diff --git a/config/config_test.go b/config/config_test.go
index ba91bdcc..65112a4f 100644
--- a/config/config_test.go
+++ b/config/config_test.go
@@ -221,8 +221,7 @@ services:
 }
 
 func TestParseAndValidateConfigBytesWithInvalidPort(t *testing.T) {
-	defer func() { recover() }()
-	_, _ = parseAndValidateConfigBytes([]byte(`
+	_, err := parseAndValidateConfigBytes([]byte(`
 web:
   port: 65536
   address: 127.0.0.1
@@ -232,7 +231,9 @@ services:
     conditions:
       - "[STATUS] == 200"
 `))
-	t.Fatal("Should've panicked because the configuration specifies an invalid port value")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Should've returned an error because the configuration specifies an invalid port value")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestParseAndValidateConfigBytesWithMetricsAndCustomUserAgentHeader(t *testing.T) {
@@ -1028,8 +1029,7 @@ services:
 }
 
 func TestParseAndValidateConfigBytesWithInvalidSecurityConfig(t *testing.T) {
-	defer func() { recover() }()
-	_, _ = parseAndValidateConfigBytes([]byte(`
+	_, err := parseAndValidateConfigBytes([]byte(`
 security:
   basic:
     username: "admin"
@@ -1040,7 +1040,9 @@ services:
     conditions:
       - "[STATUS] == 200"
 `))
-	t.Error("Function should've panicked")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("Function should've returned an error")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestParseAndValidateConfigBytesWithValidSecurityConfig(t *testing.T) {
@@ -1161,8 +1163,7 @@ kubernetes:
 }
 
 func TestParseAndValidateConfigBytesWithKubernetesAutoDiscoveryButNoServiceTemplate(t *testing.T) {
-	defer func() { recover() }()
-	_, _ = parseAndValidateConfigBytes([]byte(`
+	_, err := parseAndValidateConfigBytes([]byte(`
 kubernetes:
   cluster-mode: "mock"
   auto-discover: true
@@ -1171,12 +1172,13 @@ kubernetes:
       hostname-suffix: ".default.svc.cluster.local"
       target-path: "/health"
 `))
-	t.Error("Function should've panicked because providing a service-template is mandatory")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("Function should've returned an error because providing a service-template is mandatory")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestParseAndValidateConfigBytesWithKubernetesAutoDiscoveryUsingClusterModeIn(t *testing.T) {
-	defer func() { recover() }()
-	_, _ = parseAndValidateConfigBytes([]byte(`
+	_, err := parseAndValidateConfigBytes([]byte(`
 kubernetes:
   cluster-mode: "in"
   auto-discover: true
@@ -1189,8 +1191,9 @@ kubernetes:
       hostname-suffix: ".default.svc.cluster.local"
       target-path: "/health"
 `))
-	// TODO: find a way to test this?
-	t.Error("Function should've panicked because testing with ClusterModeIn isn't supported")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Error("Function should've returned an error because testing with ClusterModeIn isn't supported")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestGetAlertingProviderByAlertType(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/core/dns_test.go b/core/dns_test.go
index c037d5b4..f6bb5e81 100644
--- a/core/dns_test.go
+++ b/core/dns_test.go
@@ -109,8 +109,10 @@ func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithNoDNSQueryName(t *testing.T) {
 		QueryType: "A",
 		QueryName: "",
 	}
-	dns.validateAndSetDefault()
-	t.Fatal("Should've panicked because service`s dns didn't have a query name, which is a mandatory field for dns")
+	err := dns.validateAndSetDefault()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Should've returned an error because service`s dns didn't have a query name, which is a mandatory field for dns")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithInvalidDNSQueryType(t *testing.T) {
@@ -119,6 +121,8 @@ func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithInvalidDNSQueryType(t *testing.T) {
 		QueryType: "B",
 		QueryName: "example.com",
 	}
-	dns.validateAndSetDefault()
-	t.Fatal("Should've panicked because service`s dns query type is invalid, it needs to be a valid query name like A, AAAA, CNAME...")
+	err := dns.validateAndSetDefault()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Should've returned an error because service`s dns query type is invalid, it needs to be a valid query name like A, AAAA, CNAME...")
+	}
 }
diff --git a/core/service_test.go b/core/service_test.go
index 348bbb45..0d3449f4 100644
--- a/core/service_test.go
+++ b/core/service_test.go
@@ -49,8 +49,10 @@ func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithNoName(t *testing.T) {
 		URL:        "http://example.com",
 		Conditions: []*Condition{&condition},
 	}
-	service.ValidateAndSetDefaults()
-	t.Fatal("Should've panicked because service didn't have a name, which is a mandatory field")
+	err := service.ValidateAndSetDefaults()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Should've returned an error because service didn't have a name, which is a mandatory field")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithNoUrl(t *testing.T) {
@@ -61,8 +63,10 @@ func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithNoUrl(t *testing.T) {
 		URL:        "",
 		Conditions: []*Condition{&condition},
 	}
-	service.ValidateAndSetDefaults()
-	t.Fatal("Should've panicked because service didn't have an url, which is a mandatory field")
+	err := service.ValidateAndSetDefaults()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Should've returned an error because service didn't have an url, which is a mandatory field")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithNoConditions(t *testing.T) {
@@ -72,8 +76,10 @@ func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithNoConditions(t *testing.T) {
 		URL:        "http://example.com",
 		Conditions: nil,
 	}
-	service.ValidateAndSetDefaults()
-	t.Fatal("Should've panicked because service didn't have at least 1 condition")
+	err := service.ValidateAndSetDefaults()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Should've returned an error because service didn't have at least 1 condition")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithDNS(t *testing.T) {
@@ -87,7 +93,10 @@ func TestService_ValidateAndSetDefaultsWithDNS(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		Conditions: []*Condition{&conditionSuccess},
 	}
-	service.ValidateAndSetDefaults()
+	err := service.ValidateAndSetDefaults()
+	if err != nil {
+
+	}
 	if service.DNS.QueryName != "example.com." {
 		t.Error("Service.dns.query-name should be formatted with . suffix")
 	}