diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index 50ee6ba..ea74c90 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -1,21 +1,71 @@
 import { config } from 'dotenv';
-config();
+import { join } from 'path';
+import { existsSync } from 'fs';
+
+const envPath = join(process.cwd(), '.env');
+if (!existsSync(envPath)) {
+  throw new Error(
+    'No .env file found. Please create one based on .env.example'
+  );
+}
+
+const result = config();
+
+if (result.error) {
+  throw new Error(`Error loading .env file: ${result.error.message}`);
+}
+
+const HEX_KEYS_REGEX = /^(?:[0-9a-fA-F]{64})$/;
+
+function requireEnvVar(name: string): string {
+  const value = process.env[name];
+  if (!value) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `Missing required environment variable: ${name}. Check your .env file`
+    );
+  }
+  return value;
+}
+
+function getEnvVar(name: string, defaultValue: string): string {
+  return process.env[name] || defaultValue;
+}
 
 export const CONFIG = {
   nostr: {
-    privateKey: process.env.PRIVATE_KEY!,
-    relayUrls: process.env.RELAY_URLS!.split(',').map((url) => url.trim()),
+    privateKey: requireEnvVar('PRIVATE_KEY'),
+    relayUrls: requireEnvVar('RELAY_URLS')
+      .split(',')
+      .map((url) => url.trim()),
   },
   mcp: {
-    // Service info
-    name: process.env.MCP_SERVICE_NAME || 'DVM MCP Bridge',
-    about:
-      process.env.MCP_SERVICE_ABOUT ||
-      'MCP-enabled DVM providing AI and computational tools',
-    // Client connection info
-    clientName: process.env.MCP_CLIENT_NAME!,
-    clientVersion: process.env.MCP_CLIENT_VERSION!,
-    serverCommand: process.env.MCP_SERVER_COMMAND!,
-    serverArgs: process.env.MCP_SERVER_ARGS!.split(','),
+    name: getEnvVar('MCP_SERVICE_NAME', 'DVM MCP Bridge'),
+    about: getEnvVar(
+      'MCP_SERVICE_ABOUT',
+      'MCP-enabled DVM providing AI and computational tools'
+    ),
+    clientName: requireEnvVar('MCP_CLIENT_NAME'),
+    clientVersion: requireEnvVar('MCP_CLIENT_VERSION'),
+    serverCommand: requireEnvVar('MCP_SERVER_COMMAND'),
+    serverArgs: requireEnvVar('MCP_SERVER_ARGS').split(','),
   },
 };
+
+if (!HEX_KEYS_REGEX.test(CONFIG.nostr.privateKey)) {
+  throw new Error('PRIVATE_KEY must be a 32-byte hex string');
+}
+
+CONFIG.nostr.relayUrls.forEach((url) => {
+  try {
+    new URL(url);
+    if (!url.startsWith('ws://') && !url.startsWith('wss://')) {
+      throw new Error(`Relay URL must start with ws:// or wss://: ${url}`);
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    throw new Error(`Invalid relay URL: ${url}`);
+  }
+});
+
+if (CONFIG.nostr.relayUrls.length === 0) {
+  throw new Error('At least one relay URL must be provided in RELAY_URLS');
+}
diff --git a/src/dvm-bridge.ts b/src/dvm-bridge.ts
index 37125cb..6504e1e 100644
--- a/src/dvm-bridge.ts
+++ b/src/dvm-bridge.ts
@@ -9,22 +9,58 @@ export class DVMBridge {
   private mcpClient: MCPClientHandler;
   private nostrAnnouncer: NostrAnnouncer;
   private relayHandler: RelayHandler;
+  private isRunning: boolean = false;
 
   constructor() {
+    console.log('Initializing DVM Bridge...');
     this.mcpClient = new MCPClientHandler();
     this.nostrAnnouncer = new NostrAnnouncer();
     this.relayHandler = new RelayHandler(CONFIG.nostr.relayUrls);
   }
 
   async start() {
-    await this.mcpClient.connect();
+    if (this.isRunning) {
+      console.log('Bridge is already running');
+      return;
+    }
 
-    const tools = await this.mcpClient.listTools();
-    console.log('Available MCP tools:', tools);
+    console.log('Starting DVM Bridge...');
+    try {
+      console.log('Connecting to MCP server...');
+      await this.mcpClient.connect();
 
-    await this.nostrAnnouncer.announceService();
+      const tools = await this.mcpClient.listTools();
+      console.log('Available MCP tools:', tools);
 
-    this.relayHandler.subscribeToRequests(this.handleRequest.bind(this));
+      console.log('Announcing service to Nostr network...');
+      await this.nostrAnnouncer.announceService();
+
+      console.log('Setting up request handlers...');
+      this.relayHandler.subscribeToRequests(this.handleRequest.bind(this));
+
+      this.isRunning = true;
+      console.log('DVM Bridge is now running and ready to handle requests');
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Failed to start DVM Bridge:', error);
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
+
+  async stop() {
+    if (!this.isRunning) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    console.log('Stopping DVM Bridge...');
+    try {
+      await this.mcpClient.disconnect();
+      this.relayHandler.cleanup();
+      this.isRunning = false;
+      console.log('DVM Bridge stopped successfully');
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error stopping DVM Bridge:', error);
+      throw error;
+    }
   }
 
   private async handleRequest(event: Event) {
@@ -100,9 +136,32 @@ export class DVMBridge {
       console.error('Error handling request:', error);
     }
   }
+}
 
-  async stop() {
-    await this.mcpClient.disconnect();
-    this.relayHandler.cleanup();
+if (import.meta.main) {
+  console.log('Starting DVM-MCP Bridge service...');
+  const bridge = new DVMBridge();
+
+  const shutdown = async () => {
+    console.log('Shutting down...');
+    try {
+      await bridge.stop();
+      process.exit(0);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error during shutdown:', error);
+      process.exit(1);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Handle termination signals
+  process.on('SIGINT', shutdown);
+  process.on('SIGTERM', shutdown);
+
+  // Start the bridge
+  try {
+    await bridge.start();
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Failed to start service:', error);
+    process.exit(1);
   }
 }