diff --git a/src/crud.js b/src/crud.js
index 64e44b7..2d527b2 100644
--- a/src/crud.js
+++ b/src/crud.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const createAll = ({
   config,
   attributeValidation,
   associationValidation,
+  scopes,
 }) => {
   Object.keys(methods).forEach((method) => {
     methods[method]({
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ const createAll = ({
         attributeValidation,
         associationValidation,
         config,
+        scopes,
       }),
     });
   });
@@ -64,6 +66,8 @@ export default (server, model, { prefix, defaultConfig: config, models: permissi
     include: joi.array().items(joi.string().valid(...modelAssociations)),
   };
 
+  const scopes = Object.keys(model.options.scopes);
+
   // if we don't have any permissions set, just create all the methods
   if (!permissions) {
     createAll({
@@ -73,6 +77,7 @@ export default (server, model, { prefix, defaultConfig: config, models: permissi
       config,
       attributeValidation,
       associationValidation,
+      scopes,
     });
   // if permissions are set, but we can't parse them, throw an error
   } else if (!Array.isArray(permissions)) {
@@ -87,6 +92,7 @@ export default (server, model, { prefix, defaultConfig: config, models: permissi
       config,
       attributeValidation,
       associationValidation,
+      scopes,
     });
   // if we've gotten here, we have complex permissions and need to set them
   } else {
@@ -108,6 +114,7 @@ export default (server, model, { prefix, defaultConfig: config, models: permissi
                 method,
                 attributeValidation,
                 associationValidation,
+                scopes,
                 config: permissionConfig,
               }),
             });
@@ -119,6 +126,7 @@ export default (server, model, { prefix, defaultConfig: config, models: permissi
             prefix,
             attributeValidation,
             associationValidation,
+            scopes,
             config: permissionConfig,
           });
         }
@@ -170,19 +178,11 @@ export const get = ({ server, model, prefix = '/', config }) => {
 
       reply(instance);
     },
-    config: _.defaultsDeep(config, {
-      validate: {
-        params: {
-          id: joi.any(),
-        },
-      },
-    }),
+    config,
   });
 };
 
 export const scope = ({ server, model, prefix = '/', config }) => {
-  const scopes = Object.keys(model.options.scopes);
-
   server.route({
     method: 'GET',
     path: path.join(prefix, model._plural, '{scope}'),
@@ -198,13 +198,7 @@ export const scope = ({ server, model, prefix = '/', config }) => {
 
       reply(list);
     },
-    config: _.defaultsDeep(config, {
-      validate: {
-        params: {
-          scope: joi.string().valid(...scopes),
-        },
-      },
-    }),
+    config,
   });
 };
 
@@ -266,8 +260,6 @@ export const destroyAll = ({ server, model, prefix = '/', config }) => {
 };
 
 export const destroyScope = ({ server, model, prefix = '/', config }) => {
-  const scopes = Object.keys(model.options.scopes);
-
   server.route({
     method: 'DELETE',
     path: path.join(prefix, model._plural, '{scope}'),
@@ -285,13 +277,7 @@ export const destroyScope = ({ server, model, prefix = '/', config }) => {
 
       reply(list);
     },
-    config: _.defaultsDeep(config, {
-      validate: {
-        params: {
-          scope: joi.string().valid(...scopes),
-        },
-      },
-    }),
+    config,
   });
 };
 
@@ -312,14 +298,7 @@ export const update = ({ server, model, prefix = '/', config }) => {
       reply(instance);
     },
 
-    config: _.defaultsDeep(config, {
-      validate: {
-        payload: joi.object().required(),
-        params: {
-          id: joi.any(),
-        },
-      },
-    }),
+    config,
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/src/get-config-for-method.js b/src/get-config-for-method.js
index de8c828..c9a318a 100644
--- a/src/get-config-for-method.js
+++ b/src/get-config-for-method.js
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
-import { defaultsDeep } from 'lodash';
+import { set, get } from 'lodash';
 import joi from 'joi';
 
+// if the custom validation is a joi object we need to concat
+// else, assume it's an plain object and we can just add it in with .keys
+const concatToJoiObject = (joi, candidate) => {
+  if (!candidate) return joi;
+  else if (candidate.isJoi) return joi.concat(candidate);
+  else return joi.keys(candidate);
+};
+
+
 export const sequelizeOperators = {
   $and: joi.any(),
   $or: joi.any(),
@@ -47,41 +56,81 @@ export const payloadMethods = [
   'update',
 ];
 
-export default ({ method, attributeValidation, associationValidation, config = {} }) => {
+export const scopeParamsMethods = [
+  'destroyScope',
+  'scope',
+];
+
+export const idParamsMethods = [
+  'get',
+  'update',
+];
+
+export default ({
+  method, attributeValidation, associationValidation, scopes = [], config = {},
+}) => {
   const hasWhere = whereMethods.includes(method);
   const hasInclude = includeMethods.includes(method);
   const hasPayload = payloadMethods.includes(method);
-  const methodConfig = { ...config };
+  const hasScopeParams = scopeParamsMethods.includes(method);
+  const hasIdParams = idParamsMethods.includes(method);
+  // clone the config so we don't modify it on multiple passes.
+  let methodConfig = { ...config, validate: { ...config.validate } };
 
   if (hasWhere) {
-    defaultsDeep(methodConfig, {
-      validate: {
-        query: {
-          ...attributeValidation,
-          ...sequelizeOperators,
-        },
-      },
-    });
+    const query = concatToJoiObject(joi.object()
+      .keys({
+        ...attributeValidation,
+        ...sequelizeOperators,
+      }),
+      get(methodConfig, 'validate.query')
+    );
+
+    methodConfig = set(methodConfig, 'validate.query', query);
   }
 
   if (hasInclude) {
-    defaultsDeep(methodConfig, {
-      validate: {
-        query: {
-          ...associationValidation,
-        },
-      },
-    });
+    const query = concatToJoiObject(joi.object()
+      .keys({
+        ...associationValidation,
+      }),
+      get(methodConfig, 'validate.query')
+    );
+
+    methodConfig = set(methodConfig, 'validate.query', query);
   }
 
   if (hasPayload) {
-    defaultsDeep(methodConfig, {
-      validate: {
-        payload: {
-          ...attributeValidation,
-        },
-      },
-    });
+    const payload = concatToJoiObject(joi.object()
+      .keys({
+        ...attributeValidation,
+      }),
+      get(methodConfig, 'validate.payload')
+    );
+
+    methodConfig = set(methodConfig, 'validate.payload', payload);
+  }
+
+  if (hasScopeParams) {
+    const params = concatToJoiObject(joi.object()
+      .keys({
+        scope: joi.string().valid(...scopes),
+      }),
+      get(methodConfig, 'validate.params')
+    );
+
+    methodConfig = set(methodConfig, 'validate.params', params);
+  }
+
+  if (hasIdParams) {
+    const params = concatToJoiObject(joi.object()
+      .keys({
+        id: joi.any(),
+      }),
+      get(methodConfig, 'validate.params')
+    );
+
+    methodConfig = set(methodConfig, 'validate.params', params);
   }
 
   return methodConfig;
diff --git a/src/get-config-for-method.test.js b/src/get-config-for-method.test.js
index 8a9512f..284ddeb 100644
--- a/src/get-config-for-method.test.js
+++ b/src/get-config-for-method.test.js
@@ -5,16 +5,22 @@ import
   whereMethods,
   includeMethods,
   payloadMethods,
+  scopeParamsMethods,
+  idParamsMethods,
   sequelizeOperators,
 } from './get-config-for-method.js';
 
 test.beforeEach((t) => {
+  t.context.models = ['MyModel'];
+
+  t.context.scopes = ['aScope'];
+
   t.context.attributeValidation = {
     myKey: joi.any(),
   };
 
   t.context.associationValidation = {
-    include: ['MyModel'],
+    include: joi.array().items(joi.string().valid(t.context.models)),
   };
 
   t.context.config = {
@@ -22,11 +28,10 @@ test.beforeEach((t) => {
   };
 });
 
-test('get-config-for-method validate.query seqeulizeOperators', (t) => {
+test('validate.query seqeulizeOperators', (t) => {
   whereMethods.forEach((method) => {
     const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({ method });
     const { query } = configForMethod.validate;
-    const configForMethodValidateQueryKeys = Object.keys(query);
 
     t.truthy(
       query,
@@ -34,15 +39,20 @@ test('get-config-for-method validate.query seqeulizeOperators', (t) => {
     );
 
     Object.keys(sequelizeOperators).forEach((operator) => {
-      t.truthy(
-        configForMethodValidateQueryKeys.includes(operator),
-        `applies sequelize operator "${operator}" in validate.where for ${method}`
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [operator]: true }).error
+        , `applies sequelize operator "${operator}" in validate.where for ${method}`
       );
     });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      query.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
   });
 });
 
-test('get-config-for-method validate.query attributeValidation', (t) => {
+test('validate.query attributeValidation', (t) => {
   const { attributeValidation } = t.context;
 
   whereMethods.forEach((method) => {
@@ -50,16 +60,96 @@ test('get-config-for-method validate.query attributeValidation', (t) => {
     const { query } = configForMethod.validate;
 
     Object.keys(attributeValidation).forEach((key) => {
-      t.truthy(
-        query[key]
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [key]: true }).error
         , `applies attributeValidation (${key}) to validate.query`
       );
     });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      query.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
   });
 });
 
-test('get-config-for-method validate.query associationValidation', (t) => {
-  const { attributeValidation, associationValidation } = t.context;
+test('query attributeValidation w/ config as plain object', (t) => {
+  const { attributeValidation } = t.context;
+  const config = {
+    validate: {
+      query: {
+        aKey: joi.boolean(),
+      },
+    },
+  };
+
+  whereMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({
+      method,
+      attributeValidation,
+      config,
+    });
+    const { query } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    const keys = [
+      ...Object.keys(attributeValidation),
+      ...Object.keys(config.validate.query),
+    ];
+
+    keys.forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [key]: true }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.query`
+      );
+    });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      query.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+test('query attributeValidation w/ config as joi object', (t) => {
+  const { attributeValidation } = t.context;
+  const queryKeys = {
+    aKey: joi.boolean(),
+  };
+  const config = {
+    validate: {
+      query: joi.object().keys(queryKeys),
+    },
+  };
+
+  whereMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({
+      method,
+      attributeValidation,
+      config,
+    });
+    const { query } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    const keys = [
+      ...Object.keys(attributeValidation),
+      ...Object.keys(queryKeys),
+    ];
+
+    keys.forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [key]: true }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.query`
+      );
+    });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      query.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+test('validate.query associationValidation', (t) => {
+  const { attributeValidation, associationValidation, models } = t.context;
 
   includeMethods.forEach((method) => {
     const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({
@@ -70,22 +160,106 @@ test('get-config-for-method validate.query associationValidation', (t) => {
     const { query } = configForMethod.validate;
 
     Object.keys(attributeValidation).forEach((key) => {
-      t.truthy(
-        query[key]
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [key]: true }).error
         , `applies attributeValidation (${key}) to validate.query when include should be applied`
       );
     });
 
     Object.keys(associationValidation).forEach((key) => {
-      t.truthy(
-        query[key]
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [key]: models }).error
         , `applies associationValidation (${key}) to validate.query when include should be applied`
       );
     });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      query.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
   });
 });
 
-test('get-config-for-method validate.payload associationValidation', (t) => {
+test('query associationValidation w/ config as plain object', (t) => {
+  const { associationValidation, models } = t.context;
+  const config = {
+    validate: {
+      query: {
+        aKey: joi.boolean(),
+      },
+    },
+  };
+
+  includeMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({
+      method,
+      associationValidation,
+      config,
+    });
+    const { query } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    Object.keys(associationValidation).forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [key]: models }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.query`
+      );
+    });
+
+    Object.keys(config.validate.query).forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [key]: true }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.query`
+      );
+    });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      query.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+test('query associationValidation w/ config as joi object', (t) => {
+  const { associationValidation, models } = t.context;
+  const queryKeys = {
+    aKey: joi.boolean(),
+  };
+  const config = {
+    validate: {
+      query: joi.object().keys(queryKeys),
+    },
+  };
+
+  includeMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({
+      method,
+      associationValidation,
+      config,
+    });
+    const { query } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    Object.keys(associationValidation).forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [key]: models }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.query`
+      );
+    });
+
+    Object.keys(queryKeys).forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        query.validate({ [key]: true }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.query`
+      );
+    });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      query.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+test('validate.payload associationValidation', (t) => {
   const { attributeValidation } = t.context;
 
   payloadMethods.forEach((method) => {
@@ -93,20 +267,213 @@ test('get-config-for-method validate.payload associationValidation', (t) => {
     const { payload } = configForMethod.validate;
 
     Object.keys(attributeValidation).forEach((key) => {
-      t.truthy(
-        payload[key]
+      t.ifError(
+        payload.validate({ [key]: true }).error
         , `applies attributeValidation (${key}) to validate.payload`
       );
     });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      payload.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
   });
 });
 
-test('get-config-for-method does not modify initial config on multiple passes', (t) => {
+test('payload attributeValidation w/ config as plain object', (t) => {
+  const { attributeValidation } = t.context;
+  const config = {
+    validate: {
+      payload: {
+        aKey: joi.boolean(),
+      },
+    },
+  };
+
+  payloadMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({
+      method,
+      attributeValidation,
+      config,
+    });
+    const { payload } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    const keys = [
+      ...Object.keys(attributeValidation),
+      ...Object.keys(config.validate.payload),
+    ];
+
+    keys.forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        payload.validate({ [key]: true }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.payload`
+      );
+    });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      payload.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+test('payload attributeValidation w/ config as joi object', (t) => {
+  const { attributeValidation } = t.context;
+  const payloadKeys = {
+    aKey: joi.boolean(),
+  };
+  const config = {
+    validate: {
+      payload: joi.object().keys(payloadKeys),
+    },
+  };
+
+  payloadMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({
+      method,
+      attributeValidation,
+      config,
+    });
+    const { payload } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    const keys = [
+      ...Object.keys(attributeValidation),
+      ...Object.keys(payloadKeys),
+    ];
+
+    keys.forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        payload.validate({ [key]: true }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.payload`
+      );
+    });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      payload.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+test('validate.params scopeParamsMethods', (t) => {
+  const { scopes } = t.context;
+
+  scopeParamsMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({ method, scopes });
+    const { params } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    scopes.forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        params.validate({ scope: key }).error
+        , `applies "scope: ${key}" to validate.params`
+      );
+    });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      params.validate({ scope: 'notAthing' }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+test('params scopeParamsMethods w/ config as plain object', (t) => {
+  const { scopes } = t.context;
+  const config = {
+    validate: {
+      params: {
+        aKey: joi.boolean(),
+      },
+    },
+  };
+
+  scopeParamsMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({
+      method,
+      scopes,
+      config,
+    });
+    const { params } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    scopes.forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        params.validate({ scope: key }).error
+        , `applies "scope: ${key}" to validate.params`
+      );
+    });
+
+    Object.keys(config.validate.params).forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        params.validate({ [key]: true }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.params`
+      );
+    });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      params.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+test('params scopeParamsMethods w/ config as joi object', (t) => {
+  const { scopes } = t.context;
+  const paramsKeys = {
+    aKey: joi.boolean(),
+  };
+  const config = {
+    validate: {
+      params: joi.object().keys(paramsKeys),
+    },
+  };
+
+  scopeParamsMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({
+      method,
+      scopes,
+      config,
+    });
+    const { params } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    scopes.forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        params.validate({ scope: key }).error
+        , `applies "scope: ${key}" to validate.params`
+      );
+    });
+
+    Object.keys(paramsKeys).forEach((key) => {
+      t.ifError(
+        params.validate({ [key]: true }).error
+        , `applies ${key} to validate.params`
+      );
+    });
+
+    t.truthy(
+      params.validate({ notAThing: true }).error
+      , 'errors on a non-valid key'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+
+test('validate.payload idParamsMethods', (t) => {
+  idParamsMethods.forEach((method) => {
+    const configForMethod = getConfigForMethod({ method });
+    const { params } = configForMethod.validate;
+
+    t.ifError(
+      params.validate({ id: 'aThing' }).error
+      , 'applies id to validate.params'
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+test('does not modify initial config on multiple passes', (t) => {
   const { config } = t.context;
   const originalConfig = { ...config };
 
   whereMethods.forEach((method) => {
-    getConfigForMethod({ method, config });
+    getConfigForMethod({ method, ...t.context });
   });
 
   t.deepEqual(