diff --git a/src/runtime-rs/Makefile b/src/runtime-rs/Makefile
index e8358b6760..5a593ac9e7 100644
--- a/src/runtime-rs/Makefile
+++ b/src/runtime-rs/Makefile
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ DEFMEMSZ := 2048
 # - hugepage memory
 DEFMEMSLOTS := 10
 #Default number of bridges
-DEFBRIDGES := 1
+DEFBRIDGES := 0
 DEFENABLEANNOTATIONS := []
 DEFDISABLEGUESTSECCOMP := true
 DEFDISABLEGUESTEMPTYDIR := false
diff --git a/src/runtime-rs/crates/runtimes/src/manager.rs b/src/runtime-rs/crates/runtimes/src/manager.rs
index 390cbac159..a21bc1847d 100644
--- a/src/runtime-rs/crates/runtimes/src/manager.rs
+++ b/src/runtime-rs/crates/runtimes/src/manager.rs
@@ -313,6 +313,9 @@ fn load_config(spec: &oci::Spec) -> Result<TomlConfig> {
         TomlConfig::load_from_file(&config_path).context("load toml config")?;
     annotation.update_config_by_annotation(&mut toml_config)?;
 
+    // validate configuration and return the error
+    toml_config.validate()?;
+
     // Sandbox sizing information *may* be provided in two scenarios:
     //   1. The upper layer runtime (ie, containerd or crio) provide sandbox sizing information as an annotation
     //	in the 'sandbox container's' spec. This would typically be a scenario where as part of a create sandbox