diff --git a/llarp/config/definition.cpp b/llarp/config/definition.cpp
index c09b6c7e5..13035a3fd 100644
--- a/llarp/config/definition.cpp
+++ b/llarp/config/definition.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Configuration::addConfigValue(string_view section, string_view name, string_view
 }
 
 void
-Configuration::validate()
+Configuration::validateRequiredFields()
 {
   visitSections([&](const std::string& section, const DefinitionMap&) {
     visitDefinitions(section, [&](const std::string&, const ConfigDefinition_ptr& def) {
diff --git a/llarp/config/definition.hpp b/llarp/config/definition.hpp
index 64e83925d..2cd7f7ce0 100644
--- a/llarp/config/definition.hpp
+++ b/llarp/config/definition.hpp
@@ -222,16 +222,11 @@ namespace llarp
       return derived->getValue();
     }
 
-    /// Validate the config, presumably called after parsing. This will throw an exception if the
-    /// parsed values do not meet the provided definition. 
-    ///
-    /// Note that this will only handle a subset of errors that may occur. Specifically, this will
-    /// handle errors about missing required fields, whereas errors about incorrect type,
-    /// duplicates, etc. are handled during parsing.
+    /// Validate that all required fields are present.
     ///
     /// @throws std::invalid_argument if configuration constraints are not met
     void
-    validate();
+    validateRequiredFields();
 
     /// Generate a config string from the current config definition, optionally using overridden
     /// values. The generated config will preserve insertion order of both sections and their
diff --git a/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp b/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp
index 13e8bf607..768994dba 100644
--- a/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp
+++ b/test/config/test_llarp_config_definition.cpp
@@ -105,11 +105,11 @@ TEST_CASE("Configuration required test", "[config]")
             false,
             1));
 
-  CHECK_THROWS(config.validate());
+  CHECK_THROWS(config.validateRequiredFields());
 
   config.addConfigValue("router", "threads", "12");
 
-  CHECK_NOTHROW(config.validate());
+  CHECK_NOTHROW(config.validateRequiredFields());
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("Configuration section test", "[config]")
@@ -128,13 +128,13 @@ TEST_CASE("Configuration section test", "[config]")
             false,
             1));
 
-  CHECK_THROWS(config.validate());
+  CHECK_THROWS(config.validateRequiredFields());
 
   config.addConfigValue("foo", "bar", "5");
-  CHECK_THROWS(config.validate());
+  CHECK_THROWS(config.validateRequiredFields());
 
   CHECK_NOTHROW(config.addConfigValue("goo", "bar", "6"));
-  CHECK_NOTHROW(config.validate());
+  CHECK_NOTHROW(config.validateRequiredFields());
 
   CHECK(config.getConfigValue<int>("foo", "bar") == 5);
   CHECK(config.getConfigValue<int>("goo", "bar") == 6);