diff --git a/src/packageurl/validate.py b/src/packageurl/validate.py
index 4ee81c3..e6e4193 100644
--- a/src/packageurl/validate.py
+++ b/src/packageurl/validate.py
@@ -142,17 +142,31 @@ def _validate_namespace(cls, purl):
                 message=f"Namespace is not lowercased for purl type: {cls.type!r}",
             )
 
+        if purl.namespace and any(
+            segment in (".", "..") for segment in purl.namespace.split("/")
+        ):
+            yield ValidationMessage(
+                severity=ValidationSeverity.ERROR,
+                message=f"Namespace contains a '.' or '..' path segment: {purl.namespace!r}",
+            )
+
     @classmethod
     def _validate_name(cls, purl):
-        if not cls.name_case_sensitive and purl.name and purl.name.lower() != purl.name:
-            from packageurl import ValidationMessage
-            from packageurl import ValidationSeverity
+        from packageurl import ValidationMessage
+        from packageurl import ValidationSeverity
 
+        if not cls.name_case_sensitive and purl.name and purl.name.lower() != purl.name:
             yield ValidationMessage(
                 severity=ValidationSeverity.WARNING,
                 message=f"Name is not lowercased for purl type: {cls.type!r}",
             )
 
+        if purl.name in (".", ".."):
+            yield ValidationMessage(
+                severity=ValidationSeverity.ERROR,
+                message=f"Name cannot be a '.' or '..' path segment: {purl.name!r}",
+            )
+
     @classmethod
     def _validate_version(cls, purl):
         if not cls.version_case_sensitive and purl.version and purl.version.lower() != purl.version:
diff --git a/tests/test_packageurl.py b/tests/test_packageurl.py
index 2c36549..ce6af8e 100644
--- a/tests/test_packageurl.py
+++ b/tests/test_packageurl.py
@@ -388,3 +388,40 @@ def test_no_encoding_to_string():
         p.to_string(encode=False)
         == "pkg:nuget/an:odd:space/libiconv: character set conversion library@1.9?package-id=e11a609df352e292"
     )
+
+
+def test_validate_string_reports_dot_segments_in_namespace():
+    # https://github.com/package-url/packageurl-python/issues/228
+    from packageurl import PackageURL
+    from packageurl import ValidationSeverity
+
+    messages = PackageURL.validate_string("pkg:golang/busybox.org/../busybox@1.35.0")
+    assert any(
+        m.severity == ValidationSeverity.ERROR and "'.' or '..' path segment" in m.message
+        for m in messages
+    )
+
+    messages = PackageURL.validate_string("pkg:golang/busybox.org/./busybox@1.35.0")
+    assert any(
+        m.severity == ValidationSeverity.ERROR and "'.' or '..' path segment" in m.message
+        for m in messages
+    )
+
+
+def test_validate_string_reports_dot_segments_as_name():
+    from packageurl import PackageURL
+    from packageurl import ValidationSeverity
+
+    messages = PackageURL.validate_string("pkg:golang/busybox.org/..@1.35.0")
+    assert any(
+        m.severity == ValidationSeverity.ERROR and "'.' or '..'" in m.message
+        for m in messages
+    )
+
+
+def test_validate_string_accepts_dotted_names_and_namespaces():
+    from packageurl import PackageURL
+
+    assert not PackageURL.validate_string("pkg:golang/busybox.org/busybox@1.35.0")
+    # names and namespace segments that merely contain dots are fine
+    assert not PackageURL.validate_string("pkg:golang/example.com/my..pkg@1.0.0")