participation_ema must not be negative",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "participation_ema greater than 1",
+			genesisState: func() *v1.GenesisState {
+				params := v1.DefaultParams()
+				return v1.NewGenesisState(v1.DefaultStartingProposalID, "1.1", v1.DefaultParticipationEma, v1.DefaultParticipationEma, params)
+			},
+			expErrMsg: "participation_ema must not be greater than 1",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid constitution_amendment_participation_ema",
+			genesisState: func() *v1.GenesisState {
+				params := v1.DefaultParams()
+				return v1.NewGenesisState(v1.DefaultStartingProposalID, v1.DefaultParticipationEma, "notadecimal", v1.DefaultParticipationEma, params)
+			},
+			expErrMsg: "invalid constitution_amendment_participation_ema",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "negative constitution_amendment_participation_ema",
+			genesisState: func() *v1.GenesisState {
+				params := v1.DefaultParams()
+				return v1.NewGenesisState(v1.DefaultStartingProposalID, v1.DefaultParticipationEma, "-0.5", v1.DefaultParticipationEma, params)
+			},
+			expErrMsg: "constitution_amendment_participation_ema must not be negative",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid law_participation_ema",
+			genesisState: func() *v1.GenesisState {
+				params := v1.DefaultParams()
+				return v1.NewGenesisState(v1.DefaultStartingProposalID, v1.DefaultParticipationEma, v1.DefaultParticipationEma, "2.0", params)
+			},
+			expErrMsg: "law_participation_ema must not be greater than 1",
+		},
 		{
 			name: "non-existent proposal id in votes",
 			genesisState: func() *v1.GenesisState {