diff --git a/packages/libp2p/.aegir.js b/packages/libp2p/.aegir.js
index 9ce14b21b2..064a631041 100644
--- a/packages/libp2p/.aegir.js
+++ b/packages/libp2p/.aegir.js
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export default {
           fetch: fetchService(),
           relay: circuitRelayServer({
             reservations: {
-              maxReservations: Infinity
+              maxReservations: 100000
             }
           })
         }
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/circuit-relay/server/index.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/circuit-relay/server/index.ts
index 8c383b074a..a381a38d6e 100644
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/circuit-relay/server/index.ts
+++ b/packages/libp2p/src/circuit-relay/server/index.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@ import pDefer from 'p-defer'
 import { MAX_CONNECTIONS } from '../../connection-manager/constants.js'
 import {
   CIRCUIT_PROTO_CODE,
+  DEFAULT_DURATION_LIMIT,
   DEFAULT_HOP_TIMEOUT,
+  DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_CLEAR_INTERVAL,
+  DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_STORE_SIZE,
+  DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_TTL,
   RELAY_SOURCE_TAG
   , RELAY_V2_HOP_CODEC, RELAY_V2_STOP_CODEC
 } from '../constants.js'
@@ -28,6 +32,8 @@ import type { AddressManager } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/address-manager'
 import type { ConnectionManager } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/connection-manager'
 import type { IncomingStreamData, Registrar } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/registrar'
 import type { PeerMap } from '@libp2p/peer-collections'
+import { object, number, boolean } from 'yup'
+import { DEFAULT_MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS, DEFAULT_MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS } from '../../registrar.js'
 
 const log = logger('libp2p:circuit-relay:server')
 
@@ -438,6 +444,19 @@ class CircuitRelayServer extends EventEmitter<RelayServerEvents> implements Star
 }
 
 export function circuitRelayServer (init: CircuitRelayServerInit = {}): (components: CircuitRelayServerComponents) => CircuitRelayService {
+  object({
+    hopTimeout: number().min(0).integer().default(DEFAULT_HOP_TIMEOUT),
+    reservations: object({
+      maxReservations: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_STORE_SIZE),
+      reservationClearInterval: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_CLEAR_INTERVAL),
+      applyDefaultLimit: boolean().default(true),
+      reservationTtl: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_TTL),
+      defaultDurationLimit: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_DURATION_LIMIT).max(init?.reservations?.reservationTtl ?? DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_TTL, `default duration limit must be less than reservation TTL: ${init?.reservations?.reservationTtl}`)
+    }),
+    maxInboundHopStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS),
+    maxOutboundHopStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS)
+  }).validateSync(init)
+
   return (components) => {
     return new CircuitRelayServer(components, init)
   }
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/circuit-relay/utils.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/circuit-relay/utils.ts
index 6d3c89e546..e37b020d71 100644
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/circuit-relay/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/libp2p/src/circuit-relay/utils.ts
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@ import { abortableSource } from 'abortable-iterator'
 import { anySignal } from 'any-signal'
 import { CID } from 'multiformats/cid'
 import { sha256 } from 'multiformats/hashes/sha2'
-import { object, number, boolean } from 'yup'
-import { DEFAULT_MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS, DEFAULT_MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS } from '../registrar.js'
-import { DEFAULT_DATA_LIMIT, DEFAULT_DURATION_LIMIT, DEFAULT_HOP_TIMEOUT, DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_CLEAR_INTERVAL, DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_STORE_SIZE, DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_TTL } from './constants.js'
-import { type CircuitRelayServerInit, circuitRelayServer, type CircuitRelayServerComponents } from './server/index.js'
-import type { CircuitRelayService } from './index.js'
+import { DEFAULT_DATA_LIMIT, DEFAULT_DURATION_LIMIT } from './constants.js'
 import type { Limit } from './pb/index.js'
 import type { Stream } from '@libp2p/interface/connection'
 import type { Source } from 'it-stream-types'
@@ -128,18 +124,3 @@ export function getExpirationMilliseconds (expireTimeSeconds: bigint): number {
   // downcast to number to use with setTimeout
   return Number(expireTimeMillis - BigInt(currentTime))
 }
-
-export const validateCircuitRelayServicesConfig = (opts: CircuitRelayServerInit): (components: CircuitRelayServerComponents) => CircuitRelayService => {
-  return circuitRelayServer(object({
-    hopTimeout: number().min(0).integer().default(DEFAULT_HOP_TIMEOUT).optional(),
-    reservations: object({
-      maxReservations: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_STORE_SIZE).optional(),
-      reservationClearInterval: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_CLEAR_INTERVAL).optional(),
-      applyDefaultLimit: boolean().default(true).optional(),
-      reservationTtl: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_TTL).optional(),
-      defaultDurationLimit: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_DURATION_LIMIT).max(opts?.reservations?.reservationTtl ?? DEFAULT_MAX_RESERVATION_TTL, `default duration limit must be less than reservation TTL: ${opts?.reservations?.reservationTtl}`).optional()
-    }),
-    maxInboundHopStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS).optional(),
-    maxOutboundHopStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(DEFAULT_MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS).optional()
-  }).validateSync(opts))
-}
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/config/config.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/config/config.ts
index c570bb83ed..b26027895d 100644
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/packages/libp2p/src/config/config.ts
@@ -3,13 +3,12 @@ import { publicAddressesFirst } from '@libp2p/utils/address-sort'
 import { dnsaddrResolver } from '@multiformats/multiaddr/resolvers'
 import mergeOptions from 'merge-options'
 import type { ServiceMap, RecursivePartial } from '@libp2p/interface'
-import type { Libp2pInit, ServiceFactoryMap } from '../index.js'
+import type { Libp2pInit } from '../index.js'
 import type { AddressManagerInit } from '../address-manager'
 import { validateAddressManagerConfig } from '../address-manager/utils.js'
 import { object } from 'yup'
 import { validateConnectionManagerConfig } from '../connection-manager/utils.js'
 import type { ConnectionManagerInit } from '../connection-manager/index.js'
-import { validateServicesConfig } from './helpers.js'
 
 const DefaultConfig: Partial<Libp2pInit> = {
   connectionManager: {
@@ -29,8 +28,12 @@ export function validateConfig <T extends ServiceMap = Record<string, unknown>>
     connectionManager: validateConnectionManagerConfig(opts?.connectionManager as ConnectionManagerInit),
   })
 
-  //@ts-expect-error
-  opts.services = validateServicesConfig(opts?.services as ServiceFactoryMap<T>) as ServiceFactoryMap<T>
+  if (opts?.services) {
+    // @ts-expect-error
+   if ((opts.services?.kadDHT || opts.services?.relay || opts.services?.ping) && !opts.services.identify) {
+      throw new Error('identify service is required when using kadDHT, relay, or ping')
+    }
+  }
 
   const parsedOpts = libp2pConfig.validateSync(opts)
 
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/config/helpers.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/config/helpers.ts
index 3f3d4f78ec..9cb4106ae8 100644
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/config/helpers.ts
+++ b/packages/libp2p/src/config/helpers.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,4 @@
 import { multiaddr } from '@multiformats/multiaddr'
-import { validateCircuitRelayServicesConfig } from '../circuit-relay/utils.js'
-import { validateIdentifyConfig } from '../identify/config.js'
-import type { CircuitRelayServerInit } from '../circuit-relay/server/index.js'
-import type { IdentifyServiceInit } from '../identify/index.js'
-import type { ServiceMap } from '@libp2p/interface-libp2p'
-import type { PingServiceInit } from '../ping/index.js'
-import { validatePingConfig } from '../ping/config.js'
-import type { FetchServiceInit } from '../fetch/index.js'
-import { validateFetchConfig } from '../fetch/config.js'
 
 export const validateMultiaddr = (value: Array<string | undefined> | undefined): boolean => {
   value?.forEach((addr) => {
@@ -19,13 +10,3 @@ export const validateMultiaddr = (value: Array<string | undefined> | undefined):
   })
   return true
 }
-
-export const validateServicesConfig = (opts: ServiceMap): ServiceMap => {
-  return {
-    ping: validatePingConfig(opts?.ping as PingServiceInit),
-    fetch: validateFetchConfig(opts?.fetch as FetchServiceInit),
-    identify: validateIdentifyConfig(opts?.identify as IdentifyServiceInit),
-    relay: validateCircuitRelayServicesConfig(opts?.relay as CircuitRelayServerInit),
-    ...opts,
-  }
-}
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/fetch/config.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/fetch/config.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index c1b182beb9..0000000000
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/fetch/config.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-import { number, object, string } from "yup"
-import { fetchService, type FetchService, type FetchServiceComponents, type FetchServiceInit } from "./index.js"
-import { TIMEOUT, MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS, MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS } from "./constants.js"
-
-export const validateFetchConfig = (opts: FetchServiceInit): (components: FetchServiceComponents) => FetchService => {
-  return fetchService(object({
-    protocolPrefix: string().default('ipfs'),
-    timeout: number().integer().default(TIMEOUT),
-    maxInboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS),
-    maxOutboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS),
-  }).validateSync(opts))
-}
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/fetch/index.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/fetch/index.ts
index 8084fadc82..4af8465a4b 100644
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/fetch/index.ts
+++ b/packages/libp2p/src/fetch/index.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { pipe } from 'it-pipe'
 import { fromString as uint8arrayFromString } from 'uint8arrays/from-string'
 import { toString as uint8arrayToString } from 'uint8arrays/to-string'
 import { codes } from '../errors.js'
-import { PROTOCOL_NAME, PROTOCOL_VERSION } from './constants.js'
+import { MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS, MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS, PROTOCOL_NAME, PROTOCOL_VERSION, TIMEOUT } from './constants.js'
 import { FetchRequest, FetchResponse } from './pb/proto.js'
 import type { AbortOptions } from '@libp2p/interface'
 import type { Stream } from '@libp2p/interface/connection'
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import type { PeerId } from '@libp2p/interface/peer-id'
 import type { Startable } from '@libp2p/interface/startable'
 import type { ConnectionManager } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/connection-manager'
 import type { IncomingStreamData, Registrar } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/registrar'
+import { number, object, string } from 'yup'
 
 const log = logger('libp2p:fetch')
 
@@ -309,5 +310,13 @@ class DefaultFetchService implements Startable, FetchService {
 }
 
 export function fetchService (init: FetchServiceInit = {}): (components: FetchServiceComponents) => FetchService {
+
+  object({
+    protocolPrefix: string().default('ipfs'),
+    timeout: number().integer().default(TIMEOUT),
+    maxInboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS),
+    maxOutboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS),
+  }).validateSync(init)
+
   return (components) => new DefaultFetchService(components, init)
 }
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/identify/config.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/identify/config.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 45720241a8..0000000000
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/identify/config.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-import { number, object, string } from 'yup'
-import { AGENT_VERSION, MAX_IDENTIFY_MESSAGE_SIZE, MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS, MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS, PROTOCOL_PREFIX, TIMEOUT } from './consts.js'
-import { identifyService, type IdentifyServiceComponents, type IdentifyServiceInit } from './index.js'
-import type { DefaultIdentifyService } from './identify.js'
-
-export const validateIdentifyConfig = (opts: IdentifyServiceInit): (components: IdentifyServiceComponents) => DefaultIdentifyService => {
-  return identifyService(object({
-    protocolPrefix: string().default(PROTOCOL_PREFIX),
-    agentVersion: string().default(AGENT_VERSION),
-    timeout: number().integer().default(TIMEOUT),
-    maxIdentifyMessageSize: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_IDENTIFY_MESSAGE_SIZE),
-    maxInboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS),
-    maxOutboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS),
-  }).validateSync(opts))
-}
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/identify/index.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/identify/index.ts
index dad6f8804e..dab2efbeec 100644
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/identify/index.ts
+++ b/packages/libp2p/src/identify/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 import {
+  AGENT_VERSION,
+  MAX_IDENTIFY_MESSAGE_SIZE,
+  MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS,
+  MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS,
   MULTICODEC_IDENTIFY,
-  MULTICODEC_IDENTIFY_PUSH
+  MULTICODEC_IDENTIFY_PUSH,
+  PROTOCOL_PREFIX,
+  TIMEOUT
 } from './consts.js'
 import { DefaultIdentifyService } from './identify.js'
 import { Identify } from './pb/message.js'
@@ -11,6 +17,7 @@ import type { PeerStore } from '@libp2p/interface/peer-store'
 import type { AddressManager } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/address-manager'
 import type { ConnectionManager } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/connection-manager'
 import type { Registrar } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/registrar'
+import { number, object, string } from 'yup'
 
 export interface IdentifyServiceInit {
   /**
@@ -61,5 +68,14 @@ export const multicodecs = {
 export const Message = { Identify }
 
 export function identifyService (init: IdentifyServiceInit = {}): (components: IdentifyServiceComponents) => DefaultIdentifyService {
+  object({
+    protocolPrefix: string().default(PROTOCOL_PREFIX),
+    agentVersion: string().default(AGENT_VERSION),
+    timeout: number().integer().default(TIMEOUT),
+    maxIdentifyMessageSize: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_IDENTIFY_MESSAGE_SIZE),
+    maxInboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS),
+    maxOutboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS),
+  }).validateSync(init)
+
   return (components) => new DefaultIdentifyService(components, init)
 }
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/ping/config.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/ping/config.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index eae1fd0b66..0000000000
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/ping/config.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-import { number, object, string } from "yup"
-import { PingService, PingServiceComponents, PingServiceInit, pingService } from "./index.js"
-import { MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS, MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS, PROTOCOL_PREFIX, TIMEOUT } from "./constants.js"
-
-export const validatePingConfig = (opts: PingServiceInit): (components: PingServiceComponents) => PingService => {
-  return pingService(object({
-    protocolPrefix: string().default(PROTOCOL_PREFIX),
-    timeout: number().integer().default(TIMEOUT),
-    maxInboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS),
-    maxOutboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS)
-  }).validateSync(opts))
-}
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/src/ping/index.ts b/packages/libp2p/src/ping/index.ts
index 3903f9f0ae..96bcc5d855 100644
--- a/packages/libp2p/src/ping/index.ts
+++ b/packages/libp2p/src/ping/index.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import type { Startable } from '@libp2p/interface/startable'
 import type { ConnectionManager } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/connection-manager'
 import type { IncomingStreamData, Registrar } from '@libp2p/interface-internal/registrar'
 import type { Multiaddr } from '@multiformats/multiaddr'
+import { number, object, string } from 'yup'
 
 const log = logger('libp2p:ping')
 
@@ -136,5 +137,13 @@ class DefaultPingService implements Startable, PingService {
 }
 
 export function pingService (init: PingServiceInit = {}): (components: PingServiceComponents) => PingService {
+
+  object({
+    protocolPrefix: string().default(PROTOCOL_PREFIX),
+    timeout: number().integer().default(TIMEOUT),
+    maxInboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_INBOUND_STREAMS),
+    maxOutboundStreams: number().integer().min(0).default(MAX_OUTBOUND_STREAMS)
+  }).validateSync(init)
+
   return (components) => new DefaultPingService(components, init)
 }
diff --git a/packages/libp2p/test/connection-manager/resolver.spec.ts b/packages/libp2p/test/connection-manager/resolver.spec.ts
index adccf3976d..5cfa614cee 100644
--- a/packages/libp2p/test/connection-manager/resolver.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/libp2p/test/connection-manager/resolver.spec.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { createLibp2pNode, type Libp2pNode } from '../../src/libp2p.js'
 import type { PeerId } from '@libp2p/interface/peer-id'
 import type { Transport } from '@libp2p/interface/transport'
 import type { Multiaddr } from '@multiformats/multiaddr'
+import { identifyService } from '../../src/identify/index.js'
 
 const relayAddr = multiaddr(process.env.RELAY_MULTIADDR)
 
@@ -93,7 +94,8 @@ describe('dialing (resolvable addresses)', () => {
           plaintext()
         ],
         services: {
-          relay: circuitRelayServer()
+          relay: circuitRelayServer(),
+          identify: identifyService()
         },
         connectionGater: mockConnectionGater()
       })