diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 28c3b752..8b1ac32f 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package config
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
+	"path"
 
 	"github.com/crazy-max/diun/v4/internal/model"
 	"github.com/crazy-max/gonfig"
@@ -52,14 +54,23 @@ func Load(cfgfile string) (*Config, error) {
 		log.Info().Msgf("Configuration loaded from %d environment variable(s)", len(envLoader.GetVars()))
 	}
 
-	validate := validator.New()
-	if err := validate.Struct(&cfg); err != nil {
+	if err := cfg.validate(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	return &cfg, nil
 }
 
+func (cfg *Config) validate() error {
+	if len(cfg.Db.Path) > 0 {
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(cfg.Db.Path), os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "Cannot create database destination folder")
+		}
+	}
+
+	return validator.New().Struct(cfg)
+}
+
 // String returns the string representation of configuration
 func (cfg *Config) String() string {
 	b, _ := json.MarshalIndent(cfg, "", "  ")
diff --git a/internal/model/notif_amqp.go b/internal/model/notif_amqp.go
index c3bf3638..e23a0c0a 100644
--- a/internal/model/notif_amqp.go
+++ b/internal/model/notif_amqp.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ type NotifAmqp struct {
 	Password     string `yaml:"password,omitempty" json:"password,omitempty" validate:"omitempty"`
 	PasswordFile string `yaml:"passwordFile,omitempty" json:"passwordFile,omitempty" validate:"omitempty,file"`
 	Host         string `yaml:"host,omitempty" json:"host,omitempty" validate:"required"`
-	Port         int    `yaml:"port,omitempty" json:"port,omitempty" validate:"required"`
+	Port         int    `yaml:"port,omitempty" json:"port,omitempty" validate:"required,min=1"`
 	Queue        string `yaml:"queue,omitempty" json:"queue,omitempty" validate:"required"`
 	Exchange     string `yaml:"exchange,omitempty" json:"exchange,omitempty" validate:"omitempty"`
 }
diff --git a/internal/model/notif_mail.go b/internal/model/notif_mail.go
index 648be8f3..55acc3af 100644
--- a/internal/model/notif_mail.go
+++ b/internal/model/notif_mail.go
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 package model
 
 import (
-	"net/mail"
-
 	"github.com/crazy-max/diun/v4/pkg/utl"
-	"github.com/imdario/mergo"
-	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 // NotifMail holds mail notification configuration details
@@ -36,29 +32,3 @@ func (s *NotifMail) SetDefaults() {
 	s.SSL = utl.NewFalse()
 	s.InsecureSkipVerify = utl.NewFalse()
 }
-
-// UnmarshalYAML implements the yaml.Unmarshaler interface
-func (s *NotifMail) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
-	type plain NotifMail
-	if err := unmarshal((*plain)(s)); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if _, err := mail.ParseAddress(s.From); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "cannot parse sender mail address")
-	}
-	if _, err := mail.ParseAddress(s.To); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "cannot parse recipient mail address")
-	}
-
-	if err := mergo.Merge(s, NotifMail{
-		Host:               "localhost",
-		Port:               25,
-		SSL:                utl.NewFalse(),
-		InsecureSkipVerify: utl.NewFalse(),
-	}); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "cannot set default values for mail notif")
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}