diff --git a/lib/template.js b/lib/template.js
index f1e1f63..e002d28 100644
--- a/lib/template.js
+++ b/lib/template.js
@@ -298,8 +298,21 @@ function loadConfigFile () {
     throw new Error('neither init.coffee nor init.js exist')
   }
 
-  this.sprout.emit('msg', `requiring ${initPath}`)
-  this.init = require(initPath)
+  this.sprout.emit('msg', `requiring and validating ${initPath}`)
+
+  const schema = Joi.object().keys({
+    before: Joi.func(),
+    configure: Joi.array().items(Joi.object()),
+    beforeRender: Joi.func(),
+    after: Joi.func(),
+    ignore: Joi.array().single(),
+    defaults: Joi.object()
+  })
+
+  const result = Joi.validate(require(initPath), schema)
+  if (result.error) { throw result.error }
+
+  this.init = result.value
 }
 
 function runBeforeHook (utils) {
@@ -333,8 +346,7 @@ function mergeConfig (opts) {
 // If questionnaire function exists, run it to get answers.
 // Omitting keys already set in config return answers merged with config values.
 function runPrompts (opts) {
-  // TODO remove type check here after further joi additions
-  if (opts.questionnaire && lodash.isArray(this.init.configure)) {
+  if (opts.questionnaire && this.init.configure) {
     this.sprout.emit('msg', 'running questionnaire function')
     return opts.questionnaire(this.init.configure, lodash.keys(this.config))
       .then((answers) => { return lodash.assign(this.config, answers) })