diff --git a/crates/utils/src/error.rs b/crates/utils/src/error.rs
index 6fb5e5155..1aa3e1c62 100644
--- a/crates/utils/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/utils/src/error.rs
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ impl Debug for LemmyError {
     f.debug_struct("LemmyError")
       .field("message", &self.message)
       .field("inner", &self.inner)
-      .field("context", &"SpanTrace")
+      .field("context", &self.context)
       .finish()
   }
 }
diff --git a/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs b/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs
index fe8c8ae4f..cd181ffb5 100644
--- a/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/utils/src/settings/mod.rs
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ pub mod structs;
 
 static DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE: &str = "config/config.hjson";
 
-pub static SETTINGS: Lazy<Settings> =
-  Lazy::new(|| Settings::init().expect("Failed to load settings file"));
+pub static SETTINGS: Lazy<Settings> = Lazy::new(|| {
+  Settings::init().expect("Failed to load settings file, see documentation (https://join-lemmy.org/docs/en/administration/configuration.html)")
+});
 static WEBFINGER_REGEX: Lazy<Regex> = Lazy::new(|| {
   Regex::new(&format!(
     "^acct:([a-zA-Z0-9_]{{3,}})@{}$",
@@ -53,11 +54,11 @@ impl Settings {
     )
   }
 
-  pub fn get_config_location() -> String {
+  fn get_config_location() -> String {
     env::var("LEMMY_CONFIG_LOCATION").unwrap_or_else(|_| DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE.to_string())
   }
 
-  pub fn read_config_file() -> Result<String, Error> {
+  fn read_config_file() -> Result<String, Error> {
     fs::read_to_string(Self::get_config_location())
   }
 
diff --git a/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs b/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
index 9d46dbe8a..c135c3a8c 100644
--- a/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
+++ b/crates/utils/src/settings/structs.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ pub struct Settings {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, SmartDefault, Document)]
-#[serde(default)]
+#[serde(default, deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct PictrsConfig {
   /// Address where pictrs is available (for image hosting)
   #[default(Url::parse("http://localhost:8080").expect("parse pictrs url"))]
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ pub struct PictrsConfig {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, SmartDefault, Document)]
-#[serde(default)]
+#[serde(default, deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct DatabaseConfig {
   /// Username to connect to postgres
   #[default("lemmy")]
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ pub struct DatabaseConfig {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, Document, SmartDefault)]
+#[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct EmailConfig {
   /// Hostname and port of the smtp server
   #[doku(example = "localhost:25")]
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ pub struct EmailConfig {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, SmartDefault, Document)]
+#[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct SetupConfig {
   /// Username for the admin user
   #[doku(example = "admin")]