diff --git a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/codec/CodecUtils.java b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/codec/CodecUtils.java
index cb7698d26a..bd512189b8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/codec/CodecUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/codec/CodecUtils.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import java.io.FileOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.io.InvalidObjectException;
 import java.io.ObjectOutputStream;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
 import java.io.Serializable;
@@ -1481,6 +1482,10 @@ public static boolean isLocal(String name, String id) {
     return name.substring(name.indexOf("@") + 1).equals(id);
   }
 
+  public static ServiceConfig readServiceConfig(String filename) throws IOException {
+    return readServiceConfig(filename, new StaticType<>() {});
+  }
+
   /**
    * Read a YAML file given by the filename and convert it into a ServiceConfig
    * object by deserialization.
@@ -1491,10 +1496,15 @@ public static boolean isLocal(String name, String id) {
    * @throws IOException
    *           if reading the file fails
    */
-  public static ServiceConfig readServiceConfig(String filename) throws IOException {
+  public static <C extends ServiceConfig> C readServiceConfig(String filename, StaticType<C> type) throws IOException {
     String data = Files.readString(Paths.get(filename));
     Yaml yaml = new Yaml();
-    return yaml.load(data);
+    C parsed = yaml.load(data);
+    if (type.asClass().isAssignableFrom(parsed.getClass())) {
+      return parsed;
+    } else {
+      throw new InvalidObjectException("Deserialized type was " + parsed.getClass() + ", expected " + type + ". Deserialized object: " + parsed);
+    }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/framework/Service.java b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/framework/Service.java
index d9290b1527..a84d9b8f2a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/framework/Service.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/framework/Service.java
@@ -1421,23 +1421,28 @@ public T getConfig() {
    *          i01."opencv"
    * @return
    */
-  public ServiceConfig getPeerConfig(String peerKey) {
+  public <P extends ServiceConfig> P getPeerConfig(String peerKey, StaticType<P> type) {
     String peerName = getPeerName(peerKey);
     if (peerName == null) {
       error("peer name not found for peer key %s", peerKey);
       return null;
     }
 
-    ServiceInterface si = Runtime.getService(peerName);
+    // Java generics don't let us create a new StaticType using
+    // P here because the type variable is erased, so we have to cast anyway for now
+    ConfigurableService<P> si = (ConfigurableService<P>) Runtime.getService(peerName);
     if (si != null) {
       // peer is currently running - get its config
-      return si.getConfig();
+      P c = si.getConfig();
+      if (type.asClass().isAssignableFrom(c.getClass())) {
+        return c;
+      }
     }
 
     // peer is not currently running attempt to read from config
     Runtime runtime = Runtime.getInstance();
     // read current service config for this peer service
-    ServiceConfig sc = runtime.readServiceConfig(peerName);
+    P sc = runtime.readServiceConfig(peerName, type);
     if (sc == null) {
       error("peer service %s is defined, but %s.yml not available on filesystem", peerKey, peerName);
       return null;
@@ -1446,7 +1451,7 @@ public ServiceConfig getPeerConfig(String peerKey) {
   }
 
   public void setPeerConfigValue(String peerKey, String fieldname, Object value) throws NoSuchFieldException, SecurityException, IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException {
-    ServiceConfig sc = getPeerConfig(peerKey);
+    ServiceConfig sc = getPeerConfig(peerKey, new StaticType<>() {});
     if (sc == null) {
       error("invalid config for peer key %s field name %s", peerKey, fieldname);
       return;
@@ -1455,7 +1460,7 @@ public void setPeerConfigValue(String peerKey, String fieldname, Object value) t
     field.set(sc, value);
     savePeerConfig(peerKey, sc);
     String peerName = getPeerName(peerKey);
-    ConfigurableService cs = (ConfigurableService) Runtime.getService(peerName);
+    var cs = Runtime.getConfigurableService(peerName, new StaticType<Service<ServiceConfig>>() {});
     if (cs != null) {
       cs.apply(sc); // TODO - look for applies if its read from the file system
                     // it needs to update Runtime.plan
@@ -2845,6 +2850,10 @@ public void apply() {
     apply((T) sc);
   }
 
+  public void applyPeerConfig(String peerKey, ServiceConfig config) {
+    applyPeerConfig(peerKey, config, new StaticType<>() {});
+  }
+
   /**
    * Apply the config to a peer, regardless if the peer is currently running or
    * not
@@ -2852,13 +2861,13 @@ public void apply() {
    * @param peerKey
    * @param config
    */
-  public void applyPeerConfig(String peerKey, ServiceConfig config) {
+  public <P extends ServiceConfig> void applyPeerConfig(String peerKey, P config, StaticType<Service<P>> configServiceType) {
     String peerName = getPeerName(peerKey);
 
     Runtime.getPlan().put(peerName, config);
 
     // meh - templating is not very helpful here
-    ConfigurableService si = (ConfigurableService) Runtime.getService(peerName);
+    ConfigurableService<P> si = Runtime.getService(peerName, configServiceType);
     if (si != null) {
       si.apply(config);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/framework/StaticType.java b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/framework/StaticType.java
index fddc2912f9..6de5b48504 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/framework/StaticType.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/framework/StaticType.java
@@ -81,6 +81,27 @@ public Type getType() {
         return storedType;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Get the stored type as a Class object
+     * that can be used for checking cast
+     * compatibility. Note that the resulting
+     * Class object will not check for generic
+     * compatibility. If the stored type
+     * is not a Class type, then this method
+     * throws {@link IllegalStateException}.
+     *
+     * @return The internal stored type cast to a Class object
+     * @throws IllegalStateException if the stored type is not a Class.
+     */
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+    public Class<T> asClass() {
+        if (storedType instanceof Class) {
+            return (Class<T>) storedType;
+        } else {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Stored type " + storedType + " is not a Class.");
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     public boolean equals(Object o) {
         if (this == o) return true;
@@ -96,6 +117,11 @@ public int hashCode() {
         return storedType != null ? storedType.hashCode() : 0;
     }
 
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        return storedType.toString();
+    }
     /**
      * Function to recursively validate type parameters
      * to ensure they are all concrete so no type variables sneak in.
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/service/InMoov2.java b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/service/InMoov2.java
index e9fa9d975e..e430ac75dd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/service/InMoov2.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/service/InMoov2.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.Platform;
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.Registration;
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.Service;
+import org.myrobotlab.framework.StaticType;
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.Status;
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.interfaces.ServiceInterface;
 import org.myrobotlab.io.FileIO;
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 import org.myrobotlab.service.abstracts.AbstractSpeechRecognizer;
 import org.myrobotlab.service.abstracts.AbstractSpeechSynthesis;
 import org.myrobotlab.service.config.InMoov2Config;
+import org.myrobotlab.service.config.OpenCVConfig;
 import org.myrobotlab.service.config.ServiceConfig;
 import org.myrobotlab.service.data.JoystickData;
 import org.myrobotlab.service.data.LedDisplayData;
@@ -1939,6 +1941,8 @@ public static void main(String[] args) {
       webgui.startService();
 
       InMoov2 i01 = (InMoov2)Runtime.start("i01","InMoov2");
+      OpenCVConfig ocvConfig = i01.getPeerConfig("opencv", new StaticType<>() {});
+      ocvConfig.flip = true;
       i01.setPeerConfigValue("opencv", "flip", true);
       // i01.savePeerConfig("", null);
       
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/service/Runtime.java b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/service/Runtime.java
index 8f2035fbd6..9a385bcd7d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/service/Runtime.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/myrobotlab/service/Runtime.java
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.Registration;
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.Service;
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.ServiceReservation;
+import org.myrobotlab.framework.StaticType;
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.Status;
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.interfaces.ConfigurableService;
 import org.myrobotlab.framework.interfaces.MessageListener;
@@ -1152,6 +1153,14 @@ public static Map<String, ServiceInterface> getRegistry() {
     return registry;// FIXME should return copy
   }
 
+  public static ServiceInterface getService(String inName) {
+    return getService(inName, new StaticType<>() {});
+  }
+
+  public static <C extends ServiceConfig, S extends ServiceInterface & ConfigurableService<C>> S getConfigurableService(String inName, StaticType<S> serviceType) {
+    return getService(inName, serviceType);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Gets a running service with the specified name. If the name is null or
    * there's no such service with the specified name, returns null instead.
@@ -1160,7 +1169,8 @@ public static Map<String, ServiceInterface> getRegistry() {
    *          The name of the service
    * @return The service if it exists, or null
    */
-  public static ServiceInterface getService(String inName) {
+  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+  public static <S extends ServiceInterface> S getService(String inName, StaticType<S> serviceType) {
     if (inName == null) {
       return null;
     }
@@ -1170,7 +1180,7 @@ public static ServiceInterface getService(String inName) {
     if (!registry.containsKey(name)) {
       return null;
     } else {
-      return registry.get(name);
+      return (S) registry.get(name);
     }
   }
 
@@ -2572,7 +2582,7 @@ static public void startConfig(String configName) {
     Runtime runtime = Runtime.getInstance();
     runtime.processingConfig = true; // multiple inbox threads not available
     runtime.invoke("publishStartConfig", configName);
-    RuntimeConfig rtConfig = (RuntimeConfig) runtime.readServiceConfig(runtime.getConfigName(), "runtime");
+    RuntimeConfig rtConfig = runtime.readServiceConfig(runtime.getConfigName(), "runtime", new StaticType<>() {});
     if (rtConfig == null) {
       runtime.error("cannot find %s%s%s", runtime.getConfigName(), fs, "runtime.yml");
       return;
@@ -4806,6 +4816,10 @@ synchronized private Plan loadService(Plan plan, String name, String type, boole
 
     return plan;
   }
+
+  public ServiceConfig readServiceConfig(String name) {
+    return readServiceConfig(name, new StaticType<>() {});
+  }
   
   /**
    * read a service's configuration, in the context
@@ -4813,8 +4827,12 @@ synchronized private Plan loadService(Plan plan, String name, String type, boole
    * @param name
    * @return
    */
-  public ServiceConfig readServiceConfig(String name) {
-    return readServiceConfig(null, name);
+  public <C extends ServiceConfig> C readServiceConfig(String name, StaticType<C> configType) {
+    return readServiceConfig(null, name, configType);
+  }
+
+  public ServiceConfig readServiceConfig(String configName, String name) {
+    return readServiceConfig(configName, name, new StaticType<>() {});
   }
 
   /**
@@ -4825,7 +4843,7 @@ public ServiceConfig readServiceConfig(String name) {
    *          - name of config file within that dir e.g. {name}.yml
    * @return
    */
-  public ServiceConfig readServiceConfig(String configName, String name) {
+  public <C extends ServiceConfig> C readServiceConfig(String configName, String name, StaticType<C> configType) {
     // if config path set and yaml file exists - it takes precedence
 
     if (configName == null) {
@@ -4839,10 +4857,10 @@ public ServiceConfig readServiceConfig(String configName, String name) {
 
     String filename = CONFIG_ROOT + fs + configName + fs + name + ".yml";
     File check = new File(filename);
-    ServiceConfig sc = null;
+    C sc = null;
     if (check.exists()) {
       try {
-        sc = CodecUtils.readServiceConfig(filename);
+        sc = CodecUtils.readServiceConfig(filename, configType);
       } catch (ConstructorException e) {
         error("%s invalid %s %s. Please remove it from the file.", name, filename, e.getCause().getMessage());
       } catch (IOException e) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/myrobotlab/service/InMoov2Test.java b/src/test/java/org/myrobotlab/service/InMoov2Test.java
index 9be0e28537..c9ae337b69 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/myrobotlab/service/InMoov2Test.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/myrobotlab/service/InMoov2Test.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
+import org.myrobotlab.framework.StaticType;
 import org.myrobotlab.service.config.OpenCVConfig;
 
 public class InMoov2Test {
@@ -14,11 +15,11 @@ public void testCvFilters() throws NoSuchFieldException, SecurityException, Ille
       
       // flip
       i01.setPeerConfigValue("opencv", "flip", true);
-      OpenCVConfig cvconfig = (OpenCVConfig)i01.getPeerConfig("opencv");
+      OpenCVConfig cvconfig = i01.getPeerConfig("opencv", new StaticType<>() {});
       assertTrue(cvconfig.flip);
 
       i01.setPeerConfigValue("opencv", "flip", false);
-      cvconfig = (OpenCVConfig)i01.getPeerConfig("opencv");
+      cvconfig = i01.getPeerConfig("opencv", new StaticType<>() {});
       assertFalse(cvconfig.flip);
       
   }