diff --git a/bids-validator/src/issues/list.ts b/bids-validator/src/issues/list.ts
index 8af740533..aeaf8dbd3 100644
--- a/bids-validator/src/issues/list.ts
+++ b/bids-validator/src/issues/list.ts
@@ -36,11 +36,19 @@ export const filenameIssues: IssueDefinitionRecord = {
   },
   JSON_KEY_REQUIRED: {
     severity: 'error',
-    reason: "A data file's JSON sidecar is missing a key listed as required.",
+    reason: 'A JSON flle is missing a key listed as required.',
   },
   JSON_KEY_RECOMMENDED: {
     severity: 'warning',
-    reason: 'A data files JSON sidecar is missing a key listed as recommended.',
+    reason: 'A JSON file is missing a key listed as recommended.',
+  },
+  SIDECAR_KEY_REQUIRED: {
+    severity: 'error',
+    reason: "A data file's JSON sidecar is missing a key listed as required.",
+  },
+  SIDECAR_KEY_RECOMMENDED: {
+    severity: 'warning',
+    reason: "A data file's JSON sidecar is missing a key listed as recommended.",
   },
   JSON_SCHEMA_VALIDATION_ERROR: {
     severity: 'error',
diff --git a/bids-validator/src/schema/applyRules.ts b/bids-validator/src/schema/applyRules.ts
index 6c8e9083a..6c5e0bdd9 100644
--- a/bids-validator/src/schema/applyRules.ts
+++ b/bids-validator/src/schema/applyRules.ts
@@ -418,12 +418,18 @@ function evalJsonCheck(
   schema: GenericSchema,
   schemaPath: string,
 ): void {
+  const sidecarRule = schemaPath.match(/rules\.sidecar/)
+  // Sidecar rules apply specifically to data files, as JSON files cannot have sidecars
+  // Count on other JSON rules to use selectors to match the correct files
+  if (context.extension === '.json' && sidecarRule) return
+
+  const json = sidecarRule ? context.sidecar : context.json
   for (const [key, requirement] of Object.entries(rule.fields)) {
     const severity = getFieldSeverity(requirement, context)
     // @ts-expect-error
     const metadataDef = schema.objects.metadata[key]
     const keyName: string = metadataDef.name
-    if (severity && severity !== 'ignore' && !(keyName in context.sidecar)) {
+    if (severity && severity !== 'ignore' && !(keyName in json)) {
       if (requirement.issue?.code && requirement.issue?.message) {
         context.issues.add({
           key: requirement.issue.code,
@@ -432,19 +438,25 @@ function evalJsonCheck(
           files: [{ ...context.file }],
         })
       } else if (severity === 'error') {
-        context.issues.addNonSchemaIssue('JSON_KEY_REQUIRED', [
-          {
-            ...context.file,
-            evidence: `missing ${keyName} as per ${schemaPath}`,
-          },
-        ])
+        context.issues.addNonSchemaIssue(
+          sidecarRule ? 'SIDECAR_KEY_REQUIRED' : 'JSON_KEY_REQUIRED',
+          [
+            {
+              ...context.file,
+              evidence: `missing ${keyName} as per ${schemaPath}`,
+            },
+          ],
+        )
       } else if (severity === 'warning') {
-        context.issues.addNonSchemaIssue('JSON_KEY_RECOMMENDED', [
-          {
-            ...context.file,
-            evidence: `missing ${keyName} as per ${schemaPath}`,
-          },
-        ])
+        context.issues.addNonSchemaIssue(
+          sidecarRule ? 'SIDECAR_KEY_RECOMMENDED' : 'JSON_KEY_RECOMMENDED',
+          [
+            {
+              ...context.file,
+              evidence: `missing ${keyName} as per ${schemaPath}`,
+            },
+          ],
+        )
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/bids-validator/src/schema/context.ts b/bids-validator/src/schema/context.ts
index 11691265d..6ec139032 100644
--- a/bids-validator/src/schema/context.ts
+++ b/bids-validator/src/schema/context.ts
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ export class BIDSContext implements Context {
    * Earlier (deeper) sidecars take precedence over later ones.
    */
   async loadSidecar() {
+    if (this.extension === '.json') {
+      return
+    }
     const sidecars = walkBack(this.file)
     for (const file of sidecars) {
       const json = await file