diff --git a/colmena/queue/base.py b/colmena/queue/base.py
index 178f405..5535522 100644
--- a/colmena/queue/base.py
+++ b/colmena/queue/base.py
@@ -200,6 +200,9 @@ def send_inputs(self,
         """
         self._check_role(QueueRole.CLIENT, 'send_inputs')
 
+        # Make sure the queue topic exists
+        assert topic in self.topics, f'Unknown topic: {topic}. Known are: {", ".join(self.topics)}'
+
         # Make fake kwargs, if needed
         if input_kwargs is None:
             input_kwargs = dict()
diff --git a/colmena/task_server/base.py b/colmena/task_server/base.py
index 77dbd1f..414f999 100644
--- a/colmena/task_server/base.py
+++ b/colmena/task_server/base.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from inspect import signature
 from multiprocessing import Process
 from time import perf_counter
-from typing import Optional, Callable
+from typing import Optional, Callable, Collection
 
 from colmena.exceptions import KillSignalException, TimeoutException
 from colmena.models import Result, FailureInformation
@@ -37,15 +37,16 @@ class BaseTaskServer(Process, metaclass=ABCMeta):
     Implementations should also provide a `_cleanup` function that releases any resources reserved by the task server.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, queues: ColmenaQueues, timeout: Optional[int] = None):
+    def __init__(self, queues: ColmenaQueues, method_names: Collection[str], timeout: Optional[int] = None):
         """
         Args:
             queues (TaskServerQueues): Queues for the task server
-            timeout (int): Timeout, if desired
+            timeout (int): Timeout for reading from the task queue, if desired
         """
         super().__init__()
         self.queues = queues
         self.timeout = timeout
+        self.method_names = set(method_names)
 
     @abstractmethod
     def process_queue(self, topic: str, task: Result):
@@ -65,8 +66,17 @@ def listen_and_launch(self):
                 topic, task = self.queues.get_task(self.timeout)
                 logger.info(f'Received request for {task.method} with topic {topic}')
 
-                # Provide it to the workflow system to be executed
-                self.process_queue(topic, task)
+                # Make sure the method name is valid
+                if task.method in self.method_names:
+                    # Provide it to the workflow system to be executed
+                    self.process_queue(topic, task)
+                else:
+                    task.success = False
+                    task.failure_info = FailureInformation.from_exception(
+                        ValueError(f'Method name "{task.method}" not recognized. Options: {", ".join(self.method_names)}')
+                    )
+                    self.queues.send_result(task, topic)
+
             except KillSignalException:
                 logger.info('Kill signal received')
                 return
diff --git a/colmena/task_server/funcx.py b/colmena/task_server/funcx.py
index 665f32a..dae2600 100644
--- a/colmena/task_server/funcx.py
+++ b/colmena/task_server/funcx.py
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ def __init__(self, methods: Dict[Callable, str],
             timeout: Timeout for requests from the task queue
             batch_size: Maximum number of task request to receive before submitting
         """
-        super(FuncXTaskServer, self).__init__(queues, timeout)
-
         # Store the client that has already been authenticated.
         self.fx_client = funcx_client
         self.fx_exec: FuncXExecutor = None
@@ -70,6 +68,9 @@ def __init__(self, methods: Dict[Callable, str],
             batch_size=batch_size,
         )
 
+        # Initialize the outputs
+        super().__init__(queues, self.registered_funcs.keys(), timeout)
+
     def perform_callback(self, future: Future, result: Result, topic: str):
         # Check if the failure was due to a ManagerLost
         #  TODO (wardlt): Remove when we have retry support in FuncX
diff --git a/colmena/task_server/parsl.py b/colmena/task_server/parsl.py
index 7a09831..e9c1c63 100644
--- a/colmena/task_server/parsl.py
+++ b/colmena/task_server/parsl.py
@@ -330,10 +330,8 @@ def __init__(self, methods: List[Union[Callable, Tuple[Callable, Dict]]],
             timeout (int): Timeout, if desired
             default_executors: Executor or list of executors to use by default.
         """
-        super().__init__(queues, timeout)
-
         # Insert _output_workers to the thread count
-        executors = config.executors.copy()
+        executors = list(config.executors)
         config.executors = executors
 
         # Get a list of default executors that _does not_ include the output workers
@@ -394,6 +392,9 @@ def __init__(self, methods: List[Union[Callable, Tuple[Callable, Dict]]],
         if self.default_method_ is not None:
             logger.info(f'There is only one method, so we are using {self.default_method_} as a default')
 
+        # Initialize the base class
+        super().__init__(queues, self.methods_.keys(), timeout)
+
     def _submit(self, task: Result, topic: str) -> Optional[Future]:
         # Determine which method to run
         if self.default_method_ and task.method is None:
diff --git a/colmena/task_server/tests/test_parsl.py b/colmena/task_server/tests/test_parsl.py
index 6939335..876887a 100644
--- a/colmena/task_server/tests/test_parsl.py
+++ b/colmena/task_server/tests/test_parsl.py
@@ -214,3 +214,18 @@ def test_proxy(server_and_queue, store):
     result = queue.get_result()
     assert result.success, result.failure_info.exception
     assert len(result.proxy_timing) == 3
+
+
+@mark.timeout(10)
+def test_bad_method_name(server_and_queue):
+    """Make sure tasks with undefined methods are returned with a meaningful error"""
+
+    # Start the server
+    server, queue = server_and_queue
+    server.start()
+
+    # Make sure it sends back a result
+    queue.send_inputs(1, method='not_a_real_method')
+    result = queue.get_result()
+    assert not result.success
+    assert 'not_a_real_method' in str(result.failure_info.exception)