diff --git a/src/Main.ps1 b/src/Main.ps1
index c723bea50..a50d4df9d 100644
--- a/src/Main.ps1
+++ b/src/Main.ps1
@@ -535,6 +535,18 @@ function Invoke-Pester {
 
             & $SafeCommands['Get-Variable'] 'Configuration' -Scope Local | Remove-Variable
 
+            # Keys from the configuration hashtable that match no section or option. They are
+            # reported and not thrown on, because a hashtable may carry keys meant for something
+            # else, but a misspelled option would otherwise leave the run on the default with
+            # nothing to notice (#2975). A value the option cannot use throws instead, when the
+            # configuration is built, because that is never intentional.
+            $unknownConfigurationKeys = $PesterPreference.GetUnknownKeys()
+            if (0 -lt $unknownConfigurationKeys.Count) {
+                $quotedKeys = @(foreach ($unknownKey in $unknownConfigurationKeys) { "'$unknownKey'" }) -join ', '
+                $reason = if (1 -eq $unknownConfigurationKeys.Count) { "key $quotedKeys, there is no such option" } else { "keys $quotedKeys, there are no such options" }
+                & $SafeCommands['Write-Warning'] "Ignoring configuration $reason. Check the spelling, 'Get-Help about_PesterConfiguration' lists all the options."
+            }
+
             Resolve-AutoEnabledConfiguration -PesterPreference $PesterPreference
 
             # $sessionState = Set-SessionStateHint -PassThru  -Hint "Caller - Captured in Invoke-Pester" -SessionState $PSCmdlet.SessionState
diff --git a/src/csharp/Pester/ConfigurationSection.cs b/src/csharp/Pester/ConfigurationSection.cs
index cf6a297ed..3830a7729 100644
--- a/src/csharp/Pester/ConfigurationSection.cs
+++ b/src/csharp/Pester/ConfigurationSection.cs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 // to have in "type accelerator" form, but without the hassle of actually adding it as a type accelerator
 // that way you can easily do `[PesterConfiguration]::Default` and then inspect it, or cast a hashtable to it
 
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Reflection;
 
 namespace Pester
@@ -32,6 +33,22 @@ public override string ToString()
             return _description;
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Names of the options this section has. A method and not a property so it stays out of the
+        /// section's console output, which lists the options and their documentation.
+        /// </summary>
+        public string[] GetOptionNames()
+        {
+            var names = new List<string>();
+            foreach (var property in GetType().GetProperties(BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Instance))
+            {
+                if (typeof(Option).IsAssignableFrom(property.PropertyType))
+                    names.Add(property.Name);
+            }
+
+            return names.ToArray();
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// If this section has an Enabled option that was not explicitly modified,
         /// and any other option in the section was modified, auto-enable the section.
diff --git a/src/csharp/Pester/ConfigurationValueException.cs b/src/csharp/Pester/ConfigurationValueException.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2f82d82fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/csharp/Pester/ConfigurationValueException.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+using System;
+
+namespace Pester
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Thrown when a configuration key holds a value the option cannot use, for example a string
+    /// where a bool is expected. Its own type so PesterConfiguration can recognize it while
+    /// building the sections and prefix the message with the section name.
+    /// </summary>
+    public class ConfigurationValueException : ArgumentException
+    {
+        public ConfigurationValueException(string message) : base(message) { }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/csharp/Pester/DictionaryExtensions.cs b/src/csharp/Pester/DictionaryExtensions.cs
index 5aa34d25d..66c8b4c1f 100644
--- a/src/csharp/Pester/DictionaryExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/csharp/Pester/DictionaryExtensions.cs
@@ -24,12 +24,69 @@ namespace Pester
 {
     internal static class DictionaryExtensions
     {
+        // A value we cannot use is never intentional, so we say so instead of leaving the option on
+        // its default and letting the run behave as if the option was never set (#2975). A key that
+        // is present but null keeps meaning "not set", because that is how it has always worked and
+        // it is how an unset variable arrives here (#2219).
+        private static ConfigurationValueException NotUsable(string key, object value, string expected)
+        {
+            return new ConfigurationValueException($"{key} expects {expected}, but got {Describe(value)}.");
+        }
+
+        // Name the type the way it is written in PowerShell, and show the value itself only when it
+        // is something worth printing. 'the string 'yes'' helps, 'the hashtable
+        // 'System.Collections.Hashtable'' does not.
+        private static string Describe(object value)
+        {
+            if (value is PSObject pso)
+                value = pso.BaseObject;
+
+            if (value == null)
+                return "nothing";
+
+            var name = TypeName(value.GetType());
+            return value is string || value.GetType().IsPrimitive || value is decimal
+                ? $"the {name} '{value}'"
+                : $"a {name}";
+        }
+
+        private static string TypeName(Type type)
+        {
+            if (type == typeof(bool)) return "bool";
+            if (type == typeof(int)) return "int";
+            if (type == typeof(decimal)) return "decimal";
+            if (type == typeof(string)) return "string";
+            if (type == typeof(ScriptBlock)) return "scriptblock";
+            if (type == typeof(Hashtable)) return "hashtable";
+            if (type == typeof(ContainerInfo)) return "container";
+            return type.Name;
+        }
+
+        private static string ExpectedValue(Type type)
+        {
+            var name = TypeName(type);
+            return name == "int" ? "an int" : $"a {name}";
+        }
+
+        private static string ExpectedArray(Type type)
+        {
+            if (type == typeof(string)) return "an array of strings";
+            if (type == typeof(ScriptBlock)) return "an array of scriptblocks";
+            if (type == typeof(ContainerInfo)) return "an array of containers";
+            return $"an array of {TypeName(type)}";
+        }
+
         public static T? GetValueOrNull<T>(this IDictionary dictionary, string key) where T : struct
         {
             if (!dictionary.Contains(key))
                 return null;
 
             var value = dictionary[key];
+            if (value is null)
+                return null;
+
+            if (value is PSObject unwrapped)
+                value = unwrapped.BaseObject;
 
             if (typeof(T) == typeof(decimal))
             {
@@ -37,7 +94,11 @@ internal static class DictionaryExtensions
                     return (T)Convert.ChangeType(value, typeof(decimal));
             }
 
-            return value as T?;
+            var converted = value as T?;
+            if (converted == null)
+                throw NotUsable(key, value, ExpectedValue(typeof(T)));
+
+            return converted;
         }
 
         public static T GetObjectOrNull<T>(this IDictionary dictionary, string key) where T : class
@@ -45,11 +106,19 @@ public static T GetObjectOrNull<T>(this IDictionary dictionary, string key) wher
             if (!dictionary.Contains(key))
                 return null;
 
+            var value = dictionary[key];
+            if (value is null)
+                return null;
+
             if (typeof(T) == typeof(string))
-                if (dictionary[key] is PSObject o)
+                if (value is PSObject o)
                     return (T) Convert.ChangeType(o.ToString(), typeof(string));
 
-            return dictionary[key] as T;
+            var converted = value as T;
+            if (converted == null)
+                throw NotUsable(key, value, ExpectedValue(typeof(T)));
+
+            return converted;
         }
 
         public static IDictionary GetIDictionaryOrNull(this IDictionary dictionary, string key)
@@ -57,14 +126,18 @@ public static IDictionary GetIDictionaryOrNull(this IDictionary dictionary, stri
             if (!dictionary.Contains(key))
                 return null;
 
-            if (dictionary[key] is PSObject pso)
-            {
-                return pso.BaseObject as IDictionary;
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                return dictionary[key] as IDictionary;
-            }
+            var value = dictionary[key];
+            if (value is null)
+                return null;
+
+            if (value is PSObject pso)
+                value = pso.BaseObject;
+
+            var converted = value as IDictionary;
+            if (converted == null)
+                throw NotUsable(key, value, "a dictionary of options");
+
+            return converted;
         }
 
         public static T[] GetArrayOrNull<T>(this IDictionary dictionary, string key) where T : class
@@ -120,7 +193,7 @@ public static T[] GetArrayOrNull<T>(this IDictionary dictionary, string key) whe
                 return new T[] { (T)value };
             }
 
-            return null;
+            throw NotUsable(key, value, ExpectedArray(typeof(T)));
         }
 
         public static void AssignValueIfNotNull<T>(this IDictionary dictionary, string key, Action<T> assign)
diff --git a/src/csharp/Pester/PesterConfiguration.cs b/src/csharp/Pester/PesterConfiguration.cs
index 6dc85b30e..35c11964e 100644
--- a/src/csharp/Pester/PesterConfiguration.cs
+++ b/src/csharp/Pester/PesterConfiguration.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 using Pester;
+using System;
 using System.Collections;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Management.Automation;
+using System.Reflection;
 
 // those types implement Pester configuration in a way that allows it to show information about each item
 // in the powershell console without making it difficult to use. there are two tricks being used:
@@ -36,6 +40,7 @@ public static PesterConfiguration ShallowClone(PesterConfiguration configuration
         cfg.TestDrive = TestDriveConfiguration.ShallowClone(configuration.TestDrive);
         cfg.TestRegistry = TestRegistryConfiguration.ShallowClone(configuration.TestRegistry);
         cfg.Mock = MockConfiguration.ShallowClone(configuration.Mock);
+        cfg._unknownKeys = configuration._unknownKeys;
         return cfg;
     }
 
@@ -52,6 +57,15 @@ public static PesterConfiguration Merge(PesterConfiguration configuration, Peste
         cfg.TestDrive = Merger.Merge(configuration.TestDrive, @override.TestDrive);
         cfg.TestRegistry = Merger.Merge(configuration.TestRegistry, @override.TestRegistry);
         cfg.Mock = Merger.Merge(configuration.Mock, @override.Mock);
+        // Invoke-Pester merges onto the default configuration before it reports anything, so the
+        // unknown keys have to survive the merge or the warning is lost.
+        var unknown = new List<string>(configuration._unknownKeys);
+        foreach (var key in @override._unknownKeys)
+        {
+            if (!unknown.Contains(key))
+                unknown.Add(key);
+        }
+        cfg._unknownKeys = unknown.ToArray();
         return cfg;
     }
 
@@ -59,17 +73,112 @@ public PesterConfiguration(IDictionary configuration)
     {
         if (configuration != null)
         {
-            Run = new RunConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(Run)));
-            Filter = new FilterConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(Filter)));
-            CodeCoverage = new CodeCoverageConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(CodeCoverage)));
-            TestResult = new TestResultConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(TestResult)));
-            Should = new ShouldConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(Should)));
-            Debug = new DebugConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(Debug)));
-            Output = new OutputConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(Output)));
-            TestDrive = new TestDriveConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(TestDrive)));
-            TestRegistry = new TestRegistryConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(TestRegistry)));
-            Mock = new MockConfiguration(configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(nameof(Mock)));
+            Run = Section(configuration, nameof(Run), d => new RunConfiguration(d));
+            Filter = Section(configuration, nameof(Filter), d => new FilterConfiguration(d));
+            CodeCoverage = Section(configuration, nameof(CodeCoverage), d => new CodeCoverageConfiguration(d));
+            TestResult = Section(configuration, nameof(TestResult), d => new TestResultConfiguration(d));
+            Should = Section(configuration, nameof(Should), d => new ShouldConfiguration(d));
+            Debug = Section(configuration, nameof(Debug), d => new DebugConfiguration(d));
+            Output = Section(configuration, nameof(Output), d => new OutputConfiguration(d));
+            TestDrive = Section(configuration, nameof(TestDrive), d => new TestDriveConfiguration(d));
+            TestRegistry = Section(configuration, nameof(TestRegistry), d => new TestRegistryConfiguration(d));
+            Mock = Section(configuration, nameof(Mock), d => new MockConfiguration(d));
+
+            _unknownKeys = CollectUnknownKeys(configuration);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Build one section, and put the section name in front of the message when the section rejects
+    // a value, so the user is told 'Run.Parallel expects ...' and not just 'Parallel expects ...'.
+    private static T Section<T>(IDictionary configuration, string name, Func<IDictionary, T> create)
+        where T : ConfigurationSection
+    {
+        // Resolved outside the try, its own message already names the section.
+        var options = configuration.GetIDictionaryOrNull(name);
+        try
+        {
+            return create(options);
+        }
+        catch (ConfigurationValueException e)
+        {
+            throw new ConfigurationValueException($"{name}.{e.Message}");
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Keys the configuration does not have an option for. They are collected rather than thrown on,
+    // because a hashtable may legitimately be shared with something else, and reported by the caller
+    // (Invoke-Pester warns) so a misspelled option does not quietly do nothing (#2975).
+    private static string[] CollectUnknownKeys(IDictionary configuration)
+    {
+        var unknown = new List<string>();
+        var sections = new PesterConfiguration();
+
+        foreach (var key in configuration.Keys)
+        {
+            var name = key as string ?? key?.ToString();
+            var property = Match(sections.GetType().GetProperties(BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Instance), name, configuration);
+            if (property == null)
+            {
+                unknown.Add(name);
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            // A known section, so check the options inside it the same way.
+            var section = property.GetValue(sections) as ConfigurationSection;
+            var options = configuration[property.Name] as IDictionary
+                ?? (configuration[property.Name] as PSObject)?.BaseObject as IDictionary;
+            if (section == null || options == null)
+                continue;
+
+            var known = section.GetOptionNames();
+            foreach (var optionKey in options.Keys)
+            {
+                var optionName = optionKey as string ?? optionKey?.ToString();
+                if (Find(known, optionName, options) == null)
+                    unknown.Add($"{property.Name}.{optionName}");
+            }
+        }
+
+        return unknown.ToArray();
+    }
+
+    // A key counts as known only when looking it up by the option's own name finds it. Comparing
+    // case-insensitively alone is not enough: a dictionary with a case-sensitive comparer holds
+    // 'run' without answering to 'Run', so the value would never be read and the key is unknown.
+    private static PropertyInfo Match(PropertyInfo[] properties, string name, IDictionary dictionary)
+    {
+        foreach (var property in properties)
+        {
+            if (!typeof(ConfigurationSection).IsAssignableFrom(property.PropertyType))
+                continue;
+
+            if (string.Equals(property.Name, name, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) && dictionary.Contains(property.Name))
+                return property;
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    private static string Find(string[] names, string name, IDictionary dictionary)
+    {
+        foreach (var known in names)
+        {
+            if (string.Equals(known, name, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) && dictionary.Contains(known))
+                return known;
         }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    private string[] _unknownKeys = new string[0];
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Keys found in the hashtable this configuration was built from that do not match any section
+    /// or option. A method and not a property so it stays out of the configuration's console output.
+    /// </summary>
+    public string[] GetUnknownKeys()
+    {
+        return _unknownKeys;
     }
 
     public PesterConfiguration()
diff --git a/tst/PesterConfiguration.Tests.ps1 b/tst/PesterConfiguration.Tests.ps1
index f45f5db2f..c3a02902c 100644
--- a/tst/PesterConfiguration.Tests.ps1
+++ b/tst/PesterConfiguration.Tests.ps1
@@ -51,3 +51,77 @@ Describe "PesterConfiguration.Format.ps1xml" {
         }
     }
 }
+
+Describe "Building a configuration from a hashtable" {
+    Context "Values the option cannot use" {
+        It "Throws for <Key> with a <Description>" -ForEach @(
+            @{ Key = 'Run.Parallel'; Description = 'string instead of a bool'; Hashtable = @{ Run = @{ Parallel = 'yes' } }; Expected = "*Run.Parallel expects a bool, but got the string 'yes'*" }
+            @{ Key = 'Run.ParallelThrottleLimit'; Description = 'string instead of an int'; Hashtable = @{ Run = @{ ParallelThrottleLimit = 'five' } }; Expected = "*Run.ParallelThrottleLimit expects an int, but got the string 'five'*" }
+            @{ Key = 'Output.Verbosity'; Description = 'int instead of a string'; Hashtable = @{ Output = @{ Verbosity = 42 } }; Expected = "*Output.Verbosity expects a string, but got the int '42'*" }
+            @{ Key = 'Run.Path'; Description = 'hashtable instead of an array'; Hashtable = @{ Run = @{ Path = @{ a = 1 } } }; Expected = '*Run.Path expects an array of strings, but got a hashtable*' }
+            @{ Key = 'Run'; Description = 'string instead of a section'; Hashtable = @{ Run = 'nonsense' }; Expected = "*Run expects a dictionary of options, but got the string 'nonsense'*" }
+        ) {
+            { [PesterConfiguration]$Hashtable } | Should -Throw -ExpectedMessage $Expected
+        }
+
+        It "Keeps the default when the value is null, so an unset variable does not throw" {
+            $configuration = [PesterConfiguration]@{ Run = @{ Parallel = $null; Path = $null } }
+            $configuration.Run.Parallel.Value | Should -BeFalse
+            $configuration.Run.Path.Value | Should -Be '.'
+        }
+
+        It "Accepts an int for a decimal option" {
+            ([PesterConfiguration]@{ CodeCoverage = @{ CoveragePercentTarget = 80 } }).CodeCoverage.CoveragePercentTarget.Value | Should -Be 80
+        }
+    }
+
+    Context "Keys that match no option" {
+        It "Collects a misspelled option" {
+            ([PesterConfiguration]@{ Run = @{ Paralel = $true } }).GetUnknownKeys() | Should -Be @('Run.Paralel')
+        }
+
+        It "Collects a misspelled section" {
+            ([PesterConfiguration]@{ Runn = @{ Parallel = $true } }).GetUnknownKeys() | Should -Be @('Runn')
+        }
+
+        It "Collects nothing when every key is an option" {
+            ([PesterConfiguration]@{ Run = @{ Parallel = $true }; Output = @{ Verbosity = 'None' } }).GetUnknownKeys() | Should -BeNullOrEmpty
+        }
+
+        It "Matches option names without regard to case" {
+            ([PesterConfiguration]@{ run = @{ parallel = $true } }).GetUnknownKeys() | Should -BeNullOrEmpty
+        }
+
+        It "Survives the merge Invoke-Pester does before it reports them" {
+            $merged = [PesterConfiguration]::Merge([PesterConfiguration]::Default, [PesterConfiguration]@{ Run = @{ Paralel = $true } })
+            $merged.GetUnknownKeys() | Should -Be @('Run.Paralel')
+        }
+    }
+
+    Context "Invoke-Pester" {
+        BeforeAll {
+            $testFile = "$(Join-Path ([IO.Path]::GetTempPath()) ([Guid]::NewGuid().Guid)).Tests.ps1"
+            Set-Content -Path $testFile -Value "Describe 'a' { It 'b' { 1 | Should -Be 1 } }"
+        }
+
+        AfterAll {
+            Remove-Item -Path $testFile -Force
+        }
+
+        It "Warns about a key that matches no option" {
+            $warnings = Invoke-Pester -Configuration @{ Run = @{ Path = $testFile; Paralel = $true }; Output = @{ Verbosity = 'None' } } 3>&1
+            $warnings | Should -BeLike "*Ignoring configuration key 'Run.Paralel', there is no such option*"
+        }
+
+        It "Warns once, listing every key, when there are several" {
+            $warnings = @(Invoke-Pester -Configuration @{ Nonsense = 1; Run = @{ Path = $testFile; Paralel = $true }; Output = @{ Verbosity = 'None' } } 3>&1)
+            $warnings.Count | Should -Be 1
+            $warnings[0].Message | Should -BeLike "*keys 'Run.Paralel', 'Nonsense', there are no such options*"
+        }
+
+        It "Does not warn when every key is an option" {
+            $warnings = @(Invoke-Pester -Configuration @{ Run = @{ Path = $testFile }; Output = @{ Verbosity = 'None' } } 3>&1)
+            $warnings | Should -BeNullOrEmpty
+        }
+    }
+}