diff --git a/application-server/dotnet/Program.cs b/application-server/dotnet/Program.cs
index 62b3f00c..ff2deecd 100644
--- a/application-server/dotnet/Program.cs
+++ b/application-server/dotnet/Program.cs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ IConfiguration config = new ConfigurationBuilder()
 // Load env variables
 var SERVER_PORT = config.GetValue<int>("SERVER_PORT");
 var LIVEKIT_API_KEY = config.GetValue<string>("LIVEKIT_API_KEY");
-var LIVEKIT_API_SECRET = config.GetValue<string>("LIVEKIT_API_SECRET"); // ATTENTION! Make sure that this string is at least 32 characters long
+var LIVEKIT_API_SECRET = config.GetValue<string>("LIVEKIT_API_SECRET");
 
 // Enable CORS support
 builder.Services.AddCors(options =>
@@ -74,4 +74,15 @@ string CreateLiveKitJWT(string roomName, string participantName)
     return new JwtSecurityTokenHandler().WriteToken(token);
 }
 
-app.Run();
\ No newline at end of file
+if (LIVEKIT_API_KEY == null || LIVEKIT_API_SECRET == null)
+{
+    Console.Error.WriteLine("\nERROR: LIVEKIT_API_KEY and LIVEKIT_API_SECRET not set\n");
+    Environment.Exit(1);
+}
+if (LIVEKIT_API_SECRET.Length < 32)
+{
+    Console.Error.WriteLine("\nERROR: LIVEKIT_API_SECRET must be at least 32 characters long\n");
+    Environment.Exit(1);
+}
+
+app.Run();