diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 6bb6b6f2f..a6bfb654c 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@ import http from "http";
 import https from "https";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import { app } from "./app";
-import { config } from "./services/configService";
+import { config, validateConfig } from "./services/configService";
 import { connectDatabase } from "@/src/services/mongoService";
 import { registerLogFileCreationListener } from "@/src/utils/logger";
 
 registerLogFileCreationListener();
+validateConfig();
 
 void (async (): Promise<void> => {
     await connectDatabase();
diff --git a/src/services/configService.ts b/src/services/configService.ts
index 5729a52bd..b2200ec4a 100644
--- a/src/services/configService.ts
+++ b/src/services/configService.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ fs.watchFile(configPath, () => {
         }
 
         Object.assign(config, JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(configPath, "utf-8")));
+        validateConfig();
     }
 });
 
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ interface IConfig {
     httpPort?: number;
     httpsPort?: number;
     myIrcAddresses?: string[];
-    administratorNames?: string[];
+    administratorNames?: string[] | string;
     autoCreateAccount?: boolean;
     skipTutorial?: boolean;
     skipAllDialogue?: boolean;
@@ -61,3 +62,11 @@ export const updateConfig = async (data: string): Promise<void> => {
     await fsPromises.writeFile(configPath, data);
     Object.assign(config, JSON.parse(data));
 };
+
+export const validateConfig = (): void => {
+    if (typeof config.administratorNames == "string") {
+        logger.warn(
+            `"administratorNames" should be an array; please add square brackets: ["${config.administratorNames}"]`
+        );
+    }
+};
diff --git a/src/services/loginService.ts b/src/services/loginService.ts
index 674b4860e..0e7fa5d40 100644
--- a/src/services/loginService.ts
+++ b/src/services/loginService.ts
@@ -75,5 +75,11 @@ export const getAccountIdForRequest = async (req: Request): Promise<string> => {
 };
 
 export const isAdministrator = (account: TAccountDocument): boolean => {
-    return !!config.administratorNames?.find(x => x == account.DisplayName);
+    if (!config.administratorNames) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (typeof config.administratorNames == "string") {
+        return config.administratorNames == account.DisplayName;
+    }
+    return !!config.administratorNames.find(x => x == account.DisplayName);
 };