diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 2fc820d..c2303ba 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ services:
     build: ./                     # find docker file in designated path
     container_name: discord
     restart: always               # rebuild container always
-    image: kevinthedang/discord-ollama:0.6.0
+    image: kevinthedang/discord-ollama:0.6.1
     environment:
       CLIENT_TOKEN: ${CLIENT_TOKEN}
       MODEL: ${MODEL}
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index b9ed039..a8caad8 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "discord-ollama",
-  "version": "0.6.0",
+  "version": "0.6.1",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "discord-ollama",
-      "version": "0.6.0",
+      "version": "0.6.1",
       "license": "ISC",
       "dependencies": {
         "discord.js": "^14.15.3",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1e2f2d9..39650bf 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "discord-ollama",
-  "version": "0.6.0",
+  "version": "0.6.1",
   "description": "Ollama Integration into discord",
   "main": "build/index.js",
   "exports": "./build/index.js",
diff --git a/src/utils/env.ts b/src/utils/env.ts
index bf0b13a..9177c69 100644
--- a/src/utils/env.ts
+++ b/src/utils/env.ts
@@ -3,16 +3,33 @@ import { config } from 'dotenv'
 
 // resolve config file
 const envFilePath = resolve(process.cwd(), '.env')
+const ipValidate: RegExp = /^((25[0-5]|(2[0-4]|1\d|[1-9]|)\d)\.?\b){4}$/
 
 // set current environment variable file
 config({ path: envFilePath })
 
-// Getter for environment variables
+/**
+ * Method to validate if environment variables found in file utils/env.ts
+ * 
+ * @param name Name of the environment variable in .env
+ * @param fallback fallback value to set if environment variable is not set (used manually in src/keys.ts)
+ * @returns environment variable value
+ */
 export function getEnvVar(name: string, fallback?: string): string {
     const value = process.env[name] ?? fallback
-    if (value == undefined)
+    if (!value)
         throw new Error(`Environment variable ${name} is not set.`)
 
+    // validate User-Generated Discord Application Tokens 
+    if (name === "CLIENT_TOKEN")
+        if (value.length < 72) throw new Error(`The "CLIENT_TOKEN" provided is not of at least length 72. 
+            This is probably an invalid token unless Discord updated their token policy. Please provide a valid token.`)
+
+    // validate IPv4 address found in environment variables
+    if (name.endsWith("_IP") || name.endsWith("_ADDRESS"))
+        if (!ipValidate.test(value))
+            throw new Error(`Environment variable ${name} does not follow IPv4 formatting.`)
+
     // return env variable
     return value
 }
\ No newline at end of file