diff --git a/src/kernel/config.c b/src/kernel/config.c
index a18fc6494..67dddb11e 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.c
+++ b/src/kernel/config.c
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ bool config_changed(int *cache_key) {
 }
 
 #define MAXKEYS 16
-void config_set_from(const dictionary *d)
+void config_set_from(const dictionary *d, const char *valid_keys[])
 {
     int s, nsec = iniparser_getnsec(d);
     for (s=0;s!=nsec;++s) {
@@ -742,6 +742,7 @@ void config_set_from(const dictionary *d)
         int k, nkeys = iniparser_getsecnkeys(d, sec);
         const char *keys[MAXKEYS];
         size_t slen = strlen(sec);
+
         assert(nkeys <= MAXKEYS);
         assert(slen<sizeof(key));
         memcpy(key, sec, slen);
@@ -756,6 +757,16 @@ void config_set_from(const dictionary *d)
             val = iniparser_getstring(d, keys[k], NULL);
             if (!orig) {
                 if (val) {
+                    if (valid_keys) {
+                        int i;
+                        for (i = 0; valid_keys[i]; ++i) {
+                            size_t vlen = strlen(valid_keys[i]);
+                            if (strncmp(key, valid_keys[i], vlen) == 0) break;
+                        }
+                        if (!valid_keys[i]) {
+                            log_error("unknown key in ini-section %s: %s = %s", sec, key+slen+1, val);
+                        }
+                    }
                     config_set(key, val);
                 }
             } else {
diff --git a/src/kernel/config.h b/src/kernel/config.h
index 3b307bbdd..1fc70cd5b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.h
+++ b/src/kernel/config.h
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ extern "C" {
     void free_params(struct param **pp);
 
     void config_set(const char *key, const char *value);
-    void config_set_from(const struct _dictionary_ *d);
+    void config_set_from(const struct _dictionary_ *d, const char *keys[]);
     const char *config_get(const char *key);
     int config_get_int(const char *key, int def);
     double config_get_flt(const char *key, double def);
diff --git a/src/kernel/config.test.c b/src/kernel/config.test.c
index 7acf8e948..40adaa364 100644
--- a/src/kernel/config.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/config.test.c
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ static void test_config_inifile(CuTest *tc) {
     dictionary_set(ini, "game", NULL);
     iniparser_set(ini, "game:id", "42");
     iniparser_set(ini, "game:name", "Eressea");
-    config_set_from(ini);
+    config_set_from(ini, NULL);
     CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "Eressea", config_get("game.name"));
     CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "Eressea", game_name());
     CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 42, game_id());
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index dd65ec9e1..a9a8339d4 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -45,33 +45,50 @@ static const char *inifile = "eressea.ini";
 static int memdebug = 0;
 static int verbosity = 1;
 
-static void load_inifile(dictionary * d)
+static void load_inifile(void)
 {
-    const char *reportdir = reportpath();
-    const char *datadir = datapath();
-    const char *basedir = basepath();
     const char *str;
 
-    assert(d);
-
-    str = iniparser_getstring(d, "game:base", basedir);
-    if (str != basedir) {
+    str = config_get("game.base");
+    if (str) {
         set_basepath(str);
     }
-    str = iniparser_getstring(d, "game:report", reportdir);
-    if (str != reportdir) {
+    str = config_get("game.report");
+    if (str) {
         set_reportpath(str);
     }
-    str = iniparser_getstring(d, "game:data", datadir);
-    if (str != datadir) {
+    str = config_get("game.data");
+    if (str) {
         set_datapath(str);
     }
 
-    lomem = iniparser_getint(d, "game:lomem", lomem) ? 1 : 0;
-
-    verbosity = iniparser_getint(d, "game:verbose", 2);
+    lomem = config_get_int("game.lomem", lomem) ? 1 : 0;
+    verbosity = config_get_int("game.verbose", 2);
+    memdebug = config_get_int("game.memcheck", memdebug);
+#ifdef USE_CURSES
+    /* only one value in the [editor] section */
+    force_color = config_get_int("editor.color", force_color);
+    gm_codepage = config_get_int("editor.codepage", gm_codepage);
+#endif
 }
 
+static const char * valid_keys[] = {
+    "game.id",
+    "game.name",
+    "game.locale",
+    "game.verbose",
+    "game.report",
+    "game.lomem",
+    "game.memcheck",
+    "game.email",
+    "game.mailcmd",
+    "game.sender",
+    "editor.color",
+    "editor.codepage",
+    "lua.",
+    NULL
+};
+
 static dictionary *parse_config(const char *filename)
 {
     char path[MAX_PATH];
@@ -87,15 +104,8 @@ static dictionary *parse_config(const char *filename)
         d  = iniparser_load(filename);        
     }
     if (d) {
-        load_inifile(d);
-        config_set_from(d);
-
-        memdebug = iniparser_getint(d, "game:memcheck", memdebug);
-#ifdef USE_CURSES
-        /* only one value in the [editor] section */
-        force_color = iniparser_getint(d, "editor:color", force_color);
-        gm_codepage = iniparser_getint(d, "editor:codepage", gm_codepage);
-#endif
+        config_set_from(d, valid_keys);
+        load_inifile();
     }
     str = config_get("game.locales");
     make_locales(str ? str : "de,en");