diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index d5c6d4d..f310180 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -39,3 +39,69 @@ pub enum Repository {
 pub enum Metrics {
     Prometheus(metrics::Config),
 }
+
+pub fn validate(config: &Config) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    if config.clock_cycle_interval.is_zero() {
+        return Err("clock cycle interval cannot be zero".into());
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn config() -> Config {
+        Config {
+            automigrate: true,
+            log_level: log::Level::Info,
+            clock_cycle_interval: time::Duration::from_millis(100),
+            metrics: Metrics::Prometheus(metrics::Config {
+                port: 3000,
+                endpoint: String::from("/metrics"),
+            }),
+            repository: Repository::InMemory,
+            reset_state: true,
+            transmitter: Transmitter::Nats(nats::Config {
+                port: 3001,
+                host: String::from("127.0.0.1"),
+            }),
+            transport: Transport::Grpc(grpc::Config { port: 3002 }),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_validate_config() {
+        struct TestCase {
+            name: String,
+            config: Config,
+            expected_valid: bool,
+        }
+
+        let test_cases = vec![
+            TestCase {
+                name: String::from("valid"),
+                config: config(),
+                expected_valid: true,
+            },
+            TestCase {
+                name: String::from("zero duration"),
+                config: Config {
+                    clock_cycle_interval: time::Duration::from_secs(0),
+                    ..config()
+                },
+                expected_valid: false,
+            },
+        ];
+
+        for test_case in test_cases {
+            let valid = validate(&test_case.config).is_ok();
+            assert_eq!(
+                valid, test_case.expected_valid,
+                "test case failed: {}",
+                test_case.name
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/load_config.rs b/src/load_config.rs
index c5c51cb..f723629 100644
--- a/src/load_config.rs
+++ b/src/load_config.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,11 @@ pub fn load_config(file_path: &str) -> Result<config::Config, Box<dyn Error>> {
 
     let secrets = load_secrets_from_env()?;
 
-    derive_config(config, secrets)
+    let config = derive_config(config, secrets)?;
+
+    config::validate(&config)?;
+
+    Ok(config)
 }
 
 fn derive_config(config: FileConfig, secrets: EnvConfig) -> Result<config::Config, Box<dyn Error>> {