diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index c44bda0..f2d781f 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"net"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
@@ -186,9 +187,19 @@ func Load(path string) (*Config, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("read config %q: %w", path, err)
 	}
 
-	if err := yaml.Unmarshal(data, cfg); err != nil {
+	decoder := yaml.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(data))
+	decoder.KnownFields(true)
+	if err := decoder.Decode(cfg); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parse config %q: %w", path, err)
 	}
+	var trailing yaml.Node
+	if err := decoder.Decode(&trailing); err != nil {
+		if !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("parse config %q: %w", path, err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parse config %q: multiple YAML documents are not supported", path)
+	}
 
 	// Keep existing clip_url-only configurations usable after the safer
 	// loopback default was introduced. An explicit clip_listen, including
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index 9e960aa..20422d5 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -239,6 +239,79 @@ func TestLoad_PartialYAML_MergesWithDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestLoad_RejectsUnknownTopLevelKey(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "cfg.yaml")
+	content := "remote: dev@workstation\nauto_discoverd: true\n"
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(content), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err := Load(path)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Load() accepted an unknown top-level key")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "auto_discoverd") {
+		t.Fatalf("Load() error = %v, want unknown key name", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), path) {
+		t.Fatalf("Load() error = %v, want config path", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoad_EmptyYAMLKeepsDefaults(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "empty.yaml")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, nil, 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	cfg, err := Load(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Load() error = %v, want empty YAML to keep defaults", err)
+	}
+	if cfg.LogLevel != Default().LogLevel || cfg.SSHPort != Default().SSHPort {
+		t.Fatalf("Load() defaults = log level %q, SSH port %d; want %q, %d", cfg.LogLevel, cfg.SSHPort, Default().LogLevel, Default().SSHPort)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoad_RejectsTrailingYAMLDocument(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "multi.yaml")
+	content := "remote: dev@workstation\n---\nauto_discoverd: true\n"
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(content), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err := Load(path)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Load() accepted multiple YAML documents")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "multiple YAML documents") {
+		t.Fatalf("Load() error = %v, want multiple-document error", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), path) {
+		t.Fatalf("Load() error = %v, want config path", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLoad_RejectsMalformedTrailingYAMLDocument(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "multi-invalid.yaml")
+	content := "remote: dev@workstation\n---\nnot: [valid\n"
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(content), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write config: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err := Load(path)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Load() accepted a malformed trailing YAML document")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), path) {
+		t.Fatalf("Load() error = %v, want config path", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestLoad_InvalidYAML(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 	path := filepath.Join(dir, "bad.yaml")