diff --git a/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/container.test.ts b/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/container.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a57f379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/container.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,314 @@
+/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-non-null-assertion */
+import {nullTrace} from "../../test-utils/null-trace.js";
+import {parseWorkflow} from "../../workflows/workflow-parser.js";
+import {convertWorkflowTemplate, ErrorPolicy} from "../convert.js";
+
+async function getErrors(content: string): Promise<string[]> {
+  const result = parseWorkflow({name: "wf.yaml", content}, nullTrace);
+  const template = await convertWorkflowTemplate(result.context, result.value!, undefined, {
+    errorPolicy: ErrorPolicy.TryConversion
+  });
+  return (template.errors ?? []).map((e: {Message: string}) => e.Message);
+}
+
+function expectNoContainerErrors(errors: string[]): void {
+  const containerErrors = errors.filter(e => e.includes("Container image"));
+  expect(containerErrors).toHaveLength(0);
+}
+
+function expectContainerError(errors: string[], count = 1): void {
+  const containerErrors = errors.filter(e => e.includes("Container image cannot be empty"));
+  expect(containerErrors).toHaveLength(count);
+}
+
+describe("container image validation", () => {
+  describe("shorthand form", () => {
+    it("container: '' is silent for job container", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container: ''
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("container: docker:// errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container: docker://
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("container: valid-image passes", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container: ubuntu:16.04
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("mapping form", () => {
+    it("container image: '' errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container:
+      image: ''
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("container image: docker:// errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container:
+      image: docker://
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("container: {} (empty object, missing image) errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container: {}
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("container image: null errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container:
+      image:
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("empty image with expression in other field still errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container:
+      image: ''
+      options: \${{ matrix.opts }}
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("services shorthand", () => {
+    it("services svc: '' errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      svc: ''
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("services svc: docker:// errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      svc: docker://
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("services mapping", () => {
+    it("services svc image: '' errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      svc:
+        image: ''
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("services svc image: docker:// errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      svc:
+        image: docker://
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("services svc: {} (empty object) errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      svc: {}
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("empty image with expression sibling service still errors", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      svc1:
+        image: ''
+      svc2: \${{ matrix.svc }}
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectContainerError(errors);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("expression safety", () => {
+    it("container: expression skips validation", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container: \${{ matrix.container }}
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("container image: expression skips validation", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container:
+      image: \${{ matrix.image }}
+      options: --privileged
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("container with expression key skips validation", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container:
+      \${{ vars.KEY }}: ubuntu
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("services: expression skips validation", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services: \${{ fromJSON(inputs.services) }}
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("services with expression alias key skips validation", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      \${{ matrix.alias }}: postgres
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("services container with expression key skips validation", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      db:
+        \${{ vars.KEY }}: postgres
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("container with all expression fields skips validation", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    container:
+      image: \${{ matrix.image }}
+      options: \${{ matrix.options }}
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("services svc: expression skips validation", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      db: \${{ matrix.db }}
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+
+    it("services image: expression skips validation", async () => {
+      const errors = await getErrors(`on: push
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: linux
+    services:
+      db:
+        image: \${{ matrix.db_image }}
+        options: --health-cmd pg_isready
+    steps:
+      - run: echo hi`);
+      expectNoContainerErrors(errors);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/container.ts b/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/container.ts
index 4c4bf79..8ef9b27 100644
--- a/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/container.ts
+++ b/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/container.ts
@@ -3,103 +3,164 @@ import {MappingToken, SequenceToken, StringToken, TemplateToken} from "../../tem
 import {isString} from "../../templates/tokens/type-guards.js";
 import {Container, Credential} from "../workflow-template.js";
 
-export function convertToJobContainer(context: TemplateContext, container: TemplateToken): Container | undefined {
+const DOCKER_URI_PREFIX = "docker://";
+
+function isEmptyImage(value: string): boolean {
+  const trimmed = value.startsWith(DOCKER_URI_PREFIX) ? value.substring(DOCKER_URI_PREFIX.length) : value;
+  return trimmed.length === 0;
+}
+
+export function convertToJobContainer(
+  context: TemplateContext,
+  container: TemplateToken,
+  isServiceContainer = false
+): Container | undefined {
+  if (container.isExpression) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // Shorthand form
+  if (isString(container)) {
+    const image = container.assertString("container item");
+    if (!image || image.value.length === 0) {
+      if (isServiceContainer) {
+        context.error(container, "Container image cannot be empty");
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (isEmptyImage(image.value)) {
+      context.error(container, "Container image cannot be empty");
+      return;
+    }
+
+    return {image};
+  }
+
+  // Mapping form
+  const mapping = container.assertMapping("container item");
+  if (!mapping) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   let image: StringToken | undefined;
   let env: MappingToken | undefined;
   let ports: SequenceToken | undefined;
   let volumes: SequenceToken | undefined;
   let options: StringToken | undefined;
+  let credentials: Credential | undefined;
+  let hasExpressionKey = false;
+  let hasExpression = false;
 
-  // Skip validation for expressions for now to match
-  // behavior of the other parsers
-  for (const [, token] of TemplateToken.traverse(container)) {
-    if (token.isExpression) {
+  for (const item of mapping) {
+    if (item.key.isExpression) {
+      hasExpressionKey = true;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const key = item.key.assertString("container item key");
+
+    switch (key.value) {
+      case "image":
+        if (item.value.isExpression) {
+          hasExpression = true;
+          break;
+        }
+        image = item.value.assertString("container image");
+        break;
+      case "credentials":
+        if (!item.value.isExpression) {
+          credentials = convertCredentials(context, item.value);
+        }
+        break;
+      case "env":
+        if (!item.value.isExpression) {
+          env = item.value.assertMapping("container env");
+        }
+        break;
+      case "ports":
+        if (!item.value.isExpression) {
+          ports = item.value.assertSequence("container ports");
+        }
+        break;
+      case "volumes":
+        if (!item.value.isExpression) {
+          volumes = item.value.assertSequence("container volumes");
+        }
+        break;
+      case "options":
+        if (!item.value.isExpression) {
+          options = item.value.assertString("container options");
+        }
+        break;
+      default:
+        context.error(key, `Unexpected container item key: ${key.value}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Validate image
+  if (image) {
+    if (isEmptyImage(image.value)) {
+      context.error(image, "Container image cannot be empty");
       return;
     }
+    return {image, credentials, env, ports, volumes, options};
   }
 
-  if (isString(container)) {
-    // Workflow uses shorthand syntax `container: image-name`
-    image = container.assertString("container item");
-    return {image: image};
-  }
-
-  const mapping = container.assertMapping("container item");
-  if (mapping)
-    for (const item of mapping) {
-      const key = item.key.assertString("container item key");
-      const value = item.value;
-
-      switch (key.value) {
-        case "image":
-          image = value.assertString("container image");
-          break;
-        case "credentials":
-          convertToJobCredentials(context, value);
-          break;
-        case "env":
-          env = value.assertMapping("container env");
-          for (const envItem of env) {
-            envItem.key.assertString("container env value");
-          }
-          break;
-        case "ports":
-          ports = value.assertSequence("container ports");
-          for (const port of ports) {
-            port.assertString("container port");
-          }
-          break;
-        case "volumes":
-          volumes = value.assertSequence("container volumes");
-          for (const volume of volumes) {
-            volume.assertString("container volume");
-          }
-          break;
-        case "options":
-          options = value.assertString("container options");
-          break;
-        default:
-          context.error(key, `Unexpected container item key: ${key.value}`);
-      }
-    }
-
-  if (!image) {
+  // No image key — skip error if expression keys could provide one
+  if (!hasExpressionKey && !hasExpression) {
     context.error(container, "Container image cannot be empty");
-  } else {
-    return {image, env, ports, volumes, options};
   }
 }
 
 export function convertToJobServices(context: TemplateContext, services: TemplateToken): Container[] | undefined {
-  const serviceList: Container[] = [];
+  if (services.isExpression) {
+    return;
+  }
 
+  const serviceList: Container[] = [];
   const mapping = services.assertMapping("services");
+
   for (const service of mapping) {
+    if (service.key.isExpression) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
     service.key.assertString("service key");
-    const container = convertToJobContainer(context, service.value);
+    const container = convertToJobContainer(context, service.value, true);
     if (container) {
       serviceList.push(container);
     }
   }
+
   return serviceList;
 }
 
-function convertToJobCredentials(context: TemplateContext, value: TemplateToken): Credential | undefined {
+function convertCredentials(context: TemplateContext, value: TemplateToken): Credential | undefined {
   const mapping = value.assertMapping("credentials");
+  if (!mapping) {
+    return;
+  }
 
   let username: StringToken | undefined;
   let password: StringToken | undefined;
 
   for (const item of mapping) {
+    if (item.key.isExpression) {
+      continue;
+    }
+
     const key = item.key.assertString("credentials item");
-    const value = item.value;
+    if (item.value.isExpression) {
+      continue;
+    }
 
     switch (key.value) {
       case "username":
-        username = value.assertString("credentials username");
+        username = item.value.assertString("credentials username");
         break;
       case "password":
-        password = value.assertString("credentials password");
+        password = item.value.assertString("credentials password");
         break;
       default:
         context.error(key, `credentials key ${key.value}`);
diff --git a/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/job.ts b/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/job.ts
index 514de15..dda4a63 100644
--- a/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/job.ts
+++ b/workflow-parser/src/model/converter/job.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export function convertJob(context: TemplateContext, jobKey: StringToken, token:
         break;
 
       case "container":
-        convertToJobContainer(context, item.value);
+        handleTemplateTokenErrors(item.value, context, undefined, () => convertToJobContainer(context, item.value));
         container = item.value;
         break;
 
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export function convertJob(context: TemplateContext, jobKey: StringToken, token:
         break;
 
       case "services":
-        convertToJobServices(context, item.value);
+        handleTemplateTokenErrors(item.value, context, undefined, () => convertToJobServices(context, item.value));
         services = item.value;
         break;
 
diff --git a/workflow-parser/src/workflow-v1.0.json b/workflow-parser/src/workflow-v1.0.json
index 07a6d6d..6d21be4 100644
--- a/workflow-parser/src/workflow-v1.0.json
+++ b/workflow-parser/src/workflow-v1.0.json
@@ -2345,7 +2345,7 @@
       "mapping": {
         "properties": {
           "image": {
-            "type": "non-empty-string",
+            "type": "string",
             "description": "Use `jobs.<job_id>.container.image` to define the Docker image to use as the container to run the action. The value can be the Docker Hub image or a registry name."
           },
           "options": {
@@ -2390,7 +2390,7 @@
         "matrix"
       ],
       "one-of": [
-        "non-empty-string",
+        "string",
         "container-mapping"
       ]
     },
diff --git a/workflow-parser/testdata/skipped-tests.txt b/workflow-parser/testdata/skipped-tests.txt
index 9f0ac87..44f4fae 100644
--- a/workflow-parser/testdata/skipped-tests.txt
+++ b/workflow-parser/testdata/skipped-tests.txt
@@ -91,3 +91,4 @@ yaml-schema-sequence.yml
 yaml-schema-str-flow-styles.yml
 yaml-schema-string.yml
 yaml-schema-timestamp.yml
+job-container-invalid.yml