diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 0acf89e..8f54210 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ import (
 	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/logger"
 )
 
+// ErrNoTargets is returned when DNSWATCHER_TARGETS is empty or unset.
+var ErrNoTargets = errors.New(
+	"no targets configured: set DNSWATCHER_TARGETS to a comma-separated " +
+		"list of DNS names to monitor",
+)
+
 // Default configuration values.
 const (
 	defaultPort             = 8080
@@ -118,25 +124,9 @@ func buildConfig(
 		}
 	}
 
-	dnsInterval, err := time.ParseDuration(
-		viper.GetString("DNS_INTERVAL"),
-	)
+	domains, hostnames, err := classifyAndValidateTargets()
 	if err != nil {
-		dnsInterval = defaultDNSInterval
-	}
-
-	tlsInterval, err := time.ParseDuration(
-		viper.GetString("TLS_INTERVAL"),
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		tlsInterval = defaultTLSInterval
-	}
-
-	domains, hostnames, err := ClassifyTargets(
-		parseCSV(viper.GetString("TARGETS")),
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid targets configuration: %w", err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	cfg := &Config{
@@ -148,8 +138,8 @@ func buildConfig(
 		SlackWebhook:      viper.GetString("SLACK_WEBHOOK"),
 		MattermostWebhook: viper.GetString("MATTERMOST_WEBHOOK"),
 		NtfyTopic:         viper.GetString("NTFY_TOPIC"),
-		DNSInterval:       dnsInterval,
-		TLSInterval:       tlsInterval,
+		DNSInterval:       parseDurationOrDefault("DNS_INTERVAL", defaultDNSInterval),
+		TLSInterval:       parseDurationOrDefault("TLS_INTERVAL", defaultTLSInterval),
 		TLSExpiryWarning:  viper.GetInt("TLS_EXPIRY_WARNING"),
 		SentryDSN:         viper.GetString("SENTRY_DSN"),
 		MaintenanceMode:   viper.GetBool("MAINTENANCE_MODE"),
@@ -162,6 +152,32 @@ func buildConfig(
 	return cfg, nil
 }
 
+func classifyAndValidateTargets() ([]string, []string, error) {
+	domains, hostnames, err := ClassifyTargets(
+		parseCSV(viper.GetString("TARGETS")),
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf(
+			"invalid targets configuration: %w", err,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if len(domains) == 0 && len(hostnames) == 0 {
+		return nil, nil, ErrNoTargets
+	}
+
+	return domains, hostnames, nil
+}
+
+func parseDurationOrDefault(key string, fallback time.Duration) time.Duration {
+	d, err := time.ParseDuration(viper.GetString(key))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fallback
+	}
+
+	return d
+}
+
 func parseCSV(input string) []string {
 	if input == "" {
 		return nil
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fafaa16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+package config_test
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"testing"
+
+	"go.uber.org/fx"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/config"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/globals"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/logger"
+)
+
+func TestNewReturnsErrNoTargetsWhenEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	// Cannot use t.Parallel() because t.Setenv modifies the process
+	// environment.
+	t.Setenv("DNSWATCHER_TARGETS", "")
+	t.Setenv("DNSWATCHER_DATA_DIR", t.TempDir())
+
+	var cfg *config.Config
+
+	app := fx.New(
+		fx.Provide(
+			func() *globals.Globals {
+				return &globals.Globals{
+					Appname: "dnswatcher-test-empty",
+				}
+			},
+			logger.New,
+			config.New,
+		),
+		fx.Populate(&cfg),
+		fx.NopLogger,
+	)
+
+	err := app.Err()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal(
+			"expected error when DNSWATCHER_TARGETS is empty, got nil",
+		)
+	}
+
+	if !errors.Is(err, config.ErrNoTargets) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrNoTargets, got: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNewSucceedsWithTargets(t *testing.T) {
+	// Cannot use t.Parallel() because t.Setenv modifies the process
+	// environment.
+	t.Setenv("DNSWATCHER_TARGETS", "example.com")
+	t.Setenv("DNSWATCHER_DATA_DIR", t.TempDir())
+
+	// Prevent loading a local config file by changing to a temp dir.
+	t.Chdir(t.TempDir())
+
+	var cfg *config.Config
+
+	app := fx.New(
+		fx.Provide(
+			func() *globals.Globals {
+				return &globals.Globals{
+					Appname: "dnswatcher-test-ok",
+				}
+			},
+			logger.New,
+			config.New,
+		),
+		fx.Populate(&cfg),
+		fx.NopLogger,
+	)
+
+	err := app.Err()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf(
+			"expected no error with valid targets, got: %v",
+			err,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if len(cfg.Domains) != 1 || cfg.Domains[0] != "example.com" {
+		t.Errorf(
+			"expected [example.com], got domains=%v",
+			cfg.Domains,
+		)
+	}
+}