diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d1e6b2a..02f225f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 ##### Config
 
-- Refactored the internals of how validation errors work.
+- Refactored the internals of how merge/validation errors work.
 - Removed `Config::META` and `ConfigError::META`. Use `Schematic::schema_name()` instead.
 - Removed `url` as a default Cargo feature.
 - Renamed `valid_*` Cargo features to `validate_*`.
diff --git a/book/src/SUMMARY.md b/book/src/SUMMARY.md
index 1080737..7c8f8c3 100644
--- a/book/src/SUMMARY.md
+++ b/book/src/SUMMARY.md
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   - [Settings](./config/settings.md)
   - [Partials](./config/partial.md)
   - [Nesting](./config/nested.md)
-  - [Context & metadata](./config/context.md)
+  - [Context](./config/context.md)
   - [Structs & enums](./config/struct/index.md)
     - [Default values](./config/struct/default.md)
     - [Environment variables](./config/struct/env.md)
diff --git a/book/src/config/context.md b/book/src/config/context.md
index 6da9367..f109d87 100644
--- a/book/src/config/context.md
+++ b/book/src/config/context.md
@@ -43,14 +43,3 @@ let result = ConfigLoader::<ExampleConfig>::new()
 
 > Refer to the [default values](./struct/default.md), [merge strategies](./struct/merge.md), and
 > [validation rules](./struct/validate.md) sections for more information on how to use context.
-
-## Metadata
-
-[`Config`](./index.md) supports basic metadata for use within error messages. Right now we support a
-name, derived from the struct/enum name or the serde `rename` attribute field.
-
-Metadata can be accessed with the `META` constant.
-
-```rust
-ExampleConfig::META.name;
-```
diff --git a/book/src/config/index.md b/book/src/config/index.md
index 8462789..02956cc 100644
--- a/book/src/config/index.md
+++ b/book/src/config/index.md
@@ -135,8 +135,11 @@ Schematic is powered entirely by [serde](https://serde.rs), and supports the fol
 The following Cargo features are available:
 
 - `config` (default) - Enables configuration support (all the above stuff).
+- `env` (default) - Enables environment variables for settings.
+- `extends` (default) - Enables configs to extend other configs.
 - `json` - Enables JSON.
 - `toml` - Enables TOML.
 - `tracing` - Wrap generated code in tracing instrumentations.
-- `url` (default) - Enables loading, extending, and parsing configs from URLs.
+- `url` - Enables loading, extending, and parsing configs from URLs.
+- `validate` (default) - Enables setting value validation.
 - `yaml` - Enables YAML.
diff --git a/crates/macros/src/config/field.rs b/crates/macros/src/config/field.rs
index e28d7dc..dd012a6 100644
--- a/crates/macros/src/config/field.rs
+++ b/crates/macros/src/config/field.rs
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ impl<'l> Field<'l> {
         {
             let value = if let Some(parse_env) = &self.args.parse_env {
                 quote! {
-                    parse_from_env_var(#env, #parse_env)?
+                    parse_env_value(#env, #parse_env)?
                 }
             } else {
                 quote! {
-                    default_from_env_var(#env)?
+                    default_env_value(#env)?
                 }
             };
 
diff --git a/crates/macros/src/config/field_value.rs b/crates/macros/src/config/field_value.rs
index fd78531..0be209e 100644
--- a/crates/macros/src/config/field_value.rs
+++ b/crates/macros/src/config/field_value.rs
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ impl<'l> FieldValue<'l> {
                             quote! { Some(#expr) }
                         }
                         Expr::Path(func) => {
-                            quote! { handle_default_fn(#func(context))? }
+                            quote! { handle_default_result(#func(context))? }
                         }
                         Expr::Lit(lit) => match &lit.lit {
                             Lit::Str(string) => quote! {
-                                Some(handle_default_fn(#value::try_from(#string))?)
+                                Some(handle_default_result(#value::try_from(#string))?)
                             },
                             other => quote! { Some(#other) },
                         },
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ impl<'l> FieldValue<'l> {
             }
 
             return quote! {
-                self.#key = merge_partial_setting(
+                self.#key = merge_nested_setting(
                     self.#key.take(),
                     next.#key.take(),
                     context,
diff --git a/crates/schematic/src/config/error.rs b/crates/schematic/src/config/error.rs
index 1973ddc..8af92d6 100644
--- a/crates/schematic/src/config/error.rs
+++ b/crates/schematic/src/config/error.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use super::merger::MergeError;
 use super::parser::ParserError;
 #[cfg(feature = "validate")]
 use super::validator::ValidatorError;
@@ -14,6 +15,9 @@ pub enum ConfigError {
     #[error(transparent)]
     Handler(#[from] Box<HandlerError>),
 
+    #[error(transparent)]
+    Merge(#[from] Box<MergeError>),
+
     #[error(transparent)]
     UnsupportedFormat(#[from] Box<UnsupportedFormatError>),
 
@@ -153,6 +157,12 @@ impl From<HandlerError> for ConfigError {
     }
 }
 
+impl From<MergeError> for ConfigError {
+    fn from(e: MergeError) -> ConfigError {
+        ConfigError::Merge(Box::new(e))
+    }
+}
+
 impl From<UnsupportedFormatError> for ConfigError {
     fn from(e: UnsupportedFormatError) -> ConfigError {
         ConfigError::UnsupportedFormat(Box::new(e))
diff --git a/crates/schematic/src/config/merger.rs b/crates/schematic/src/config/merger.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..788e6dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/schematic/src/config/merger.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+use miette::Diagnostic;
+use std::fmt::Display;
+use thiserror::Error;
+
+pub type MergeResult<T> = std::result::Result<Option<T>, MergeError>;
+
+/// A merger function that receives the previous and next values, the current
+/// context, and can return a [`MergeError`] on failure.
+pub type Merger<Val, Ctx> = Box<dyn FnOnce(Val, Val, &Ctx) -> MergeResult<Val>>;
+
+/// Error for merge failures.
+#[derive(Error, Debug, Diagnostic)]
+#[error("{0}")]
+pub struct MergeError(pub String);
+
+impl MergeError {
+    pub fn new<T: Display>(message: T) -> Self {
+        Self(message.to_string())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/schematic/src/config/mod.rs b/crates/schematic/src/config/mod.rs
index e48150f..549fc19 100644
--- a/crates/schematic/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/schematic/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ mod extender;
 mod formats;
 mod layer;
 mod loader;
+mod merger;
 mod parser;
 mod path;
 mod source;
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ pub use error::*;
 pub use extender::*;
 pub use layer::*;
 pub use loader::*;
+pub use merger::*;
 pub use parser::*;
 pub use path::*;
 pub use source::*;
@@ -35,5 +37,6 @@ macro_rules! derive_enum {
 }
 
 pub type DefaultValueResult<T> = std::result::Result<Option<T>, HandlerError>;
+
+#[cfg(feature = "env")]
 pub type ParseEnvResult<T> = std::result::Result<Option<T>, HandlerError>;
-pub type MergeResult<T> = std::result::Result<Option<T>, HandlerError>;
diff --git a/crates/schematic/src/config/validator.rs b/crates/schematic/src/config/validator.rs
index 239cbe7..b2dac84 100644
--- a/crates/schematic/src/config/validator.rs
+++ b/crates/schematic/src/config/validator.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ use thiserror::Error;
 
 pub type ValidateResult = std::result::Result<(), ValidateError>;
 
+/// A validator function that receives a setting value to validate, the parent
+/// configuration the setting belongs to, the current context, and can return
+/// a [`ValidateError`] on failure.
+pub type Validator<Val, Data, Ctx> = Box<dyn FnOnce(&Val, &Data, &Ctx, bool) -> ValidateResult>;
+
 /// Error for a single validation failure.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Diagnostic, Error)]
 #[error("{}{} {message}", .path.to_string().style(Style::Id), ":".style(Style::MutedLight))]
diff --git a/crates/schematic/src/internal.rs b/crates/schematic/src/internal.rs
index 95360fb..9e90ac2 100644
--- a/crates/schematic/src/internal.rs
+++ b/crates/schematic/src/internal.rs
@@ -1,27 +1,27 @@
-use crate::config::{ConfigError, HandlerError, PartialConfig};
-use crate::merge::merge_partial;
-use crate::ParseEnvResult;
+use crate::config::{ConfigError, HandlerError, MergeError, MergeResult, PartialConfig};
 use schematic_types::Schema;
-use std::{env, str::FromStr};
+use std::str::FromStr;
 
-pub fn handle_default_fn<T, E: std::error::Error>(result: Result<T, E>) -> Result<T, ConfigError> {
+// Handles T and Option<T> values
+pub fn handle_default_result<T, E: std::error::Error>(
+    result: Result<T, E>,
+) -> Result<T, ConfigError> {
     result.map_err(|error| ConfigError::InvalidDefaultValue(error.to_string()))
 }
 
-pub fn default_from_env_var<T: FromStr>(key: &str) -> ParseEnvResult<T> {
-    parse_from_env_var(key, |var| parse_value(var).map(|v| Some(v)))
+#[cfg(feature = "env")]
+pub fn default_env_value<T: FromStr>(key: &str) -> crate::config::ParseEnvResult<T> {
+    parse_env_value(key, |value| parse_value(value).map(|v| Some(v)))
 }
 
-pub fn parse_from_env_var<T>(
+#[cfg(feature = "env")]
+pub fn parse_env_value<T>(
     key: &str,
-    parser: impl Fn(String) -> ParseEnvResult<T>,
-) -> Result<Option<T>, HandlerError> {
-    if let Ok(var) = env::var(key) {
-        let value = parser(var).map_err(|error| {
-            HandlerError(format!("Invalid environment variable {key}. {error}"))
-        })?;
-
-        return Ok(value);
+    parser: impl Fn(String) -> crate::config::ParseEnvResult<T>,
+) -> crate::config::ParseEnvResult<T> {
+    if let Ok(value) = std::env::var(key) {
+        return parser(value)
+            .map_err(|error| HandlerError(format!("Invalid environment variable {key}. {error}")));
     }
 
     Ok(None)
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ pub fn merge_setting<T, C>(
     prev: Option<T>,
     next: Option<T>,
     context: &C,
-    merger: impl Fn(T, T, &C) -> Result<Option<T>, HandlerError>,
-) -> Result<Option<T>, HandlerError> {
+    merger: impl Fn(T, T, &C) -> MergeResult<T>,
+) -> MergeResult<T> {
     if prev.is_some() && next.is_some() {
         merger(prev.unwrap(), next.unwrap(), context)
     } else if next.is_some() {
@@ -54,13 +54,19 @@ pub fn merge_setting<T, C>(
 }
 
 #[allow(clippy::unnecessary_unwrap)]
-pub fn merge_partial_setting<T: PartialConfig>(
+pub fn merge_nested_setting<T: PartialConfig>(
     prev: Option<T>,
     next: Option<T>,
     context: &T::Context,
-) -> Result<Option<T>, HandlerError> {
+) -> MergeResult<T> {
     if prev.is_some() && next.is_some() {
-        merge_partial(prev.unwrap(), next.unwrap(), context)
+        let mut nested = prev.unwrap();
+
+        nested
+            .merge(context, next.unwrap())
+            .map_err(|error| MergeError(error.to_string()))?;
+
+        Ok(Some(nested))
     } else if next.is_some() {
         Ok(next)
     } else {
diff --git a/crates/schematic/src/merge.rs b/crates/schematic/src/merge.rs
index 8d0a0d3..459be06 100644
--- a/crates/schematic/src/merge.rs
+++ b/crates/schematic/src/merge.rs
@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
-use crate::{
-    config::{HandlerError, PartialConfig},
-    MergeResult,
-};
+use crate::config::MergeResult;
 use std::{
     collections::{BTreeMap, BTreeSet, HashMap, HashSet},
     hash::Hash,
 };
 
-/// A merger function that receives the previous and next values, the current
-/// context, and can return a [`HandlerError`] on failure.
-pub type Merger<Val, Ctx> = Box<dyn FnOnce(Val, Val, &Ctx) -> MergeResult<Val>>;
-
 /// Discard both previous and next values and return [`None`].
 pub fn discard<T, C>(_: T, _: T, _: &C) -> MergeResult<T> {
     Ok(None)
@@ -103,16 +96,3 @@ where
 
     Ok(Some(prev))
 }
-
-/// Merge the next [`PartialConfig`] into the previous [`PartialConfig`], using the merging
-/// strategies defined by the [`Config`] derive implementation.
-pub fn merge_partial<T: PartialConfig>(
-    mut prev: T,
-    next: T,
-    context: &T::Context,
-) -> MergeResult<T> {
-    prev.merge(context, next)
-        .map_err(|error| HandlerError(error.to_string()))?;
-
-    Ok(Some(prev))
-}
diff --git a/crates/schematic/src/validate/mod.rs b/crates/schematic/src/validate/mod.rs
index 6e44c9f..7a2ed13 100644
--- a/crates/schematic/src/validate/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/schematic/src/validate/mod.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ mod string;
 #[cfg(feature = "validate_url")]
 mod url;
 
-pub use crate::config::{ValidateError, ValidateResult};
+pub use crate::config::{ValidateError, ValidateResult, Validator};
 #[cfg(feature = "validate_email")]
 pub use email::*;
 #[cfg(feature = "extends")]
@@ -21,11 +21,6 @@ pub use string::*;
 #[cfg(feature = "validate_url")]
 pub use url::*;
 
-/// A validator function that receives a setting value to validate, the parent
-/// configuration the setting belongs to, the current context, and can return
-/// a [`ValidateError`] on failure.
-pub type Validator<Val, Data, Ctx> = Box<dyn FnOnce(&Val, &Data, &Ctx, bool) -> ValidateResult>;
-
 pub(crate) fn map_err(error: garde::Error) -> ValidateError {
     ValidateError::new(error.to_string())
 }