diff --git a/src/actions/__tests__/config.spec.js b/src/actions/__tests__/config.spec.js
index ffd102ea..3ff97f0f 100644
--- a/src/actions/__tests__/config.spec.js
+++ b/src/actions/__tests__/config.spec.js
@@ -1,15 +1,9 @@
-import * as config from '../config';
+import { applyDefaults, validateConfig } from '../config';
 
 describe('config', () => {
   describe('applyDefaults', () => {
-    it('should throw if media_folder is not defined in config', () => {
-      expect(() => {
-        config.applyDefaults({ foo: 'bar' });
-      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: A `media_folder` wasn\'t found. Check your config.yml file.');
-    });
-
     it('should set publish_mode if not set', () => {
-      expect(config.applyDefaults({
+      expect(applyDefaults({
         foo: 'bar',
         media_folder: 'path/to/media',
       })).toEqual({
@@ -21,7 +15,7 @@ describe('config', () => {
     });
 
     it('should set publish_mode from config', () => {
-      expect(config.applyDefaults({
+      expect(applyDefaults({
         foo: 'bar',
         publish_mode: 'complex',
         media_folder: 'path/to/media',
@@ -34,7 +28,7 @@ describe('config', () => {
     });
 
     it('should set public_folder based on media_folder if not set', () => {
-      expect(config.applyDefaults({
+      expect(applyDefaults({
         foo: 'bar',
         media_folder: 'path/to/media',
       })).toEqual({
@@ -46,7 +40,7 @@ describe('config', () => {
     });
 
     it('should not overwrite public_folder if set', () => {
-      expect(config.applyDefaults({
+      expect(applyDefaults({
         foo: 'bar',
         media_folder: 'path/to/media',
         public_folder: '/publib/path',
@@ -58,4 +52,67 @@ describe('config', () => {
       });
     });
   });
-});
+
+  describe('validateConfig', () => {
+    it('should return the config if no errors', () => {
+      const config = { foo: 'bar', backend: { name: 'bar' }, media_folder: 'baz', collections: [{}] };
+      expect(
+        validateConfig(config)
+      ).toEqual(config);
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if backend is not defined in config', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        validateConfig({ foo: 'bar' });
+      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: A `backend` wasn\'t found. Check your config.yml file.');
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if backend name is not defined in config', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        validateConfig({ foo: 'bar', backend: {} });
+      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: A `backend.name` wasn\'t found. Check your config.yml file.');
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if backend name is not a string in config', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        validateConfig({ foo: 'bar', backend: { name: { } } });
+      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: Your `backend.name` must be a string. Check your config.yml file.');
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if media_folder is not defined in config', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        validateConfig({ foo: 'bar', backend: { name: 'bar' } });
+      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: A `media_folder` wasn\'t found. Check your config.yml file.');
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if media_folder is not a string in config', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        validateConfig({ foo: 'bar', backend: { name: 'bar' }, media_folder: {} });
+      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: Your `media_folder` must be a string. Check your config.yml file.');
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if collections is not defined in config', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        validateConfig({ foo: 'bar', backend: { name: 'bar' }, media_folder: 'baz' });
+      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: A `collections` wasn\'t found. Check your config.yml file.');
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if collections not an array in config', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        validateConfig({ foo: 'bar', backend: { name: 'bar' }, media_folder: 'baz', collections: {} });
+      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: Your `collections` must be an array with at least one element. Check your config.yml file.');
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if collections is an empty array in config', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        validateConfig({ foo: 'bar', backend: { name: 'bar' }, media_folder: 'baz', collections: [] });
+      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: Your `collections` must be an array with at least one element. Check your config.yml file.');
+    });
+
+    it('should throw if collections is an array with a single null element in config', () => {
+      expect(() => {
+        validateConfig({ foo: 'bar', backend: { name: 'bar' }, media_folder: 'baz', collections: [null] });
+      }).toThrowError('Error in configuration file: Your `collections` must be an array with at least one element. Check your config.yml file.');
+    });
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/actions/config.js b/src/actions/config.js
index 330bee55..5f1c3f2d 100644
--- a/src/actions/config.js
+++ b/src/actions/config.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import yaml from "js-yaml";
-import { set, defaultsDeep } from "lodash";
+import { set, defaultsDeep, get } from "lodash";
 import { authenticateUser } from "../actions/auth";
 import * as publishModes from "../constants/publishModes";
 
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@ const defaults = {
 };
 
 export function applyDefaults(config) {
-  if (!("media_folder" in config)) {
-    throw new Error("Error in configuration file: A `media_folder` wasn't found. Check your config.yml file.");
-  }
-
   // Make sure there is a public folder
   set(defaults,
     "public_folder",
@@ -24,20 +20,40 @@ export function applyDefaults(config) {
   return defaultsDeep(config, defaults);
 }
 
-function parseConfig(data) {
-  const config = yaml.safeLoad(data);
-  if (typeof CMS_ENV === "string" && config[CMS_ENV]) {
-    // TODO: Add tests and refactor
-    for (const key in config[CMS_ENV]) { // eslint-disable-line no-restricted-syntax
-      if (config[CMS_ENV].hasOwnProperty(key)) { // eslint-disable-line no-prototype-builtins
-        config[key] = config[CMS_ENV][key];
-      }
-    }
+export function validateConfig(config) {
+  if (!get(config, 'backend')) {
+    throw new Error("Error in configuration file: A `backend` wasn't found. Check your config.yml file.");
+  }
+  if (!get(config, ['backend', 'name'])) {
+    throw new Error("Error in configuration file: A `backend.name` wasn't found. Check your config.yml file.");
+  }
+  if (typeof config.backend.name !== 'string') {
+    throw new Error("Error in configuration file: Your `backend.name` must be a string. Check your config.yml file.");
+  }
+  if (!get(config, 'media_folder')) {
+    throw new Error("Error in configuration file: A `media_folder` wasn\'t found. Check your config.yml file.");
+  }
+  if (typeof config.media_folder !== 'string') {
+    throw new Error("Error in configuration file: Your `media_folder` must be a string. Check your config.yml file.");
+  }
+  if (!get(config, 'collections')) {
+    throw new Error("Error in configuration file: A `collections` wasn\'t found. Check your config.yml file.");
+  }
+  if (!Array.isArray(config.collections) || config.collections.length === 0 || !config.collections[0]) {
+    throw new Error("Error in configuration file: Your `collections` must be an array with at least one element. Check your config.yml file.");
   }
-
   return config;
 }
 
+function parseConfig(data) {
+  const config = yaml.safeLoad(data);
+  if (typeof CMS_ENV === "string" && config[CMS_ENV]) {
+    Object.keys(config[CMS_ENV]).forEach((key) => {
+      config[key] = config[CMS_ENV][key];
+    });
+  }
+  return config;
+}
 
 export function configLoaded(config) {
   return {
@@ -81,6 +97,7 @@ export function loadConfig() {
       return response.text();
     })
     .then(parseConfig)
+    .then(validateConfig)
     .then(applyDefaults)
     .then((config) => {
       dispatch(configDidLoad(config));
diff --git a/src/reducers/collections.js b/src/reducers/collections.js
index 4cf076c8..aa9860b8 100644
--- a/src/reducers/collections.js
+++ b/src/reducers/collections.js
@@ -1,20 +1,19 @@
 import { OrderedMap, fromJS } from 'immutable';
+import { has } from 'lodash';
 import consoleError from '../lib/consoleError';
 import { CONFIG_SUCCESS } from '../actions/config';
 import { FILES, FOLDER } from '../constants/collectionTypes';
 import { INFERABLE_FIELDS } from '../constants/fieldInference';
 
-const hasProperty = (config, property) => ({}.hasOwnProperty.call(config, property));
-
 const collections = (state = null, action) => {
   const configCollections = action.payload && action.payload.collections;
   switch (action.type) {
     case CONFIG_SUCCESS:
       return OrderedMap().withMutations((map) => {
         (configCollections || []).forEach((configCollection) => {
-          if (hasProperty(configCollection, 'folder')) {
+          if (has(configCollection, 'folder')) {
             configCollection.type = FOLDER; // eslint-disable-line no-param-reassign
-          } else if (hasProperty(configCollection, 'files')) {
+          } else if (has(configCollection, 'files')) {
             configCollection.type = FILES; // eslint-disable-line no-param-reassign
           } else {
             throw new Error('Unknown collection type. Collections can be either Folder based or File based. Please verify your site configuration');