diff --git a/score_params.go b/score_params.go
index 813c167..84f5a49 100644
--- a/score_params.go
+++ b/score_params.go
@@ -73,6 +73,13 @@ type PeerScoreParams struct {
 	IPColocationFactorThreshold int
 	IPColocationFactorWhitelist map[string]struct{}
 
+	// P7: behavioural pattern penalties.
+	// This parameter has an associated counter which tracks misbehaviour as detected by the
+	// router.
+	// The value of the parameter is the counter, decaying with BehaviourPatternPenaltyDecay.
+	// The weight of the parameter MUST be negative (or zero to disable).
+	BehaviourPenaltyWeight, BehaviourPenaltyDecay float64
+
 	// the decay interval for parameter counters.
 	DecayInterval time.Duration
 
@@ -161,6 +168,13 @@ func (p *PeerScoreParams) validate() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid IPColocationFactorThreshold; must be at least 1")
 	}
 
+	if p.BehaviourPenaltyWeight > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid BehaviourPenaltyWeight; must be negative (or 0 to disable)")
+	}
+	if p.BehaviourPenaltyWeight != 0 && (p.BehaviourPenaltyDecay <= 0 || p.BehaviourPenaltyDecay >= 1) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid BehaviourPenaltyDecay; must be between 0 and 1")
+	}
+
 	// check the decay parameters
 	if p.DecayInterval < time.Second {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid DecayInterval; must be at least 1s")
diff --git a/score_params_test.go b/score_params_test.go
index b46c36d..e617098 100644
--- a/score_params_test.go
+++ b/score_params_test.go
@@ -153,6 +153,15 @@ func TestPeerScoreParamsValidation(t *testing.T) {
 	if (&PeerScoreParams{TopicScoreCap: 1, AppSpecificScore: appScore, DecayInterval: time.Second, DecayToZero: 2, IPColocationFactorWeight: -1, IPColocationFactorThreshold: 1}).validate() == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected validation error")
 	}
+	if (&PeerScoreParams{AppSpecificScore: appScore, DecayInterval: time.Second, DecayToZero: 0.01, BehaviourPenaltyWeight: 1}) == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected validation error")
+	}
+	if (&PeerScoreParams{AppSpecificScore: appScore, DecayInterval: time.Second, DecayToZero: 0.01, BehaviourPenaltyWeight: -1}) == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected validation error")
+	}
+	if (&PeerScoreParams{AppSpecificScore: appScore, DecayInterval: time.Second, DecayToZero: 0.01, BehaviourPenaltyWeight: -1, BehaviourPenaltyDecay: 2}) == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected validation error")
+	}
 
 	// don't use these params in production!
 	if (&PeerScoreParams{
@@ -162,6 +171,8 @@ func TestPeerScoreParamsValidation(t *testing.T) {
 		DecayToZero:                 0.01,
 		IPColocationFactorWeight:    -1,
 		IPColocationFactorThreshold: 1,
+		BehaviourPenaltyWeight:      -1,
+		BehaviourPenaltyDecay:       0.999,
 	}).validate() != nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected validation success")
 	}