diff --git a/docs/content/1.getting-started/5.routing.md b/docs/content/1.getting-started/5.routing.md
index 4973eebab4..e59a122036 100644
--- a/docs/content/1.getting-started/5.routing.md
+++ b/docs/content/1.getting-started/5.routing.md
@@ -117,3 +117,25 @@ definePageMeta({
 ::
 
 :ReadMore{link="/guide/directory-structure/middleware"}
+
+## Route Validation
+
+Nuxt offers route validation via the `validate` property in [`definePageMeta`](/api/utils/define-page-meta) in each page you wish to validate.
+
+The `validate` property accepts the `route` as an argument. You can return a boolean value to determine whether or not this is a valid route to be rendered with this page. If you return false and another match can't be found, this will mean a 404. You can also directly return an object with `statusCode`/`statusMessage` to respond immediately with an error (other matches will not be checked).
+
+If you have a more complex use case, then you can use anonymous route middleware instead.
+
+:StabilityEdge
+
+```vue [pages/post/[id].vue]
+<script setup>
+definePageMeta({
+  validate: async (route) => {
+    const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
+    // Check if the id is made up of digits
+    return /^\d+$/.test(params.id)
+  }
+})
+</script>
+```
diff --git a/docs/content/3.api/3.utils/define-page-meta.md b/docs/content/3.api/3.utils/define-page-meta.md
index ef4982ca76..c8b835f056 100644
--- a/docs/content/3.api/3.utils/define-page-meta.md
+++ b/docs/content/3.api/3.utils/define-page-meta.md
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ title: "definePageMeta"
 definePageMeta(meta: PageMeta) => void
 
 interface PageMeta {
+  validate?: (route: RouteLocationNormalized) => boolean | Promise<boolean> | Partial<NuxtError> | Promise<Partial<NuxtError>>
   redirect?: RouteRecordRedirectOption
   alias?: string | string[]
   pageTransition?: boolean | TransitionProps
@@ -79,20 +80,14 @@ interface PageMeta {
 
     Define anonymous or named middleware directly within `definePageMeta`. Learn more about [route middleware](/docs/directory-structure/middleware).
 
-  **`redirect`**
+  **`validate`**
 
-  - **Type**: [`RouteRecordRedirectOption`](https://router.vuejs.org/guide/essentials/redirect-and-alias.html#redirect-and-alias)
+  - **Type**: `(route: RouteLocationNormalized) => boolean | Promise<boolean> | Partial<NuxtError> | Promise<Partial<NuxtError>>`
 
-    Where to redirect if the route is directly matched. The redirection happens before any navigation guard and triggers a new navigation with the new target location.
+    Validate whether a given route can validly be rendered with this page. Return true if it is valid, or false if not. If another match can't be found, this will mean a 404. You can also directly return an object with `statusCode`/`statusMessage` to respond immediately with an error (other matches will not be checked).
 
     :StabilityEdge
 
-  **`alias`**
-
-  - **Type**: `string | string[]`
-  
-    Aliases for the record. Allows defining extra paths that will behave like a copy of the record. Allows having paths shorthands like `/users/:id` and `/u/:id`. All `alias` and `path` values must share the same params.
-
   **`[key: string]`**
 
   - **Type**: `any`
diff --git a/docs/content/7.migration/7.component-options.md b/docs/content/7.migration/7.component-options.md
index f6e725690f..15fbedd864 100644
--- a/docs/content/7.migration/7.component-options.md
+++ b/docs/content/7.migration/7.component-options.md
@@ -112,25 +112,23 @@ See [layout migration](/migration/pages-and-layouts).
 
 ## `validate`
 
-There is no longer a validate hook in Nuxt 3. Instead, you can create a custom middleware function, or directly throw an error in the setup function of the page.
+The validate hook in Nuxt 3 only accepts a single argument, the `route`. Just as in Nuxt 2, you can return a boolean value. If you return false and another match can't be found, this will mean a 404. You can also directly return an object with `statusCode`/`statusMessage` to respond immediately with an error (other matches will not be checked).
+
+:StabilityEdge
 
 ```diff [pages/users/[id].vue]
 - <script>
 - export default {
--   async validate({ params, query, store }) {
--     return true // if valid
+-   async validate({ params }) {
+-     return /^\d+$/.test(params.id)
 -   }
 - }
 + <script setup>
 + definePageMeta({
-+   middleware: [
-+     async function (to, from) {
-+       const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
-+       if (!valid) {
-+         return abortNavigation('Page not found')
-+       }
-+     }
-+   ]
++   validate: async (route) => {
++     const nuxtApp = useNuxtApp()
++     return /^\d+$/.test(params.id)
++   }
 + })
   </script>
 ```
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/app/plugins/router.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/app/plugins/router.ts
index 46ed26c289..abb3ad4f77 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/app/plugins/router.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/app/plugins/router.ts
@@ -234,7 +234,8 @@ export default defineNuxtPlugin<{ route: Route, router: Router }>((nuxtApp) => {
         if (process.server) {
           if (result === false || result instanceof Error) {
             const error = result || createError({
-              statusMessage: `Route navigation aborted: ${initialURL}`
+              statusCode: 404,
+              statusMessage: `Page Not Found: ${initialURL}`
             })
             return callWithNuxt(nuxtApp, showError, [error])
           }
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/pages/module.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/module.ts
index 0388c3a032..2975d76e53 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/pages/module.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/module.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ export default defineNuxtModule({
       if (app.mainComponent!.includes('@nuxt/ui-templates')) {
         app.mainComponent = resolve(runtimeDir, 'app.vue')
       }
+      app.middleware.unshift({
+        name: 'validate',
+        path: resolve(runtimeDir, 'validate'),
+        global: true
+      })
     })
 
     // Prerender all non-dynamic page routes when generating app
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/composables.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/composables.ts
index 2b6e0e6730..ca977dd23e 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/composables.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/composables.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,18 @@
 import { KeepAliveProps, TransitionProps, UnwrapRef } from 'vue'
-import type { RouteLocationNormalizedLoaded, RouteRecordRedirectOption } from 'vue-router'
+import type { RouteLocationNormalized, RouteLocationNormalizedLoaded, RouteRecordRedirectOption } from 'vue-router'
+import type { NuxtError } from '#app'
 
 export interface PageMeta {
   [key: string]: any
+  /**
+   * Validate whether a given route can validly be rendered with this page.
+   *
+   * Return true if it is valid, or false if not. If another match can't be found,
+   * this will mean a 404. You can also directly return an object with
+   * statusCode/statusMessage to respond immediately with an error (other matches
+   * will not be checked).
+   */
+  validate?: (route: RouteLocationNormalized) => boolean | Promise<boolean> | Partial<NuxtError> | Promise<Partial<NuxtError>>
   /**
    * Where to redirect if the route is directly matched. The redirection happens
    * before any navigation guard and triggers a new navigation with the new
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/router.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/router.ts
index 03bc591227..15dc5bc074 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/router.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/router.ts
@@ -159,7 +159,8 @@ export default defineNuxtPlugin(async (nuxtApp) => {
       if (process.server || (!nuxtApp.payload.serverRendered && nuxtApp.isHydrating)) {
         if (result === false || result instanceof Error) {
           const error = result || createError({
-            statusMessage: `Route navigation aborted: ${initialURL}`
+            statusCode: 404,
+            statusMessage: `Page Not Found: ${initialURL}`
           })
           return callWithNuxt(nuxtApp, showError, [error])
         }
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/validate.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/validate.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..14d5a8aedd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/pages/runtime/validate.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { createError, defineNuxtRouteMiddleware } from '#app'
+
+export default defineNuxtRouteMiddleware(async (to) => {
+  if (!to.meta?.validate) { return }
+
+  const result = await Promise.resolve(to.meta.validate(to))
+  if (typeof result === 'boolean') {
+    return result
+  }
+
+  return createError(result)
+})
diff --git a/test/basic.test.ts b/test/basic.test.ts
index 9a590cafdb..3a40675be7 100644
--- a/test/basic.test.ts
+++ b/test/basic.test.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ describe('pages', () => {
     expect(headers.get('location')).toEqual('/')
   })
 
+  it('validates routes', async () => {
+    const { status } = await fetch('/forbidden')
+    expect(status).toEqual(404)
+  })
+
   it('render 404', async () => {
     const html = await $fetch('/not-found')
 
diff --git a/test/fixtures/basic/pages/[...slug].vue b/test/fixtures/basic/pages/[...slug].vue
index 47a02c1123..a805ed7aea 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/basic/pages/[...slug].vue
+++ b/test/fixtures/basic/pages/[...slug].vue
@@ -4,3 +4,9 @@
     <div>404 at {{ $route.params.slug[0] }}</div>
   </div>
 </template>
+
+<script setup lang="ts">
+definePageMeta({
+  validate: to => to.path !== '/forbidden'
+})
+</script>