diff --git a/app/library/Utils.py b/app/library/Utils.py
index 68c6e27a..84ccbde8 100644
--- a/app/library/Utils.py
+++ b/app/library/Utils.py
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ IGNORED_KEYS: tuple[str] = (
     "outtmpl",
     "progress_hooks",
     "postprocessor_hooks",
+    "format",
+    "download_archive",
 )
 YTDLP_INFO_CLS: yt_dlp.YoutubeDL = None
 OS_ALT_SEP: list[str] = list(sep for sep in [os.sep, os.path.altsep] if sep is not None and sep != "/")
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ def get_opts(preset: str, ytdl_opts: dict) -> dict:
     LOG.debug(f"Using preset '{preset}', altered options: {opts}")
     return opts
 
+
 def getVideoInfo(url: str, ytdlp_opts: dict = None, no_archive: bool = True) -> Any | dict[str, Any] | None:
     """
     Extracts video information from the given URL.
@@ -187,17 +190,9 @@ def mergeConfig(config: dict, new_config: dict) -> dict:
     Returns:
         dict: Merged config
     """
-
-    ignored_keys: tuple = (
-        "cookiefile",
-        "download_archive" "paths",
-        "outtmpl",
-        "progress_hooks",
-        "postprocessor_hooks",
-    )
-
-    for key in ignored_keys:
+    for key in IGNORED_KEYS:
         if key in new_config:
+            LOG.error(f"Key '{key}' is not allowed to be manually set.")
             del new_config[key]
 
     conf = mergeDict(new_config, config)
diff --git a/app/library/config.py b/app/library/config.py
index 070394ed..d2d3709b 100644
--- a/app/library/config.py
+++ b/app/library/config.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import coloredlogs
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
 from yt_dlp.version import __version__ as YTDLP_VERSION
 
-from .Utils import load_file
+from .Utils import load_file, mergeDict, IGNORED_KEYS
 from .version import APP_VERSION
 
 
@@ -218,15 +218,22 @@ class Config:
                 LOG.error(f"Error starting debugpy server at '0.0.0.0:{self.debugpy_port}'. {e}")
 
         optsFile: str = os.path.join(self.config_path, "ytdlp.json")
-        if os.path.exists(optsFile) and os.path.getsize(optsFile) > 4:
+        if os.path.exists(optsFile) and os.path.getsize(optsFile) > 5:
             LOG.info(f"Loading yt-dlp custom options from '{optsFile}'.")
 
             (opts, status, error) = load_file(optsFile, dict)
             if not status:
                 LOG.error(f"Could not load yt-dlp custom options from '{optsFile}'. {error}")
                 sys.exit(1)
+            if isinstance(opts, dict):
+                for key in IGNORED_KEYS:
+                    if key in opts:
+                        LOG.error(f"Key '{key}' is not allowed to be loaded via 'ytdlp.json' file.")
+                        del opts[key]
 
-            self.ytdl_options.update(opts)
+                self.ytdl_options = mergeDict(self.ytdl_options, opts)
+            else:
+                LOG.error(f"Invalid yt-dlp custom options file '{optsFile}'.")
         else:
             LOG.info(f"No yt-dlp custom options found at '{optsFile}'.")