diff --git a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/koito.ts b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/koito.ts
index 3c714b19..284df112 100644
--- a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/koito.ts
+++ b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/koito.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ export type KoitoSourceConfig = z.infer<typeof koitoSourceConfigSchema>;
 
 export const koitoSourceAIOConfigSchema = z.object({
     ...koitoSourceConfigSchema.shape,
+    // can be optional since it always appears in a source array
+    configureAs: koitoSourceConfigSchema.shape.configureAs.optional(),
     type: z.literal('koito'),
 }).meta({title: "Koito"});
 
diff --git a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/lastfm.ts b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/lastfm.ts
index b0fe9e38..dc9ad876 100644
--- a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/lastfm.ts
+++ b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/lastfm.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ export type LastfmSourceConfig = z.infer<typeof lastfmSourceConfigSchema>;
 
 export const lastFmSouceAIOConfigSchema = z.object({
     ...lastfmSourceConfigSchema.shape,
+    // can be optional since it always appears in a source array
+    configureAs: lastfmSourceConfigSchema.shape.configureAs.optional(),
     type: z.literal('lastfm'),
 }).meta({title: "Last.fm"});
 
diff --git a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/librefm.ts b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/librefm.ts
index 13f7bef0..d25f0105 100644
--- a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/librefm.ts
+++ b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/librefm.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ export type LibrefmSourceConfig = z.infer<typeof librefmSourceConfigSchema>;
 
 export const librefmSouceAIOConfigSchema = z.object({
     ...librefmSourceConfigSchema.shape,
+    // can be optional since it always appears in a source array
+    configureAs: librefmSourceConfigSchema.shape.configureAs.optional(),
     type: z.literal('librefm'),
 }).meta({title: "Libre.fm"});
 
diff --git a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/listenbrainz.ts b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/listenbrainz.ts
index efb38517..9a8b008f 100644
--- a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/listenbrainz.ts
+++ b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/listenbrainz.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ export type ListenBrainzSourceConfig = z.infer<typeof listenBrainzSourceConfigSc
 
 export const listenBrainzSourceAIOConfigSchema = z.object({
     ...listenBrainzSourceConfigSchema.shape,
+    // can be optional since it always appears in a source array
+    configureAs: listenBrainzSourceConfigSchema.shape.configureAs.optional(),
     type: z.literal('listenbrainz'),
 }).meta({title: 'Listenbrainz'});
 
diff --git a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/maloja.ts b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/maloja.ts
index aaffe55b..106dec09 100644
--- a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/maloja.ts
+++ b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/maloja.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ export type MalojaSourceConfig = z.infer<typeof malojaSourceConfigSchema>;
 
 export const malojaSourceAIOConfigSchema = z.object({
     ...malojaSourceConfigSchema.shape,
+    // can be optional since it always appears in a source array
+    configureAs: malojaSourceConfigSchema.shape.configureAs.optional(),
     type: z.literal('maloja'),
 }).meta({title: 'Maloja'});
 
diff --git a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/rocksky.ts b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/rocksky.ts
index bd2800d8..5f391bea 100644
--- a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/rocksky.ts
+++ b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/rocksky.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ export type RockskySourceConfig = z.infer<typeof rockskySourceConfigSchema>;
 
 export const rockskySourceAIOConfigSchema = z.object({
     ...rockskySourceConfigSchema.shape,
+    // can be optional since it always appears in a source array
+    configureAs: rockskySourceConfigSchema.shape.configureAs.optional(),
     type: z.literal('rocksky'),
 }).meta({title: 'Rocksky'});
 
diff --git a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/tealfm.ts b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/tealfm.ts
index be8cf2fa..8283e5be 100644
--- a/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/tealfm.ts
+++ b/src/backend/common/infrastructure/config/source/tealfm.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ export type TealSourceConfig = z.infer<typeof tealSourceConfigSchema>;
 
 export const tealSourceAIOConfigSchema = z.object({
     ...tealSourceConfigSchema.shape,
+    // can be optional since it always appears in a source array
+    configureAs: tealSourceConfigSchema.shape.configureAs.optional(),
     type: z.literal('tealfm'),
 }).meta({title: 'teal.fm'});
 
diff --git a/src/backend/scrobblers/ScrobbleClients.ts b/src/backend/scrobblers/ScrobbleClients.ts
index ef721e71..64d7a940 100644
--- a/src/backend/scrobblers/ScrobbleClients.ts
+++ b/src/backend/scrobblers/ScrobbleClients.ts
@@ -219,13 +219,28 @@ export default class ScrobbleClients {
                                 }
                             };
                         } break;
-                        case 'file':
-                        case 'aio': {
+                        case 'file': {
+                            // only file config has a combined array of both source and client configs
+                            // 
+                            // if configureAs is missing (optional) we assume it is a client
+                            // and only skip it if it is explicitly set as a source
+                            //
                             if ('configureAs' in entry.config && entry.config.configureAs === 'source') {
-                                this.logger.debug(`Skipping ${generateConfigLocation('client', entry)} because it is configured as a Source`);
+                                this.logger.debug(`Skipping ${generateConfigLocation('client', entry)} because it is configured as a Source (configureAs set to 'source')`);
                                 continue;
                             }
-                            const parsed = entry.source === 'file' ? (await validateClientJson(entry.type, entry.config)) : (await validateClientAIOJson(entry.type, entry.config));
+                            const parsed = await validateClientJson(entry.type, entry.config);
+                            parsedConfig = {
+                                ...parsed,
+                                name: parsed.name ?? parsed.id,
+                                source: generateConfigLocation('client', entry)
+                            }
+                        } break;
+                        case 'aio': {
+                            // aio entries can also optionally have `configureAs` but it must always be `client`
+                            // and we are only including entries from the `clients` array at this point
+                            // so there's no need to manually check if `configureAs` is present
+                            const parsed = await validateClientAIOJson(entry.type, entry.config)
                             parsedConfig = {
                                 ...parsed,
                                 name: parsed.name ?? parsed.id,
diff --git a/src/backend/sources/ScrobbleSources.ts b/src/backend/sources/ScrobbleSources.ts
index e5fbe0c7..4ca47291 100644
--- a/src/backend/sources/ScrobbleSources.ts
+++ b/src/backend/sources/ScrobbleSources.ts
@@ -238,14 +238,34 @@ export default class ScrobbleSources {
                             };
                         } break;
                         case 'file':
-                        case 'aio': {
-                            if (('configureAs' in entry.config && entry.config.configureAs === 'client')
-                                // @ts-expect-error could be a client type
-                                || (clientTypes.includes(entry.type) && entry.config.configureAs !== 'source')) {
-                                this.logger.debug(`Skipping ${generateConfigLocation('source', entry)} because it is configured as a Client`);
-                                continue;
+                            {
+                            // only file config has a combined array of both source and client configs
+                            // 
+                            // for source configs, it is required that "configureAs": "source"
+                            //
+                            // if `configureAs` is missing OR its value is not `source` then we skip it
+                            //
+                            // @ts-expect-error could be a client type
+                            if(clientTypes.includes(entry.type)) {
+                                const confAs = 'configureAs' in entry.config ? entry.config.configureAs : undefined;
+                                if(confAs === undefined || confAs !== 'source') {
+                                    const reason = confAs === undefined ? `configureAs was not defined` : `configureAs was not set to 'source'`;
+                                    this.logger.debug(`Skipping ${generateConfigLocation('source', entry)} because it is configured as a Client (${reason})`);
+                                    continue;
+                                }
                             }
-                            const parsed = entry.source === 'file' ? (await validateSourceJson(entry.type, entry.config)) : (await validateSourceAIOJson(entry.type, entry.config));
+                            const parsed = await validateSourceJson(entry.type, entry.config);
+                            parsedConfig = {
+                                ...parsed,
+                                name: parsed.name ?? parsed.id,
+                                source: generateConfigLocation('source', entry)
+                            }
+                        } break;
+                        case 'aio': {
+                            // aio entries can also optionally have `configureAs` but it must always be `source`
+                            // and we are only including entries from the `sources` array at this point
+                            // so there's no need to manually check if `configureAs` is present
+                            const parsed = await validateSourceAIOJson(entry.type, entry.config)
                             parsedConfig = {
                                 ...parsed,
                                 name: parsed.name ?? parsed.id,