diff --git a/map2loop/config.py b/map2loop/config.py
index 5755957c..48d017d3 100644
--- a/map2loop/config.py
+++ b/map2loop/config.py
@@ -93,13 +93,19 @@ def to_dict(self):
         }
 
     @beartype.beartype
-    def update_from_dictionary(self, dictionary: dict, lower: bool = False):
+    def update_from_dictionary(self, dictionary: dict, lower: bool = True):
         """
         Update the config dictionary from a provided dict
 
         Args:
             dictionary (dict): The dictionary to update from
         """
+        # make sure dictionary doesn't contain legacy keys
+        self.check_for_legacy_keys(dictionary)
+        
+        # make sure it has the minimum requirements
+        self.validate_config_dictionary(dictionary)
+        
         if "structure" in dictionary:
             self.structure_config.update(dictionary["structure"])
             for key in dictionary["structure"].keys():
@@ -108,6 +114,7 @@ def update_from_dictionary(self, dictionary: dict, lower: bool = False):
                         f"Config dictionary structure segment contained {key} which is not used"
                     )
             dictionary.pop("structure")
+            
         if "geology" in dictionary:
             self.geology_config.update(dictionary["geology"])
             for key in dictionary["geology"].keys():
@@ -208,3 +215,58 @@ def update_from_file(
                 err_string += "Please check the file exists and is accessible then\n"
             err_string += "Check the contents for mismatched quotes or brackets!"
             raise Exception(err_string)
+
+    @beartype.beartype
+    def validate_config_dictionary(self, config_dict: dict) -> None:
+        """
+        Validate the structure and keys of the configuration dictionary.
+
+        Args:
+            config_dict (dict): The config dictionary to validate.
+
+        Raises:
+            ValueError: If the dictionary does not meet the minimum requirements for ma2p2loop.
+        """    
+        required_keys = {
+            "structure": {"dipdir_column", "dip_column"},
+            "geology": {"unitname_column", "alt_unitname_column"},
+        }
+
+        for section, keys in required_keys.items():
+            if section not in config_dict:
+                logger.error(f"Missing required section '{section}' in config dictionary.")
+                raise ValueError(f"Missing required section '{section}' in config dictionary.")
+            
+            for key in keys:
+                if key not in config_dict[section]:
+                    logger.error(
+                        f"Missing required key '{key}' for '{section}' section of the config dictionary."
+                    )
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        f"Missing required key '{key}' for '{section}' section of the config dictionary."
+                    )
+
+    @beartype.beartype
+    def check_for_legacy_keys(self, config_dict: dict) -> None:
+
+        legacy_keys = {
+            "otype", "dd", "d", "sf", "bedding", "bo", "btype", "gi", "c", "u",
+            "g", "g2", "ds", "min", "max", "r1", "r2", "sill", "intrusive", "volcanic",
+            "f", "fdipnull", "fdipdip_flag", "fdipdir", "fdip", "fdipest",
+            "fdipest_vals", "n", "ff", "t", "syn"
+        }
+
+        # Recursively search for keys in the dictionary
+        def check_keys(d: dict, parent_key=""):
+            for key, value in d.items():
+                if key in legacy_keys:
+                    logger.error(
+                        f"Legacy key found in config - '{key}' at '{parent_key + key}'. Please use the new config format. Use map2loop.utils.update_from_legacy_file to convert between the formats if needed"
+                    )
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        f"Legacy key found in config - '{key}' at '{parent_key + key}'. Please use the new config format. Use map2loop.utils.update_from_legacy_file to convert between the formats if needed"
+                    )
+                if isinstance(value, dict):
+                    check_keys(value, parent_key=f"{parent_key}{key}.")
+        
+        check_keys(config_dict)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/map2loop/mapdata.py b/map2loop/mapdata.py
index 59fcd3b3..c1c8b653 100644
--- a/map2loop/mapdata.py
+++ b/map2loop/mapdata.py
@@ -267,8 +267,9 @@ def set_config_filename(
                 Flag to convert the config file to lowercase. Defaults to False.
         """
         logger.info('Setting config filename to {filename}')
-
+        
         self.config.update_from_file(filename,  lower=lower)
+        
         logger.info(f"Config is: {self.config.to_dict()}")
 
     def get_config_filename(self):
diff --git a/map2loop/project.py b/map2loop/project.py
index 1dd832b6..39aac197 100644
--- a/map2loop/project.py
+++ b/map2loop/project.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def __init__(
                 The filename of the configuration json file to use (if not using config_dictionary). Defaults to "".
             config_dictionary (dict, optional):
                 A dictionary version of the configuration file. Defaults to {}.
-            clut_filename (str, deprecated):
+            clut_filename (str, optional):
                 The filename of the colour look up table to use. Defaults to "".
             save_pre_checked_map_data (bool, optional):
                 A flag to save all map data to file before use. Defaults to False.
@@ -201,14 +201,13 @@ def __init__(
             self.map_data.set_filename(Datatype.DTM, dtm_filename)
         if fault_orientation_filename != "":
             self.map_data.set_filename(Datatype.FAULT_ORIENTATION, fault_orientation_filename)
-
+       
         if config_filename != "":
-        
-
             self.map_data.set_config_filename(config_filename)
 
         if config_dictionary != {}:
             self.map_data.config.update_from_dictionary(config_dictionary)
+            
         if clut_filename != "":
             self.map_data.set_colour_filename(clut_filename)