diff --git a/bioimageio/spec/_description.py b/bioimageio/spec/_description.py
index 29da578a1..012660494 100644
--- a/bioimageio/spec/_description.py
+++ b/bioimageio/spec/_description.py
@@ -164,7 +164,21 @@ def validate_format(
     format_version: Union[Literal["discover", "latest"], str] = DISCOVER,
     context: Optional[ValidationContext] = None,
 ) -> ValidationSummary:
-    """validate a bioimageio.yaml file (RDF)"""
+    """Validate a dictionary holding a boiimageio description
+    (see `bioimagieo.spec.load_description_and_validate_format_only`
+    to validate a file source).
+
+    Args:
+        data: dict holding raw bioimageio.yaml content
+        format_version: format version to (update to and) use for validation
+        context: validation context, see `bioimagieo.spec.ValidationContext`
+
+    Note: Use `bioimagieo.spec.load_description_and_validate_format_only` to validate a
+        file source instead of loading the YAML content and createing the appropriate
+        `ValidationContext`.
+        Or use `bioimagieo.spec.load_description` and access the `validation_summary`
+        attribute of the returned object.
+    """
     with context or validation_context_var.get():
         rd = build_description(data, format_version=format_version)
 
diff --git a/bioimageio/spec/summary.py b/bioimageio/spec/summary.py
index adb670b31..801bd15bd 100644
--- a/bioimageio/spec/summary.py
+++ b/bioimageio/spec/summary.py
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ def format_loc(loc: Loc):
                     [
                         "🐍",
                         format_loc(d.loc),
-                        "conda compare ({d.name}):<br>"
+                        f"conda compare ({d.name}):<br>"
                         + d.conda_compare.replace("\n", "<br>"),
                     ]
                 )
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index abc732be1..3a1847391 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
         "packaging>=17.0",
         "pooch>=1.5,<2",
         "pydantic-settings>=2.5,<3",
-        "pydantic>=2.7.0,<3",
+        "pydantic>=2.7.0,<2.10",
         "python-dateutil",
         "requests",
         "rich",