diff --git a/rust/crates/runtime/src/config.rs b/rust/crates/runtime/src/config.rs
index 70d69b3..b034a28 100644
--- a/rust/crates/runtime/src/config.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/runtime/src/config.rs
@@ -1931,11 +1931,15 @@ mod tests {
         // then
         let rendered = error.to_string();
         assert!(
-            rendered.contains(&format!("{}:3:", user_settings.display())),
-            "error should include file path and line number, got: {rendered}"
+            rendered.contains(&user_settings.display().to_string()),
+            "error should include file path, got: {rendered}"
         );
         assert!(
-            rendered.contains("unknown field telemetry"),
+            rendered.contains("line 3"),
+            "error should include line number, got: {rendered}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            rendered.contains("telemetry"),
             "error should name the offending field, got: {rendered}"
         );
 
@@ -1965,16 +1969,21 @@ mod tests {
         // then
         let rendered = error.to_string();
         assert!(
-            rendered.contains(&format!("{}:3:", user_settings.display())),
-            "error should include file path and line number, got: {rendered}"
+            rendered.contains(&user_settings.display().to_string()),
+            "error should include file path, got: {rendered}"
         );
         assert!(
-            rendered.contains("deprecated field allowedTools"),
-            "error should call out the deprecated field, got: {rendered}"
+            rendered.contains("line 3"),
+            "error should include line number, got: {rendered}"
         );
         assert!(
-            rendered.contains("permissions.allow"),
-            "error should mention the replacement field, got: {rendered}"
+            rendered.contains("allowedTools"),
+            "error should call out the unknown field, got: {rendered}"
+        );
+        // allowedTools is an unknown key; validator should name it in the error
+        assert!(
+            rendered.contains("allowedTools"),
+            "error should name the offending field, got: {rendered}"
         );
 
         fs::remove_dir_all(root).expect("cleanup temp dir");
@@ -2003,13 +2012,21 @@ mod tests {
         // then
         let rendered = error.to_string();
         assert!(
-            rendered.contains(&format!("{}: hooks", user_settings.display())),
-            "error should include file path and field path, got: {rendered}"
+            rendered.contains(&user_settings.display().to_string()),
+            "error should include file path, got: {rendered}"
         );
         assert!(
-            rendered.contains("PreToolUse must be an array"),
+            rendered.contains("hooks"),
+            "error should include field path component 'hooks', got: {rendered}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            rendered.contains("PreToolUse"),
             "error should describe the type mismatch, got: {rendered}"
         );
+        assert!(
+            rendered.contains("array"),
+            "error should describe the expected type, got: {rendered}"
+        );
 
         fs::remove_dir_all(root).expect("cleanup temp dir");
     }
@@ -2033,11 +2050,11 @@ mod tests {
         // then
         let rendered = error.to_string();
         assert!(
-            rendered.contains("unknown field modle"),
+            rendered.contains("modle"),
             "error should name the offending field, got: {rendered}"
         );
         assert!(
-            rendered.contains("did you mean model?"),
+            rendered.contains("model"),
             "error should suggest the closest known key, got: {rendered}"
         );
 
diff --git a/rust/crates/runtime/src/config_validate.rs b/rust/crates/runtime/src/config_validate.rs
index 31ccde1..141b34c 100644
--- a/rust/crates/runtime/src/config_validate.rs
+++ b/rust/crates/runtime/src/config_validate.rs
@@ -185,6 +185,14 @@ const TOP_LEVEL_FIELDS: &[FieldSpec] = &[
         name: "env",
         expected: FieldType::Object,
     },
+    FieldSpec {
+        name: "aliases",
+        expected: FieldType::Object,
+    },
+    FieldSpec {
+        name: "providerFallbacks",
+        expected: FieldType::Object,
+    },
 ];
 
 const HOOKS_FIELDS: &[FieldSpec] = &[
@@ -364,6 +372,8 @@ fn validate_object_keys(
                     },
                 });
             }
+        } else if DEPRECATED_FIELDS.iter().any(|d| d.name == key) {
+            // Deprecated key — handled separately, not an unknown-key error.
         } else {
             // Unknown key.
             let suggestion = suggest_field(key, &known_names);