diff --git a/src/Config/AgentRunnerConfig.php b/src/Config/AgentRunnerConfig.php
index 879e3c2..86c0a56 100644
--- a/src/Config/AgentRunnerConfig.php
+++ b/src/Config/AgentRunnerConfig.php
@@ -87,6 +87,29 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
         throw new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf('RetrieX agent config key "%s" must be numeric.', $key));
     }
 
+    private function getRequiredBool(string $key): bool
+    {
+        $value = $this->requiredValue($key);
+
+        if (is_bool($value)) {
+            return $value;
+        }
+
+        if (is_scalar($value)) {
+            $normalized = strtolower(trim((string) $value));
+
+            if (in_array($normalized, ['1', 'true', 'yes', 'on'], true)) {
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            if (in_array($normalized, ['0', 'false', 'no', 'off'], true)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
+        throw new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf('RetrieX agent config key "%s" must be boolean.', $key));
+    }
+
     private function getRequiredString(string $key): string
     {
         $value = $this->requiredValue($key);
@@ -177,6 +200,39 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
         return $out;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return array<string, string>
+     */
+    private function getOptionalStringMap(string $key): array
+    {
+        $value = $this->optionalValue($key);
+
+        if ($value === null) {
+            return [];
+        }
+
+        if (!is_array($value)) {
+            throw new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf('RetrieX agent config key "%s" must be a string map.', $key));
+        }
+
+        $out = [];
+
+        foreach ($value as $mapKey => $mapValue) {
+            if (!is_scalar($mapKey) || !is_scalar($mapValue)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            $mapKey = trim((string) $mapKey);
+            $mapValue = trim((string) $mapValue);
+
+            if ($mapKey !== '' && $mapValue !== '') {
+                $out[$mapKey] = $mapValue;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $out;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @param string[] $default
      * @return string[]
@@ -236,6 +292,21 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
         return $current;
     }
 
+    private function optionalValue(string $key): mixed
+    {
+        $current = $this->config;
+
+        foreach (explode('.', $key) as $segment) {
+            if (!is_array($current) || !array_key_exists($segment, $current)) {
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            $current = $current[$segment];
+        }
+
+        return $current;
+    }
+
     public function getEmptyPromptMessage(): string
     {
         return $this->getRequiredString('messages.empty_prompt');
@@ -474,25 +545,7 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
      */
     public function getShopPromptRules(): array
     {
-        return $this->getStringList('shop_prompt.rules', [
-            '- Output only the final search query.',
-            '- Always convert relevant search terms to their singular form.',
-            '- No introduction, no explanation, no quotation marks.',
-            '- Use only shop-relevant search terms from the user input for a shop search.',
-            '- Maximum 6 search terms, preferably fewer.',
-            '- Remove filler words, polite phrases, and irrelevant words.',
-            '- Preserve product names, brands, model numbers, and compound terms exactly if they are relevant.',
-            '- Preserve the language of the CURRENT USER INPUT for generic product/search terms; do not translate German search terms into English.',
-            '- For German user input, output German shop terms, for example "freies Chlor Messung" instead of "free chlorine measurement".',
-            '- Preserve domain terms from the current user input or resolved context in their original language.',
-            '- Numbers that belong to a product name or model must be preserved (e.g. Indikator 300, Testomat 808, Testomat 2000).',
-            '- Separate terms using spaces only.',
-            '- If a relevant product name is present, it must be placed at the beginning of the final search query.',
-            '- Try to always identify all products mentioned in the user input text, even in long prompts.',
-            '- Look for terms such as Testomat, Horiba, Tritromat, or words like indicator/Indikator.',
-            '- If the current user input is vague or referential, use the recent conversation context only as support.',
-            '- Do not output words that only describe conversation flow, such as "same", "again", "also", or "like above".',
-        ]);
+        return $this->getRequiredStringList('shop_prompt.rules');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -500,39 +553,32 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
      */
     public function getConversationContextRules(): array
     {
-        return $this->getStringList('shop_prompt.conversation_context_rules', [
-            '- The current user input has highest priority.',
-            '- Use the recent conversation context only to resolve omitted references.',
-            '- Use it only for product carry-over, brand carry-over, model carry-over, or variant follow-ups.',
-            '- Do not revive older products unless the current user input clearly refers to them.',
-            '- If the current input starts a new topic, ignore older product context.',
-            '- Prefer the most recent product reference over older ones.',
-        ]);
+        return $this->getRequiredStringList('shop_prompt.conversation_context_rules');
     }
 
     public function getShopPromptIntro(): string
     {
-        return $this->getString('shop_prompt.intro', 'Generate a short search query for Shopware 6 from the following user input text.');
+        return $this->getRequiredString('shop_prompt.intro');
     }
 
     public function getShopPromptOutputFormatBlock(): string
     {
-        return $this->getString('shop_prompt.output_format_block', "Output format:\nKeyword1 Keyword2 Keyword3");
+        return $this->getRequiredString('shop_prompt.output_format_block');
     }
 
     public function getRecentConversationContextLabel(): string
     {
-        return $this->getString('shop_prompt.recent_conversation_context_label', 'RECENT CONVERSATION CONTEXT');
+        return $this->getRequiredString('shop_prompt.recent_conversation_context_label');
     }
 
     public function getCurrentUserInputLabel(): string
     {
-        return $this->getString('shop_prompt.current_user_input_label', 'CURRENT USER INPUT');
+        return $this->getRequiredString('shop_prompt.current_user_input_label');
     }
 
     public function isShopQueryLanguagePreservationEnabled(): bool
     {
-        return $this->getBool('shop_prompt.language_preservation.enabled', true);
+        return $this->getRequiredBool('shop_prompt.language_preservation.enabled');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -540,20 +586,10 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
      */
     public function getShopQueryLanguageMarkers(): array
     {
-        $default = [
-            'de' => [
-                ' ä ', ' ö ', ' ü ', ' ß ',
-                ' der ', ' die ', ' das ', ' ein ', ' eine ', ' einer ', ' einen ',
-                ' welchem ', ' welchen ', ' welche ', ' welcher ',
-                ' kann ', ' nutzen ', ' zur ', ' für ', ' fuer ',
-                ' messung ', ' indikator ', ' reagenz ', ' chlor ',
-            ],
-        ];
-
-        $value = $this->value('shop_prompt.language_preservation.language_markers', $default);
+        $value = $this->requiredValue('shop_prompt.language_preservation.language_markers');
 
         if (!is_array($value)) {
-            return $default;
+            throw new \InvalidArgumentException('RetrieX agent config key "shop_prompt.language_preservation.language_markers" must be a map of marker lists.');
         }
 
         $out = [];
@@ -582,15 +618,16 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
             }
         }
 
-        return $out !== [] ? $out : $default;
+        if ($out === []) {
+            throw new \InvalidArgumentException('RetrieX agent config key "shop_prompt.language_preservation.language_markers" must contain at least one valid marker list.');
+        }
+
+        return $out;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @return array<string, string>
-     */
     public function isShopQueryMetaGuardEnabled(): bool
     {
-        return $this->getBool('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.enabled', true);
+        return $this->getRequiredBool('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.enabled');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -598,59 +635,32 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
      */
     public function getShopQueryMetaOnlyTerms(): array
     {
-        return $this->getStringList('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.meta_only_terms', [
-            'shop',
-            'shopsuche',
-            'shop-suche',
-            'suche',
-            'suchen',
-            'such',
-            'finde',
-            'find',
-            'zeige',
-            'zeig',
-            'bitte',
-            'mal',
-            'im',
-            'in',
-            'nach',
-            'danach',
-            'dazu',
-            'damit',
-            'dafür',
-            'dafuer',
-            'hierzu',
-            'den',
-            'die',
-            'das',
-            'der',
-            'dem',
-        ]);
+        return $this->getRequiredStringList('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.meta_only_terms');
     }
 
     public function isShopQueryContextFallbackEnabled(): bool
     {
-        return $this->getBool('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_enabled', true);
+        return $this->getRequiredBool('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_enabled');
     }
 
     public function getShopQueryContextFallbackQuestionLimit(): int
     {
-        return $this->getInt('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_question_limit', 12);
+        return $this->getRequiredInt('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_question_limit');
     }
 
     public function getShopQueryContextFallbackHistoryBudgetChars(): int
     {
-        return $this->getInt('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_history_budget_chars', 20000);
+        return $this->getRequiredInt('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_history_budget_chars');
     }
 
     public function shouldUseFullHistoryForShopQueryContextFallback(): bool
     {
-        return $this->getBool('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_use_full_history', true);
+        return $this->getRequiredBool('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_use_full_history');
     }
 
     public function getShopQueryContextFallbackMaxTerms(): int
     {
-        return $this->getInt('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_max_terms', 6);
+        return $this->getRequiredInt('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_max_terms');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -658,50 +668,17 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
      */
     public function getShopQueryContextFallbackFilterTerms(): array
     {
-        return $this->getStringList('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_filter_terms', [
-            'mit',
-            'welche',
-            'welcher',
-            'welches',
-            'welchem',
-            'welchen',
-            'ist',
-            'sind',
-            'gut',
-            'geeignet',
-            'was',
-            'wie',
-            'wo',
-            'kann',
-            'koennen',
-            'können',
-            'konnte',
-            'könnte',
-            'ich',
-            'wir',
-            'man',
-            'nutzen',
-            'benutzen',
-            'verwenden',
-            'verwende',
-            'nehmen',
-            'zur',
-            'zum',
-            'für',
-            'fuer',
-            'messen',
-            'gemessen',
-        ]);
+        return $this->getRequiredStringList('shop_prompt.meta_query_guard.context_fallback_filter_terms');
     }
 
     public function isShopQueryContextAnchorEnrichmentEnabled(): bool
     {
-        return $this->getBool('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.enabled', true);
+        return $this->getRequiredBool('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.enabled');
     }
 
     public function getShopQueryContextAnchorEnrichmentMaxQueryTerms(): int
     {
-        return $this->getInt('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.max_query_terms', 2);
+        return $this->getRequiredInt('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.max_query_terms');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -709,17 +686,7 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
      */
     public function getShopQueryContextAnchorEnrichmentTriggerTerms(): array
     {
-        return $this->getStringList('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.trigger_terms', [
-            'indikator',
-            'indikatortyp',
-            'indicator',
-            'reagenz',
-            'reagenzsatz',
-            'reagent',
-            'zubehör',
-            'zubehor',
-            'accessory',
-        ]);
+        return $this->getRequiredStringList('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.trigger_terms');
     }
 
     /**
@@ -727,54 +694,21 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
      */
     public function getShopQueryContextAnchorEnrichmentPatterns(): array
     {
-        return $this->getStringList('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.anchor_patterns', [
-            '/\b(?:indikator(?:typ)?|indicator(?:\s+type)?|reagenz(?:satz|typ)?|reagent(?:\s+set|\s+type)?|typ|type)\s+[A-Za-zÄÖÜäöüß]{0,8}\s*\d{1,5}(?:\s*[A-ZÄÖÜ]{1,4})?(?:\s*%)?\b/iu',
-        ]);
+        return $this->getRequiredStringList('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.anchor_patterns');
     }
 
     public function getShopQueryContextAnchorEnrichmentTemplate(): string
     {
-        return $this->getString('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.template', '{anchor} {query}');
+        return $this->getRequiredString('shop_prompt.context_anchor_enrichment.template');
     }
     public function getShopQueryTranslationReplacements(string $language): array
     {
-        $default = [
-            'de' => [
-                'free chlorine' => 'freies chlor',
-                'free chlor' => 'freies chlor',
-                'total chlorine' => 'gesamtchlor',
-                'chlorine measurement' => 'chlor messung',
-                'water hardness' => 'wasserhärte',
-                'measurement' => 'messung',
-                'measuring' => 'messung',
-                'chlorine' => 'chlor',
-                'indicator' => 'indikator',
-                'indicators' => 'indikatoren',
-                'reagent' => 'reagenz',
-                'reagents' => 'reagenzien',
-                'accessory' => 'zubehör',
-                'accessories' => 'zubehör',
-            ],
-        ];
-
-        $value = $this->value(
-            'shop_prompt.language_preservation.translation_replacements.' . $language,
-            $default[$language] ?? []
-        );
-
-        if (!is_array($value)) {
-            return $default[$language] ?? [];
-        }
-
+        $value = $this->getOptionalStringMap('shop_prompt.language_preservation.translation_replacements.' . $language);
         $out = [];
 
         foreach ($value as $source => $target) {
-            if (!is_scalar($source) || !is_scalar($target)) {
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            $source = strtolower(trim((string) $source));
-            $target = trim((string) $target);
+            $source = strtolower(trim($source));
+            $target = trim($target);
 
             if ($source !== '' && $target !== '') {
                 $out[$source] = $target;
@@ -783,7 +717,7 @@ final class AgentRunnerConfig
 
         uksort($out, static fn(string $a, string $b): int => strlen($b) <=> strlen($a));
 
-        return $out !== [] ? $out : ($default[$language] ?? []);
+        return $out;
     }
 
     private function buildRulesBlock(array $rules, string $headline = 'Rules:'): string