diff --git a/go/internal/lint/lint_test.go b/go/internal/lint/lint_test.go
index 8b7219b..9862e9d 100644
--- a/go/internal/lint/lint_test.go
+++ b/go/internal/lint/lint_test.go
@@ -148,6 +148,93 @@ unknown_prop: true
 	}
 }
 
+func TestLintFile_AcceptsSodaRunner(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	f := filepath.Join(dir, "contract.yml")
+	os.WriteFile(f, []byte(`
+dataset: my_ds/db/schema/orders
+columns:
+  - name: id
+soda_runner:
+  checks_schedule:
+    cron: "0 0 * * *"
+    timezone: UTC
+`), 0644)
+
+	result, err := LintFile(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !result.Valid {
+		for _, e := range result.Errors {
+			t.Logf("  %s: %s", e.Path, e.Message)
+		}
+		t.Fatalf("expected valid contract with soda_runner, got %d errors", len(result.Errors))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLintFile_AcceptsSodaAgentLegacyAlias(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	f := filepath.Join(dir, "contract.yml")
+	os.WriteFile(f, []byte(`
+dataset: my_ds/db/schema/orders
+columns:
+  - name: id
+soda_agent:
+  checks_schedule:
+    cron: "0 0 * * *"
+    timezone: UTC
+`), 0644)
+
+	result, err := LintFile(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !result.Valid {
+		for _, e := range result.Errors {
+			t.Logf("  %s: %s", e.Path, e.Message)
+		}
+		t.Fatalf("expected valid contract with deprecated soda_agent, got %d errors", len(result.Errors))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLintFile_RejectsBothSodaRunnerAndSodaAgent(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	f := filepath.Join(dir, "contract.yml")
+	os.WriteFile(f, []byte(`
+dataset: my_ds/db/schema/orders
+columns:
+  - name: id
+soda_runner:
+  checks_schedule:
+    cron: "0 0 * * *"
+soda_agent:
+  checks_schedule:
+    cron: "0 0 * * *"
+`), 0644)
+
+	result, err := LintFile(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if result.Valid {
+		t.Fatal("expected invalid when both soda_runner and soda_agent are set")
+	}
+	if len(result.Errors) == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("expected at least one validation error")
+	}
+	rootError := false
+	for _, e := range result.Errors {
+		t.Logf("  %s: %s", e.Path, e.Message)
+		if e.Path == "$" {
+			rootError = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !rootError {
+		t.Fatal("expected a validation error at the root path '$' for the not-both constraint")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSegmentsToPath(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		in   []string
diff --git a/go/internal/lint/schema/soda_data_contract_json_schema_1_0_0.json b/go/internal/lint/schema/soda_data_contract_json_schema_1_0_0.json
index 89a360c..d78d3bf 100644
--- a/go/internal/lint/schema/soda_data_contract_json_schema_1_0_0.json
+++ b/go/internal/lint/schema/soda_data_contract_json_schema_1_0_0.json
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
             }
         },
         "soda_agent": {
-            "description": "The agent configuration to be used within the contract file",
+            "description": "DEPRECATED: use 'soda_runner' instead. The runner configuration to be used within the contract file. Kept for backwards compatibility.",
             "type": "object",
             "properties": {
                 "checks_schedule": {
@@ -59,8 +59,36 @@
                                 "type": [
                                     "string",
                                     "number"
-                                ],
-                                "additionalProperties": false
+                                ]
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        },
+        "soda_runner": {
+            "description": "The runner configuration to be used within the contract file. Replaces 'soda_agent'; both keys are accepted for backwards compatibility but not at the same time.",
+            "type": "object",
+            "properties": {
+                "checks_schedule": {
+                    "type": "object",
+                    "properties": {
+                        "cron": {
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "description": "Cron expression in the format '* * * * *' (minute hour day month weekday). Requires string in quotes."
+                        },
+                        "timezone": {
+                            "type": "string",
+                            "description": "The timezone to be used within the contract file"
+                        },
+                        "variables": {
+                            "type": "object",
+                            "description": "The variables to be used within the contract file",
+                            "additionalProperties": {
+                                "type": [
+                                    "string",
+                                    "number"
+                                ]
                             }
                         }
                     }
@@ -837,6 +865,9 @@
         "dataset",
         "columns"
     ],
+    "not": {
+        "required": ["soda_runner", "soda_agent"]
+    },
     "$defs": {
         "generic_check_properties": {
             "description": "NOT USED YET, problem with inheritance and additionalProperties",