diff --git a/validation/src/main/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/WorkflowValidatorImpl.java b/validation/src/main/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/WorkflowValidatorImpl.java
index 84dbb432..739f24ea 100644
--- a/validation/src/main/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/WorkflowValidatorImpl.java
+++ b/validation/src/main/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/WorkflowValidatorImpl.java
@@ -144,40 +144,7 @@ public List<ValidationError> validate() {
 
                 if (s instanceof OperationState) {
                   OperationState operationState = (OperationState) s;
-
-                  List<Action> actions = operationState.getActions();
-                  for (Action action : actions) {
-                    if (action.getFunctionRef() != null) {
-                      if (action.getFunctionRef().getRefName().isEmpty()) {
-                        addValidationError(
-                            "Operation State action functionRef should not be null or empty",
-                            ValidationError.WORKFLOW_VALIDATION);
-                      }
-
-                      if (!haveFunctionDefinition(
-                          action.getFunctionRef().getRefName(), functions)) {
-                        addValidationError(
-                            "Operation State action functionRef does not reference an existing workflow function definition",
-                            ValidationError.WORKFLOW_VALIDATION);
-                      }
-                    }
-
-                    if (action.getEventRef() != null) {
-
-                      if (!haveEventsDefinition(
-                          action.getEventRef().getTriggerEventRef(), events)) {
-                        addValidationError(
-                            "Operation State action trigger event def does not reference an existing workflow event definition",
-                            ValidationError.WORKFLOW_VALIDATION);
-                      }
-
-                      if (!haveEventsDefinition(action.getEventRef().getResultEventRef(), events)) {
-                        addValidationError(
-                            "Operation State action results event def does not reference an existing workflow event definition",
-                            ValidationError.WORKFLOW_VALIDATION);
-                      }
-                    }
-                  }
+                  checkActionsDefinition(operationState.getActions(), functions, events);
                 }
 
                 if (s instanceof EventState) {
@@ -281,6 +248,7 @@ public List<ValidationError> validate() {
 
                 if (s instanceof ForEachState) {
                   ForEachState forEachState = (ForEachState) s;
+                  checkActionsDefinition(forEachState.getActions(), functions, events);
                   if (forEachState.getInputCollection() == null
                       || forEachState.getInputCollection().isEmpty()) {
                     addValidationError(
@@ -334,6 +302,50 @@ public WorkflowValidator reset() {
     return this;
   }
 
+  private void checkActionsDefinition(
+      List<Action> actions, List<FunctionDefinition> functions, List<EventDefinition> events) {
+    if (actions == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+    for (Action action : actions) {
+      if (action.getFunctionRef() != null) {
+        if (action.getFunctionRef().getRefName().isEmpty()) {
+          addValidationError(
+              String.format(
+                  "State action '%s' functionRef should not be null or empty", action.getName()),
+              ValidationError.WORKFLOW_VALIDATION);
+        }
+
+        if (!haveFunctionDefinition(action.getFunctionRef().getRefName(), functions)) {
+          addValidationError(
+              String.format(
+                  "State action '%s' functionRef does not reference an existing workflow function definition",
+                  action.getName()),
+              ValidationError.WORKFLOW_VALIDATION);
+        }
+      }
+
+      if (action.getEventRef() != null) {
+
+        if (!haveEventsDefinition(action.getEventRef().getTriggerEventRef(), events)) {
+          addValidationError(
+              String.format(
+                  "State action '%s' trigger event def does not reference an existing workflow event definition",
+                  action.getName()),
+              ValidationError.WORKFLOW_VALIDATION);
+        }
+
+        if (!haveEventsDefinition(action.getEventRef().getResultEventRef(), events)) {
+          addValidationError(
+              String.format(
+                  "State action '%s' results event def does not reference an existing workflow event definition",
+                  action.getName()),
+              ValidationError.WORKFLOW_VALIDATION);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   private boolean haveFunctionDefinition(String functionName, List<FunctionDefinition> functions) {
     if (functions != null) {
       FunctionDefinition fun =
diff --git a/validation/src/test/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/test/WorkflowValidationTest.java b/validation/src/test/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/test/WorkflowValidationTest.java
index 6ccef44f..0bc2f3e4 100644
--- a/validation/src/test/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/test/WorkflowValidationTest.java
+++ b/validation/src/test/java/io/serverlessworkflow/validation/test/WorkflowValidationTest.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import io.serverlessworkflow.api.interfaces.WorkflowValidator;
 import io.serverlessworkflow.api.retry.RetryDefinition;
 import io.serverlessworkflow.api.start.Start;
+import io.serverlessworkflow.api.states.ForEachState;
 import io.serverlessworkflow.api.states.OperationState;
 import io.serverlessworkflow.api.states.SleepState;
 import io.serverlessworkflow.api.validation.ValidationError;
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ public void testOperationStateNoFunctionRef() {
     Assertions.assertEquals(1, validationErrors.size());
 
     Assertions.assertEquals(
-        "Operation State action functionRef does not reference an existing workflow function definition",
+        "State action 'null' functionRef does not reference an existing workflow function definition",
         validationErrors.get(0).getMessage());
   }
 
@@ -333,4 +334,37 @@ void testEventCall() {
                         .withEnd(new End())));
     Assertions.assertTrue(new WorkflowValidatorImpl().setWorkflow(workflow).validate().isEmpty());
   }
+
+  /**
+   * @see <a href="https://github.com/serverlessworkflow/sdk-java/issues/212">Validation missing out
+   *     on refname in foreach>actions</a>
+   */
+  @Test
+  void testActionDefForEach() {
+    Workflow workflow =
+        new Workflow()
+            .withId("test-workflow")
+            .withVersion("1.0")
+            .withStart(new Start().withStateName("TestingForEach"))
+            .withFunctions(new Functions(Arrays.asList(new FunctionDefinition("Test"))))
+            .withStates(
+                Arrays.asList(
+                    new ForEachState()
+                        .withName("TestingForEach")
+                        .withInputCollection("${ .archives }")
+                        .withIterationParam("archive")
+                        .withOutputCollection("${ .output}")
+                        .withActions(
+                            Arrays.asList(
+                                new Action()
+                                    .withName("callFn")
+                                    .withFunctionRef(new FunctionRef("DoesNotExist"))))
+                        .withEnd(new End())));
+    final List<ValidationError> validationErrors =
+        new WorkflowValidatorImpl().setWorkflow(workflow).validate();
+    Assertions.assertEquals(1, validationErrors.size());
+    Assertions.assertEquals(
+        "State action 'callFn' functionRef does not reference an existing workflow function definition",
+        validationErrors.get(0).getMessage());
+  }
 }