diff --git a/map-controller/files/etc/init.d/mapcontroller b/map-controller/files/etc/init.d/mapcontroller
index 248b888be..683d6e938 100755
--- a/map-controller/files/etc/init.d/mapcontroller
+++ b/map-controller/files/etc/init.d/mapcontroller
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ STOP=20
 
 USE_PROCD=1
 
+IS_CFG_VALID=1
+
 handle_controller_select() {
 	local section="$1"
 
@@ -12,10 +14,122 @@ handle_controller_select() {
 	return 1
 }
 
+validate_controller_section() {
+	uci_validate_section mapcontroller controller "controller" \
+		'enabled:bool:true' \
+		'registrar:string' \
+		'debug:range(0,16)' \
+		'resend_num:uinteger:0' \
+		'enable_sta_steer:bool:false' \
+		'enable_bsta_steer:bool:false' \
+		'use_bcn_metrics:bool:false' \
+		'use_usta_metrics:bool:false'
+
+	[ "$?" -ne 0 ] && {
+		logger -s -t "mapcontroller" "Validation of controller section failed"
+		IS_CFG_VALID=0
+		return 1
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+validate_ap_section() {
+	local section="$1"
+
+	uci_validate_section mapcontroller $section "${1}" \
+			'band:or("2", "5")' \
+			'ssid:string' \
+			'encryption:or("sae-mixed", "sae", "psk-mixed", "psk2", "psk",
+						   "wpa-mixed", "wpa2", "wpa", "none", "open")' \
+			'key:string' \
+			'vid:range(1,65535):1' \
+			'type:or("backhaul", "fronthaul", "combined")' \
+			'disallow_bsta:list(range(0,255)):0' \
+			'enabled:bool:true'
+
+	[ "$?" -ne 0 ] && {
+		logger -s -t "mapcontroller" "Validation of ap section $section failed"
+		IS_CFG_VALID=0
+		return 1
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+validate_node_section() {
+	local section="$1"
+
+	uci_validate_section mapcontroller $section "${1}" \
+			'agent_id:macaddr' \
+			'backhaul_ul_macaddr:macaddr' \
+			'backhaul_dl_macaddr:macaddr' \
+			'backhaul_type:or("none")' \
+			'primary_vid:range(0,255):1' \
+			'primary_pcp:range(0,255):0' \
+			'report_sta_assocfails:bool:false' \
+			'report_sta_assocfails_rate:uinteger' \
+			'report_metric_periodic:range(0,255)' \
+			'report_scan:bool:false' \
+			'steer_exclude:list(macaddr)' \
+			'steer_exclude_btm:list(macaddr)' \
+			'steer_disallow:bool:false' \
+			'coordinated_cac:bool:false' \
+			'traffic_separation:bool:false' \
+			'sta_steer:bool:false'
+
+	[ "$?" -ne 0 ] && {
+		logger -s -t "mapcontroller" "Validation of node section $section failed"
+		IS_CFG_VALID=0
+		return 1
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+validate_radio_section() {
+	local section="$1"
+
+	uci_validate_section mapcontroller $section "${1}" \
+			'agent_id:macaddr' \
+			'macaddr:macaddr' \
+			'band:or("2", "5")' \
+			'steer_policy:range(0,2)' \
+			'util_threshold:range(0,255)' \
+			'rcpi_threshold:range(0,255)' \
+			'report_rcpi_threshold:range(0,255)' \
+			'report_util_threshold:range(0,255)' \
+			'report_rcpi_hysteresis_margin:range(0,255)' \
+			'include_sta_stats:bool:false' \
+			'include_sta_metric:bool:false'
+
+
+	[ "$?" -ne 0 ] && {
+		logger -s -t "mapcontroller" "Validation of radio section $section failed"
+		IS_CFG_VALID=0
+		return 1
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+validate_controller_config() {
+	IS_CFG_VALID=1
+
+	validate_controller_section &&
+		config_foreach validate_ap_section ap &&
+		config_foreach validate_node_section node &&
+		config_foreach validate_radio_section radio
+
+	[ "$IS_CFG_VALID" -ne 1 ] && {
+		logger -s -t "mapcontroller" "Validation of mapcontroller UCI file failed"
+		return 1
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
 start_service() {
 	local enabled
 
 	config_load "mapcontroller"
+	validate_controller_config || return 1;
+
 	config_get_bool enabled controller enabled 1
 	[ "$enabled" -eq 0 ] && return