diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/resources/schema/asterix-conf.xsd b/asterix-common/src/main/resources/schema/asterix-conf.xsd
index f53fb4b..73710ac 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/resources/schema/asterix-conf.xsd
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/resources/schema/asterix-conf.xsd
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 	<!-- definition of simple types -->
 
         
+	<xs:element name="instanceName" type="xs:string" />
 	<xs:element name="metadataNode" type="xs:string" />
 	<xs:element name="storeDirs" type="xs:string" />
 	<xs:element name="ncId" type="xs:string" />
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@
 	<xs:element name="asterixConfiguration">
 		<xs:complexType>
 			<xs:sequence>
+				<xs:element ref="mg:instanceName" minOccurs="0"/>
 				<xs:element ref="mg:metadataNode" minOccurs="0"/>
 				<xs:element ref="mg:store" maxOccurs="unbounded" />
 				<xs:element ref="mg:property" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded" />