diff --git a/OpenRA.Game/Traits/LintAttributes.cs b/OpenRA.Game/Traits/LintAttributes.cs
index b339b5fae5..c34690f64a 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Game/Traits/LintAttributes.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Game/Traits/LintAttributes.cs
@@ -15,7 +15,14 @@ namespace OpenRA.Traits
 	/* attributes used by OpenRA.Lint to understand the rules */
 
 	[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Field)]
-	public sealed class ActorReferenceAttribute : Attribute { }
+	public sealed class ActorReferenceAttribute : Attribute
+	{
+		public Type[] RequiredTraits;
+		public ActorReferenceAttribute(params Type[] requiredTraits)
+		{
+			RequiredTraits = requiredTraits;
+		}
+	}
 
 	[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Field)]
 	public sealed class WeaponReferenceAttribute : Attribute { }
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Lint/CheckActorReferences.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Lint/CheckActorReferences.cs
index f71d58ee48..55e7f14cc7 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Lint/CheckActorReferences.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Lint/CheckActorReferences.cs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Reflection;
+using OpenRA.GameRules;
 using OpenRA.Traits;
 
 namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Lint
@@ -34,22 +35,84 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Lint
 			foreach (var field in actualType.GetFields())
 			{
 				if (field.HasAttribute<ActorReferenceAttribute>())
-					CheckReference(actorInfo, traitInfo, field, rules.Actors, "actor");
+					CheckActorReference(actorInfo, traitInfo, field, rules.Actors,
+						field.GetCustomAttributes<ActorReferenceAttribute>(true)[0]);
+
 				if (field.HasAttribute<WeaponReferenceAttribute>())
-					CheckReference(actorInfo, traitInfo, field, rules.Weapons, "weapon");
+					CheckWeaponReference(actorInfo, traitInfo, field, rules.Weapons,
+						field.GetCustomAttributes<WeaponReferenceAttribute>(true)[0]);
+
 				if (field.HasAttribute<VoiceSetReferenceAttribute>())
-					CheckReference(actorInfo, traitInfo, field, rules.Voices, "voice");
+					CheckVoiceReference(actorInfo, traitInfo, field, rules.Voices,
+						field.GetCustomAttributes<VoiceSetReferenceAttribute>(true)[0]);
 			}
 		}
 
-		void CheckReference<T>(ActorInfo actorInfo, ITraitInfo traitInfo, FieldInfo fieldInfo,
-			IReadOnlyDictionary<string, T> dict, string type)
+		void CheckActorReference(ActorInfo actorInfo,
+			ITraitInfo traitInfo,
+			FieldInfo fieldInfo,
+			IReadOnlyDictionary<string, ActorInfo> dict,
+			ActorReferenceAttribute attribute)
 		{
 			var values = LintExts.GetFieldValues(traitInfo, fieldInfo, emitError);
-			foreach (var v in values)
-				if (v != null && !dict.ContainsKey(v.ToLowerInvariant()))
-					emitError("{0}.{1}.{2}: Missing {3} `{4}`."
-						.F(actorInfo.Name, traitInfo.GetType().Name, fieldInfo.Name, type, v));
+			foreach (var value in values)
+			{
+				if (value == null)
+					continue;
+
+				// NOTE: Once https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/issues/4124 is resolved we won't
+				//       have to .ToLower* anything here.
+				var v = value.ToLowerInvariant();
+
+				if (!dict.ContainsKey(v))
+				{
+					emitError("{0}.{1}.{2}: Missing actor `{3}`."
+						.F(actorInfo.Name, traitInfo.GetType().Name, fieldInfo.Name, value));
+
+					continue;
+				}
+
+				foreach (var requiredTrait in attribute.RequiredTraits)
+					if (!dict[v].TraitsInConstructOrder().Any(t => t.GetType() == requiredTrait || t.GetType().IsSubclassOf(requiredTrait)))
+						emitError("Actor type {0} does not have trait {1} which is required by {2}.{3}."
+							.F(value, requiredTrait.Name, traitInfo.GetType().Name, fieldInfo.Name));
+			}
+		}
+
+		void CheckWeaponReference(ActorInfo actorInfo,
+			ITraitInfo traitInfo,
+			FieldInfo fieldInfo,
+			IReadOnlyDictionary<string, WeaponInfo> dict,
+			WeaponReferenceAttribute attribute)
+		{
+			var values = LintExts.GetFieldValues(traitInfo, fieldInfo, emitError);
+			foreach (var value in values)
+			{
+				if (value == null)
+					continue;
+
+				if (!dict.ContainsKey(value.ToLower()))
+					emitError("{0}.{1}.{2}: Missing weapon `{3}`."
+						.F(actorInfo.Name, traitInfo.GetType().Name, fieldInfo.Name, value));
+			}
+		}
+
+		void CheckVoiceReference(ActorInfo actorInfo,
+			ITraitInfo traitInfo,
+			FieldInfo fieldInfo,
+			IReadOnlyDictionary<string, SoundInfo> dict,
+			VoiceSetReferenceAttribute attribute)
+		{
+			var values = LintExts.GetFieldValues(traitInfo, fieldInfo, emitError);
+			foreach (var value in values)
+			{
+				if (value == null)
+					continue;
+
+				if (!dict.ContainsKey(value.ToLower()))
+					emitError("{0}.{1}.{2}: Missing voice `{3}`."
+						.F(actorInfo.Name, traitInfo.GetType().Name, fieldInfo.Name, value));
+			}
 		}
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/AirstrikePower.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/AirstrikePower.cs
index 460628c582..3876f7bade 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/AirstrikePower.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Traits/SupportPowers/AirstrikePower.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 {
 	public class AirstrikePowerInfo : SupportPowerInfo
 	{
-		[ActorReference]
+		[ActorReference(typeof(AircraftInfo))]
 		public readonly string UnitType = "badr.bomber";
 		public readonly int SquadSize = 1;
 		public readonly WVec SquadOffset = new WVec(-1536, 1536, 0);
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Traits/SupportPowers/ParatroopersPower.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Traits/SupportPowers/ParatroopersPower.cs
index b4e1933790..9eec3c8d3f 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Traits/SupportPowers/ParatroopersPower.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.RA/Traits/SupportPowers/ParatroopersPower.cs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.Traits
 {
 	public class ParatroopersPowerInfo : SupportPowerInfo
 	{
-		[ActorReference]
+		[ActorReference(typeof(AircraftInfo))]
 		public readonly string UnitType = "badr";
 		public readonly int SquadSize = 1;
 		public readonly WVec SquadOffset = new WVec(-1536, 1536, 0);
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.RA.Traits
 		[Desc("Spawn and remove the plane this far outside the map.")]
 		public readonly WDist Cordon = new WDist(5120);
 
-		[ActorReference]
+		[ActorReference(typeof(PassengerInfo))]
 		[Desc("Troops to be delivered.  They will be distributed between the planes if SquadSize > 1.")]
 		public readonly string[] DropItems = { };