diff --git a/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/config/VelocityConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/config/VelocityConfiguration.java
index d184cdfd7..f5070d81c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/config/VelocityConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/velocitypowered/proxy/config/VelocityConfiguration.java
@@ -80,6 +80,13 @@ public class VelocityConfiguration {
             }
         }
 
+        try {
+            getMotdComponent();
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            logger.error("Can't parse your MOTD", e);
+            valid = false;
+        }
+
         return valid;
     }
 
diff --git a/velocity.toml b/velocity.toml
index 1c25e360b..ff854116c 100644
--- a/velocity.toml
+++ b/velocity.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 bind = "0.0.0.0:26671"
 
 # What should be the MOTD? Legacy color codes and JSON are accepted.
-motd = "&3A Velocity Server"
+motd = """
+{"text":"hi"}
+"""
 
 # What should we display for the maximum number of players? (Velocity does not support a cap
 # on the number of players online.)