diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index 3ace47d4..93d26a96 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package config
 
 import (
+	"github.com/creasty/defaults"
 	"github.com/jessevdk/go-flags"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
@@ -13,6 +14,17 @@ type Config struct {
 	Redis    Redis    `yaml:"redis"`
 }
 
+// Validate checks constraints in the supplied configuration and returns an error if they are violated.
+func (c *Config) Validate() error {
+	if err := c.Database.Validate(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := c.Redis.Validate(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Flags defines CLI flags.
 type Flags struct {
 	// Version decides whether to just print the version and exit.
@@ -32,10 +44,18 @@ func FromYAMLFile(name string) (*Config, error) {
 	c := &Config{}
 	d := yaml.NewDecoder(f)
 
+	if err := defaults.Set(c); err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "can't set config defaults")
+	}
+
 	if err := d.Decode(c); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "can't parse YAML file "+name)
 	}
 
+	if err := c.Validate(); err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "invalid configuration")
+	}
+
 	return c, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/config/database.go b/pkg/config/database.go
index 0f57f579..30cdec19 100644
--- a/pkg/config/database.go
+++ b/pkg/config/database.go
@@ -49,3 +49,8 @@ func (d *Database) Open(logger *zap.SugaredLogger) (*icingadb.DB, error) {
 
 	return icingadb.NewDb(db, logger, &d.Options), nil
 }
+
+// Validate checks constraints in the supplied database configuration and returns an error if they are violated.
+func (d *Database) Validate() error {
+	return d.Options.Validate()
+}
diff --git a/pkg/config/redis.go b/pkg/config/redis.go
index f11412b5..76872aae 100644
--- a/pkg/config/redis.go
+++ b/pkg/config/redis.go
@@ -74,3 +74,8 @@ func dialWithLogging(logger *zap.SugaredLogger) func(context.Context, string, st
 		return
 	}
 }
+
+// Validate checks constraints in the supplied Redis configuration and returns an error if they are violated.
+func (r *Redis) Validate() error {
+	return r.Options.Validate()
+}
diff --git a/pkg/icingadb/db.go b/pkg/icingadb/db.go
index 51ff8b9e..161dbd6f 100644
--- a/pkg/icingadb/db.go
+++ b/pkg/icingadb/db.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"database/sql/driver"
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/creasty/defaults"
 	"github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"
 	"github.com/icinga/icingadb/internal"
 	"github.com/icinga/icingadb/pkg/backoff"
@@ -56,24 +55,14 @@ type Options struct {
 	MaxRowsPerTransaction int `yaml:"MaxRowsPerTransaction" default:"8192"`
 }
 
-// UnmarshalYAML implements the yaml.Unmarshaler interface.
-func (o *Options) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
-	if err := defaults.Set(o); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "can't set default database config")
-	}
-	// Prevent recursion.
-	type self Options
-	if err := unmarshal((*self)(o)); err != nil {
-		return internal.CantUnmarshalYAML(err, o)
-	}
-
+// Validate checks constraints in the supplied database options and returns an error if they are violated.
+func (o *Options) Validate() error {
 	if o.MaxConnections == 0 {
 		return errors.New("max_connections cannot be 0. Configure a value greater than zero, or use -1 for no connection limit")
 	}
 	if o.MaxConnectionsPerTable < 1 {
 		return errors.New("max_connections_per_table must be at least 1")
 	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/icingaredis/client.go b/pkg/icingaredis/client.go
index a56cb105..308dffec 100644
--- a/pkg/icingaredis/client.go
+++ b/pkg/icingaredis/client.go
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@ package icingaredis
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"github.com/creasty/defaults"
 	"github.com/go-redis/redis/v8"
-	"github.com/icinga/icingadb/internal"
 	"github.com/icinga/icingadb/pkg/com"
 	"github.com/icinga/icingadb/pkg/common"
 	"github.com/icinga/icingadb/pkg/contracts"
@@ -34,17 +32,8 @@ type Options struct {
 	HScanCount          int           `yaml:"hscan_count"           default:"4096"`
 }
 
-// UnmarshalYAML implements the yaml.Unmarshaler interface.
-func (o *Options) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
-	if err := defaults.Set(o); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "can't set defaults %#v", o)
-	}
-	// Prevent recursion.
-	type self Options
-	if err := unmarshal((*self)(o)); err != nil {
-		return internal.CantUnmarshalYAML(err, o)
-	}
-
+// Validate checks constraints in the supplied Redis options and returns an error if they are violated.
+func (o *Options) Validate() error {
 	if o.Timeout == 0 {
 		return errors.New("timeout cannot be 0. Configure a value greater than zero, or use -1 for no timeout")
 	}
@@ -57,7 +46,6 @@ func (o *Options) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
 	if o.HScanCount < 1 {
 		return errors.New("hscan_count must be at least 1")
 	}
-
 	return nil
 }