diff --git a/plugin/ready/setup.go b/plugin/ready/setup.go
index a7bf2c620..db1a7063f 100644
--- a/plugin/ready/setup.go
+++ b/plugin/ready/setup.go
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ func parse(c *caddy.Controller) (string, monitorType, error) {
 		}
 
 		for c.NextBlock() {
-			if c.Val() == "monitor" {
+			switch c.Val() {
+			case "monitor":
 				args := c.RemainingArgs()
 				if len(args) != 1 {
 					return "", "", c.ArgErr()
@@ -101,6 +102,8 @@ func parse(c *caddy.Controller) (string, monitorType, error) {
 				if err != nil {
 					return "", "", err
 				}
+			default:
+				return "", "", c.Errf("unknown property '%s'", c.Val())
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/plugin/ready/setup_test.go b/plugin/ready/setup_test.go
index c7900dc89..4ee1e3455 100644
--- a/plugin/ready/setup_test.go
+++ b/plugin/ready/setup_test.go
@@ -58,6 +58,13 @@ ready localhost:1234 {
 			input: `
 ready localhost:1234 { 
 	monitor 404 
+}`,
+			shouldErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			input: `
+ready {
+	monitro continuously
 }`,
 			shouldErr: true,
 		},