diff --git a/sitecompanion/background.js b/sitecompanion/background.js
index 5be2496..ebfb14a 100644
--- a/sitecompanion/background.js
+++ b/sitecompanion/background.js
@@ -414,14 +414,6 @@ async function handleAnalysisRequest(port, payload, signal) {
       safePost(port, { type: "ERROR", message: "Missing API URL." });
       return;
     }
-    if (!requestTemplate) {
-      safePost(port, { type: "ERROR", message: "Missing request template." });
-      return;
-    }
-    if (apiKeyHeader && !apiKey) {
-      safePost(port, { type: "ERROR", message: "Missing API key." });
-      return;
-    }
   } else {
     if (!apiBaseUrl) {
       safePost(port, { type: "ERROR", message: "Missing API base URL." });
diff --git a/sitecompanion/popup.js b/sitecompanion/popup.js
index d88a601..a16f358 100644
--- a/sitecompanion/popup.js
+++ b/sitecompanion/popup.js
@@ -186,6 +186,33 @@ function normalizeConfigList(list) {
     : [];
 }
 
+const TEMPLATE_PLACEHOLDERS = [
+  "PROMPT_GOES_HERE",
+  "SYSTEM_PROMPT_GOES_HERE",
+  "API_KEY_GOES_HERE",
+  "MODEL_GOES_HERE",
+  "API_BASE_URL_GOES_HERE"
+];
+
+function buildTemplateValidationSource(template) {
+  let output = template || "";
+  for (const token of TEMPLATE_PLACEHOLDERS) {
+    output = output.split(`\"${token}\"`).join(JSON.stringify("PLACEHOLDER"));
+    output = output.split(token).join("null");
+  }
+  return output;
+}
+
+function isValidTemplateJson(template) {
+  if (!template) return false;
+  try {
+    JSON.parse(buildTemplateValidationSource(template));
+    return true;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 function resolveScopedItems(parentItems, localItems, disabledNames) {
   const parent = Array.isArray(parentItems) ? parentItems : [];
   const local = Array.isArray(localItems) ? localItems : [];
@@ -1061,15 +1088,8 @@ async function handleAnalyze() {
       setStatus("Set an API URL in Settings.");
       return;
     }
-    if (!resolvedTemplate) {
-      setStatus("Set a request template in Settings.");
-      return;
-    }
-    const needsKey =
-      Boolean(resolvedApiKeyHeader) ||
-      resolvedTemplate.includes("API_KEY_GOES_HERE");
-    if (needsKey && !apiKey) {
-      setStatus("Add an API key in Settings.");
+    if (!isValidTemplateJson(resolvedTemplate)) {
+      setStatus("Request template JSON is invalid.");
       return;
     }
   } else {
diff --git a/sitecompanion/settings.js b/sitecompanion/settings.js
index 2883e14..a472091 100644
--- a/sitecompanion/settings.js
+++ b/sitecompanion/settings.js
@@ -475,6 +475,33 @@ function normalizeConfigList(list) {
     : [];
 }
 
+const TEMPLATE_PLACEHOLDERS = [
+  "PROMPT_GOES_HERE",
+  "SYSTEM_PROMPT_GOES_HERE",
+  "API_KEY_GOES_HERE",
+  "MODEL_GOES_HERE",
+  "API_BASE_URL_GOES_HERE"
+];
+
+function buildTemplateValidationSource(template) {
+  let output = template || "";
+  for (const token of TEMPLATE_PLACEHOLDERS) {
+    output = output.split(`\"${token}\"`).join(JSON.stringify("PLACEHOLDER"));
+    output = output.split(token).join("null");
+  }
+  return output;
+}
+
+function isValidTemplateJson(template) {
+  if (!template) return false;
+  try {
+    JSON.parse(buildTemplateValidationSource(template));
+    return true;
+  } catch {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 function normalizeDisabledInherited(source) {
   const data = source && typeof source === "object" ? source : {};
   return {
@@ -3440,11 +3467,8 @@ function updateSidebarErrors() {
     if (!defaultApiConfig) {
       errors.push("Default environment is missing an API config.");
     } else if (defaultApiConfig.advanced) {
-      if (!defaultApiConfig.apiUrl) {
-        errors.push("Default API config is missing an API URL.");
-      }
-      if (!defaultApiConfig.requestTemplate) {
-        errors.push("Default API config is missing a request template.");
+      if (!isValidTemplateJson(defaultApiConfig.requestTemplate || "")) {
+        errors.push("Default API config request template is invalid JSON.");
       }
     } else {
       if (!defaultApiConfig.apiBaseUrl) {
@@ -3455,12 +3479,7 @@ function updateSidebarErrors() {
       }
     }
 
-    const needsKey =
-      Boolean(defaultApiConfig?.apiKeyHeader) ||
-      Boolean(
-        defaultApiConfig?.requestTemplate?.includes("API_KEY_GOES_HERE")
-      );
-    if (needsKey) {
+    if (!defaultApiConfig.advanced && defaultApiConfig?.apiKeyHeader) {
       const key = enabledApiKeys.find(
         (entry) => entry.id === defaultApiConfig?.apiKeyId
       );