diff --git a/afrouter/afrouter/backend.go b/afrouter/afrouter/backend.go
index 9262d43..8ec286e 100644
--- a/afrouter/afrouter/backend.go
+++ b/afrouter/afrouter/backend.go
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
 	strategy int
 	location int
 	field string // Used only if location is protobuf
+	key string
 }
 
 type beConnection struct {
@@ -125,7 +126,7 @@
 	var err error = nil
 	var rtrn_err bool = false
 	var be *backend
-	log.Debug("Creating a backend cluster with %v", conf)
+	log.Debugf("Creating a backend cluster with %v", conf)
 	// Validate the configuration
 	if conf.Name == "" {
 		log.Error("A backend cluster must have a name")
@@ -598,6 +599,14 @@
 		rtrn_err = true
 	}
 	be.activeAssoc.field = conf.Association.Field
+
+	if conf.Association.Key == "" && be.activeAssoc.location == AL_HEADER {
+		log.Errorf("An association key must be provided if the backend "+
+					"type is active/active and the location is set to header "+
+					"for backend %s in cluster %s", conf.Name, clusterName)
+		rtrn_err = true
+	}
+	be.activeAssoc.key = conf.Association.Key
 	if rtrn_err {
 		return nil, errors.New("Backend configuration failed")
 	}
@@ -605,6 +614,15 @@
 	// Connections can consist of just a name. This allows for dynamic configuration
 	// at a later time.
 	// TODO: validate that there is one connection for all but active/active backends
+	if len(conf.Connections) > 1 && be.activeAssoc.strategy != BE_ACTIVE_ACTIVE {
+		log.Errorf("Only one connection must be specified if the association "+
+				   "strategy is not set to 'active_active'")
+		rtrn_err = true
+	}
+	if len(conf.Connections) == 0 {
+		log.Errorf("At least one connection must be specified")
+		rtrn_err = true
+	}
 	for _,cnConf := range conf.Connections {
 		if cnConf.Name == "" {
 			log.Errorf("A connection must have a name for backend %s in cluster %s",
diff --git a/afrouter/afrouter/config.go b/afrouter/afrouter/config.go
index 528a3f7..a9a01eb 100644
--- a/afrouter/afrouter/config.go
+++ b/afrouter/afrouter/config.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
 
 type OverrideConfig struct {
 	Methods []string `json:"methods"`
-	Method []string `json:"method"`
+	Method string `json:"method"`
 	RouteField string `json:"routing_field"`
 }
 
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@
 	Strategy string `json:"strategy"`
 	Location string `json:"location"`
 	Field string `json:"field"`
+	Key string `json:"key"`
 }
 
 type ConnectionConfig struct {
@@ -183,7 +184,10 @@
 		return err
 	}
 
-	json.Unmarshal(configBytes, conf)
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(configBytes, conf); err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("Unmarshaling of the configuratino file failed: %v", err)
+		return err
+	}
 
 	// Now resolve references to different config objects in the
 	// config file. Currently there are 2 possible references
diff --git a/afrouter/afrouter/helpers.go b/afrouter/afrouter/helpers.go
index 6235337..4d7362b 100644
--- a/afrouter/afrouter/helpers.go
+++ b/afrouter/afrouter/helpers.go
@@ -17,9 +17,11 @@
 
 package afrouter
 
+//import "github.com/opencord/voltha-go/common/log"
+
 func strIndex(ar []string, match string) int {
-	for idx := range ar {
-		if ar[idx] == match {
+	for idx,v := range ar {
+		if v == match {
 			return idx
 		}
 	}