diff --git a/checkstyle/Checker.hx b/checkstyle/Checker.hx
index 8a6a343d..9ac953df 100644
--- a/checkstyle/Checker.hx
+++ b/checkstyle/Checker.hx
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@ class Checker {
 	function makeAST() {
 		var code = file.content;
 		var parser = new HaxeParser(byte.ByteData.ofString(code), file.name);
+		parser.define("cross");
+		parser.define("scriptable");
+		parser.define("unsafe");
 		ast = parser.parse();
 	}
 
diff --git a/checkstyle/ChecksInfo.hx b/checkstyle/ChecksInfo.hx
index fc8c50f9..f55641f7 100644
--- a/checkstyle/ChecksInfo.hx
+++ b/checkstyle/ChecksInfo.hx
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ class ChecksInfo {
 
 	@SuppressWarnings('checkstyle:Dynamic')
 	public function build(name:String):Dynamic {
-		if (!name2info.exists(name)) throw 'Unknown check: $name';
+		if (!name2info.exists(name)) {
+			Sys.stderr().writeString('Skipping unknown check: ${name}\n');
+			return null;
+		}
 		var cl = name2info[name].clazz;
 		return Type.createInstance(cl, []);
 	}
diff --git a/checkstyle/Main.hx b/checkstyle/Main.hx
index c40cea8d..26a7c540 100644
--- a/checkstyle/Main.hx
+++ b/checkstyle/Main.hx
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ class Main {
 			}
 		}
 		catch (e:Dynamic) {
-			trace(e);
-			trace(CallStack.toString(CallStack.exceptionStack()));
+			Sys.stderr().writeString(e + "\n");
+			Sys.stderr().writeString(CallStack.toString(CallStack.exceptionStack()) + "\n");
 		}
 		if (oldCwd != null) Sys.setCwd(oldCwd);
 		Sys.exit(exitCode);
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class Main {
 			@doc("Show report") ["-report"] => function() REPORT = true,
 			@doc("Return number of failed checks in exitcode") ["-exitcode"] => function() EXIT_CODE = true,
 			@doc("Set source folder to process") ["-s", "--source"] => function(sourcePath:String) traverse(sourcePath, files),
-			_ => function(arg:String) throw "Unknown command: " + arg
+			_ => function(arg:String) failWith("Unknown command: " + arg)
 		]);
 
 		if (args.length == 0) {
@@ -101,28 +101,46 @@ class Main {
 		else {
 			var configText = File.getContent(configPath);
 			var config = Json.parse(configText);
+			verifyAllowedFields(config, ["checks", "defaultSeverity"], "Config");
 			var defaultSeverity = config.defaultSeverity;
 			var checks:Array<Dynamic> = config.checks;
-			for (checkConf in checks) {
-				var check:Check = cast info.build(checkConf.type);
-				if (checkConf.props != null) {
-					var props = Reflect.fields(checkConf.props);
-					for (prop in props) {
-						var val = Reflect.field(checkConf.props, prop);
-						Reflect.setField(check, prop, val);
-					}
-					if (defaultSeverity != null && props.indexOf("severity") < 0) {
-						check.severity = defaultSeverity;
-					}
-				}
-				checker.addCheck(check);
-			}
+			for (checkConf in checks) createCheck(checkConf, defaultSeverity);
 		}
 		checker.addReporter(createReporter());
 		if (EXIT_CODE) checker.addReporter(new ExitCodeReporter());
 		checker.process(toProcess);
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings('checkstyle:Dynamic')
+	function createCheck(checkConf:Dynamic, defaultSeverity:String) {
+		var check:Check = cast info.build(checkConf.type);
+		if (check == null) return;
+		verifyAllowedFields(checkConf, ["type", "props"], check.getModuleName());
+		if (checkConf.props == null) return;
+
+		var props = Reflect.fields(checkConf.props);
+		for (prop in props) {
+			var val = Reflect.field(checkConf.props, prop);
+			if (!Reflect.hasField(check, prop)) {
+				failWith('Check ${check.getModuleName()} has no property named \'$prop\'');
+			}
+			Reflect.setField(check, prop, val);
+		}
+		if (defaultSeverity != null && props.indexOf("severity") < 0) {
+			check.severity = defaultSeverity;
+		}
+		checker.addCheck(check);
+	}
+
+	@SuppressWarnings('checkstyle:Dynamic')
+	function verifyAllowedFields(object:Dynamic, allowedFields:Array<String>, messagePrefix:String) {
+		for (field in Reflect.fields(object)) {
+			if (allowedFields.indexOf(field) < 0) {
+				failWith(messagePrefix + " has unknown field '" + field + "'");
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	function addAllChecks() {
 		for (check in info.checks()) checker.addCheck(info.build(check.name));
 	}
@@ -136,7 +154,7 @@ class Main {
 			case "xml": new XMLReporter(XML_PATH, STYLE);
 			case "json": new JSONReporter(JSON_PATH);
 			case "text": new Reporter();
-			default: throw "Unknown reporter";
+			default: failWith('Unknown reporter: $REPORT_TYPE'); null;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -159,6 +177,11 @@ class Main {
 		else if (~/(.hx)$/i.match(node)) files.push(node);
 	}
 
+	static function failWith(message:String) {
+		Sys.stderr().writeString(message + "\n");
+		Sys.exit(1);
+	}
+
 	public static function setExitCode(newExitCode:Int) {
 		exitCode = newExitCode;
 	}
diff --git a/checkstyle/checks/EmptyLinesCheck.hx b/checkstyle/checks/EmptyLinesCheck.hx
index c5340ac5..a4c0e776 100644
--- a/checkstyle/checks/EmptyLinesCheck.hx
+++ b/checkstyle/checks/EmptyLinesCheck.hx
@@ -8,12 +8,14 @@ import checkstyle.LintMessage.SeverityLevel;
 class EmptyLinesCheck extends Check {
 
 	public var max:Int;
-	public var allowEmptyLineAfterComment:Bool;
+	public var allowEmptyLineAfterSingleLineComment:Bool;
+	public var allowEmptyLineAfterMultiLineComment:Bool;
 
 	public function new() {
 		super();
 		max = 1;
-		allowEmptyLineAfterComment = true;
+		allowEmptyLineAfterSingleLineComment = true;
+		allowEmptyLineAfterMultiLineComment = true;
 	}
 
 	override function actualRun() {
@@ -29,9 +31,8 @@ class EmptyLinesCheck extends Check {
 				}
 				end = i;
 
-				if (i > 0 && !allowEmptyLineAfterComment && ~/^(\/\/).*|^(\/\*).*|(\*\/)$/.match(StringTools.trim(checker.lines[i - 1]))) {
-					log('Empty line not allowed after comment(s)', start, 0, null, Reflect.field(SeverityLevel, severity));
-				}
+				if (!allowEmptyLineAfterSingleLineComment) checkComment(i, start, ~/^(\/\/).*$/);
+				if (!allowEmptyLineAfterMultiLineComment) checkComment(i, start, ~/^^(\/\*).*|(\*\/)$/);
 			}
 			else {
 				if (inGroup) {
@@ -47,6 +48,12 @@ class EmptyLinesCheck extends Check {
 		}
 	}
 
+	function checkComment(i, start, regex) {
+		if (i > 0 && regex.match(StringTools.trim(checker.lines[i - 1]))) {
+			log('Empty line not allowed after comment(s)', start, 0, null, Reflect.field(SeverityLevel, severity));
+		}
+	}
+
 	function logInfo(pos) {
 		log('Too many consecutive empty lines (> ${max})', pos, 0, null, Reflect.field(SeverityLevel, severity));
 	}
diff --git a/checkstyle/checks/IndentationCharacterCheck.hx b/checkstyle/checks/IndentationCharacterCheck.hx
index 8c7aca5c..17dd15ca 100644
--- a/checkstyle/checks/IndentationCharacterCheck.hx
+++ b/checkstyle/checks/IndentationCharacterCheck.hx
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class IndentationCharacterCheck extends Check {
 		}
 		for (i in 0 ... checker.lines.length) {
 			var line = checker.lines[i];
-			if (line.length > 0 && !re.match(line)) log('Wrong indentation character (${character})', i + 1, 0, null, Reflect.field(SeverityLevel, severity));
+			if (line.length > 0 && !re.match(line)) log('Wrong indentation character (should be ${character})', i + 1, 0, null, Reflect.field(SeverityLevel, severity));
 		}
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/haxelib.json b/haxelib.json
index 3f7a3b57..a3365f07 100644
--- a/haxelib.json
+++ b/haxelib.json
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 	"contributors": [
 		"adireddy"
 	],
-	"releasenote": "bug fixes and minor updates",
+	"releasenote": "more improvements and bug fixes",
 	"version": "1.2.4",
 	"url": "https://github.com/adireddy/haxe-checkstyle",
 	"dependencies": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d2585f07..ea7b5246 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "checkstyle",
-	"version": "1.2.4",
+	"version": "1.2.5",
 	"description": "Automated code analysis ideal for projects that want to enforce a coding standard.",
 	"repository": {
 		"type": "git",
diff --git a/test/EmptyLinesCheckTest.hx b/test/EmptyLinesCheckTest.hx
index 3bfff1ed..2110a704 100644
--- a/test/EmptyLinesCheckTest.hx
+++ b/test/EmptyLinesCheckTest.hx
@@ -22,22 +22,19 @@ class EmptyLinesCheckTest extends CheckTestCase {
 
 	public function testEmptyLineAfterSingleLineComment() {
 		var check = new EmptyLinesCheck();
-		check.allowEmptyLineAfterComment = false;
+		check.allowEmptyLineAfterSingleLineComment = false;
 		
 		var msg = checkMessage(EmptyLinesTests.TEST4, check);
 		assertEquals(msg, 'Empty line not allowed after comment(s)');
 
 		msg = checkMessage(EmptyLinesTests.TEST5, check);
 		assertEquals(msg, 'Empty line not allowed after comment(s)');
-
-		msg = checkMessage(EmptyLinesTests.TEST6, check);
-		assertEquals(msg, 'Empty line not allowed after comment(s)');
 	}
 
 	public function testEmptyLineAfterMultiLineComment() {
 		var check = new EmptyLinesCheck();
-		check.allowEmptyLineAfterComment = false;
-		
+		check.allowEmptyLineAfterMultiLineComment = false;
+
 		var msg = checkMessage(EmptyLinesTests.TEST6, check);
 		assertEquals(msg, 'Empty line not allowed after comment(s)');
 
@@ -47,10 +44,16 @@ class EmptyLinesCheckTest extends CheckTestCase {
 
 	public function testAllowEmptyLineAfterComment() {
 		var check = new EmptyLinesCheck();
-		
+
+		var msg = checkMessage(EmptyLinesTests.TEST4, check);
+		assertEquals(msg, '');
+
+		var msg = checkMessage(EmptyLinesTests.TEST5, check);
+		assertEquals(msg, '');
+
 		var msg = checkMessage(EmptyLinesTests.TEST6, check);
 		assertEquals(msg, '');
-		
+
 		msg = checkMessage(EmptyLinesTests.TEST7, check);
 		assertEquals(msg, '');
 	}
diff --git a/test/IndentationCharacterCheckTest.hx b/test/IndentationCharacterCheckTest.hx
index 8486c983..60b54246 100644
--- a/test/IndentationCharacterCheckTest.hx
+++ b/test/IndentationCharacterCheckTest.hx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class IndentationCharacterCheckTest extends CheckTestCase {
 
 	public function testWrongIndentation() {
 		var msg = checkMessage(IndentationTests.TEST1, new IndentationCharacterCheck());
-		assertEquals(msg, 'Wrong indentation character (tab)');
+		assertEquals(msg, 'Wrong indentation character (should be tab)');
 	}
 
 	public function testCorrectIndentation() {
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class IndentationCharacterCheckTest extends CheckTestCase {
 		check.character = "space";
 
 		var msg = checkMessage(IndentationTests.TEST3, check);
-		assertEquals(msg, 'Wrong indentation character (space)');
+		assertEquals(msg, 'Wrong indentation character (should be space)');
 	}
 
 	public function testMultilineIfIndentation() {