diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 92b771b1d5..7feeabc07c 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ There is currently few exception to the "use package name" rule:
 
 * **packaging**: used for changes that change the npm package layout in all of our packages, e.g. public path changes, package.json changes done to all packages, d.ts file/format changes, changes to bundles, etc.
 * **changelog**: used for updating the release notes in CHANGELOG.md
+* **aio**: used for angular.io changes within the /angular.io directory of the repo
 * none/empty string: useful for `style`, `test` and `refactor` changes that are done across all packages (e.g. `style: add missing semicolons`)
 
 
diff --git a/tools/validate-commit-message/commit-message.json b/tools/validate-commit-message/commit-message.json
index ec19bb7e13..96f5280bf6 100644
--- a/tools/validate-commit-message/commit-message.json
+++ b/tools/validate-commit-message/commit-message.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     "test"
   ],
   "scopes": [
+    "aio",
     "benchpress",
     "common",
     "compiler",
diff --git a/tools/validate-commit-message/validate-commit-message.spec.js b/tools/validate-commit-message/validate-commit-message.spec.js
index bb78633904..f52ce45b3c 100644
--- a/tools/validate-commit-message/validate-commit-message.spec.js
+++ b/tools/validate-commit-message/validate-commit-message.spec.js
@@ -44,22 +44,22 @@ describe('validate-commit-message.js', function() {
       expect(validateMessage('refactor(docs): something')).toBe(INVALID);
       ['INVALID COMMIT MSG: "fix(Compiler): something"\n' +
            ' => ERROR: "Compiler" is not an allowed scope.\n' +
-           ' => SCOPES: benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
+           ' => SCOPES: aio, benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
        'INVALID COMMIT MSG: "feat(bah): something"\n' +
            ' => ERROR: "bah" is not an allowed scope.\n' +
-           ' => SCOPES: benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
+           ' => SCOPES: aio, benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
        'INVALID COMMIT MSG: "docs(animations): something"\n' +
            ' => ERROR: "animations" is not an allowed scope.\n' +
-           ' => SCOPES: benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
+           ' => SCOPES: aio, benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
        'INVALID COMMIT MSG: "style(webworker): something"\n' +
            ' => ERROR: "webworker" is not an allowed scope.\n' +
-           ' => SCOPES: benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
+           ' => SCOPES: aio, benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
        'INVALID COMMIT MSG: "refactor(security): something"\n' +
            ' => ERROR: "security" is not an allowed scope.\n' +
-           ' => SCOPES: benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
+           ' => SCOPES: aio, benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog',
        'INVALID COMMIT MSG: "refactor(docs): something"\n' +
            ' => ERROR: "docs" is not an allowed scope.\n' +
-           ' => SCOPES: benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog']
+           ' => SCOPES: aio, benchpress, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms, http, language-service, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, platform-webworker, platform-webworker-dynamic, router, upgrade, tsc-wrapped, packaging, changelog']
           .forEach((expectedErrorMessage, index) => {
             expect(expectedErrorMessage).toEqual(errors[index]);
           });