diff --git a/problemtools/metadata.py b/problemtools/metadata.py
index e5144701..a02b341c 100644
--- a/problemtools/metadata.py
+++ b/problemtools/metadata.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class Metadata2023_07(BaseModel):
 
     problem_format_version: str
     name: dict[str, str] | str
-    uuid: UUID
+    uuid: UUID | None = None  # UUID *is* mandatory, but we deal with that in verifyproblem for better UX
     type: list[ProblemType] | ProblemType = ProblemType.PASS_FAIL
     version: str | None = None
     credits: dict | str | None = None
diff --git a/problemtools/verifyproblem.py b/problemtools/verifyproblem.py
index a580139b..407b7a8b 100644
--- a/problemtools/verifyproblem.py
+++ b/problemtools/verifyproblem.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import argparse
 import concurrent.futures
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 import threading
@@ -20,8 +21,7 @@
 import copy
 import random
 import traceback
-
-import argparse
+import uuid
 
 import yaml
 
@@ -875,6 +875,13 @@ def check(self, context: Context) -> bool:
         if self._metadata.license == metadata.License.UNKNOWN:
             self.warning("License is 'unknown'")
 
+        if self._metadata.uuid is None:
+            uuid_msg = f'Missing uuid from problem.yaml. Add "uuid: {uuid.uuid4()}" to problem.yaml.'
+            if self.problem.format.name == formatversion.VERSION_LEGACY:
+                self.warning(uuid_msg)
+            else:
+                self.error(uuid_msg)
+
         if self._metadata.legacy_grading.show_test_data_groups and self._metadata.is_pass_fail():
             self.error('Showing test data groups is only supported for scoring problems, this is a pass-fail problem')
         if (