diff --git a/dvmconsole/Controls/ChannelBox.xaml b/dvmconsole/Controls/ChannelBox.xaml
index f964f45..e1c2571 100644
--- a/dvmconsole/Controls/ChannelBox.xaml
+++ b/dvmconsole/Controls/ChannelBox.xaml
@@ -38,7 +38,14 @@
 
             <!-- Main Info Section -->
             <StackPanel Grid.Column="1" HorizontalAlignment="Left" Width="119" Margin="48,0,0,1" Grid.RowSpan="2" Grid.ColumnSpan="2">
-                <TextBlock Text="{Binding ChannelName}" FontWeight="Bold" Foreground="White" FontSize="12"/>
+                <TextBlock x:Name="ChannelTextBlock" FontWeight="Bold" Foreground="White" FontSize="12">
+                    <TextBlock.Text>
+                        <MultiBinding StringFormat="{}{0} ({1})">
+                            <Binding Path="ChannelName" />
+                            <Binding Path="ChannelMode" />
+                        </MultiBinding>
+                    </TextBlock.Text>
+                </TextBlock>
                 <TextBlock Text="{Binding LastSrcId}" Foreground="Gold" FontSize="10"/>
                 <TextBlock Text="{Binding SystemName}" Foreground="Gold" FontSize="10"/>
             </StackPanel>
diff --git a/dvmconsole/Controls/ChannelBox.xaml.cs b/dvmconsole/Controls/ChannelBox.xaml.cs
index 78cdf6e..e8c4b05 100644
--- a/dvmconsole/Controls/ChannelBox.xaml.cs
+++ b/dvmconsole/Controls/ChannelBox.xaml.cs
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ namespace dvmconsole.Controls
         /// </summary>
         public string ChannelName { get; set; }
         /// <summary>
+        /// Textual mode of the channel.
+        /// </summary>
+        public string ChannelMode { get; set; }
+        /// <summary>
         /// Textual name of system channel belongs to.
         /// </summary>
         public string SystemName { get; set; }
@@ -375,6 +379,7 @@ namespace dvmconsole.Controls
             flashingBackgroundManager = new FlashingBackgroundManager(this);
 
             ChannelName = channelName;
+            ChannelMode = "P25";
             DstId = dstId;
             SystemName = $"System: {systemName}";
             LastSrcId = $"Last ID: {LastSrcId}";
diff --git a/dvmconsole/Controls/SystemStatusBox.xaml b/dvmconsole/Controls/SystemStatusBox.xaml
index 54d13a0..cf5e4ed 100644
--- a/dvmconsole/Controls/SystemStatusBox.xaml
+++ b/dvmconsole/Controls/SystemStatusBox.xaml
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 <UserControl x:Class="dvmconsole.Controls.SystemStatusBox"
              xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
              xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
-             Width="105" Height="55">
+             Width="145" Height="45">
     <UserControl.Effect>
         <DropShadowEffect ShadowDepth="1" BlurRadius="16" Color="#FF686767" Opacity="0.3" />
     </UserControl.Effect>
     <Border x:Name="ControlBorder" BorderBrush="LightGray" BorderThickness="1,1,1,1" CornerRadius="6">
         <StackPanel Margin="2,2,2,2">
-            <TextBlock Text="{Binding ConnectionState}" Foreground="Gold" FontSize="10" TextAlignment="Center" />
-            <TextBlock Text="{Binding SystemName}" FontWeight="Bold" Foreground="White" FontSize="16" TextAlignment="Center" />
+            <TextBlock Text="{Binding ConnectionState}" Margin="0,2,0,0" Foreground="Gold" FontSize="10" TextAlignment="Center" />
+            <TextBlock Text="{Binding SystemName}" Margin="0,4,0,0" FontWeight="Bold" Foreground="White" FontSize="16" TextAlignment="Center" />
         </StackPanel>
     </Border>
 </UserControl>
diff --git a/dvmconsole/MainWindow.xaml.cs b/dvmconsole/MainWindow.xaml.cs
index 0046f37..c780263 100644
--- a/dvmconsole/MainWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/dvmconsole/MainWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ using fnecore.DMR;
 using fnecore.P25;
 using fnecore.P25.KMM;
 using fnecore.P25.LC.TSBK;
+using static dvmconsole.Codeplug;
 
 namespace dvmconsole
 {
@@ -69,6 +70,9 @@ namespace dvmconsole
         public const int MBE_SAMPLES_LENGTH = 160;
         public const int PCM_SAMPLES_LENGTH = 320; // MBE_SAMPLES_LENGTH * 2
 
+        public const int MAX_SYSTEM_NAME_LEN = 10;
+        public const int MAX_CHANNEL_NAME_LEN = 15;
+
         private const string INVALID_SYSTEM = "INVALID SYSTEM";
         private const string INVALID_CODEPLUG_CHANNEL = "INVALID CODEPLUG CHANNEL";
         private const string ERR_INVALID_FNE_REF = "invalid FNE peer reference, this should not happen";
@@ -242,6 +246,61 @@ namespace dvmconsole
                 string yaml = File.ReadAllText(filePath);
                 Codeplug = deserializer.Deserialize<Codeplug>(yaml);
 
+                // perform codeplug validation
+                List<string> errors = new List<string>();
+
+                // ensure string lengths are acceptable
+                // systems
+                Dictionary<string, string> replacedSystemNames = new Dictionary<string, string>();
+                foreach (Codeplug.System system in Codeplug.Systems)
+                {
+                    // ensure system name is less then or equals to the max
+                    if (system.Name.Length > MAX_SYSTEM_NAME_LEN)
+                    {
+                        string original = system.Name;
+                        system.Name = system.Name.Substring(0, MAX_SYSTEM_NAME_LEN);
+                        replacedSystemNames.Add(original, system.Name);
+                        Log.WriteLine($"{original} SYSTEM NAME was greater then {MAX_SYSTEM_NAME_LEN} characters, truncated {system.Name}");
+                    }
+                }
+
+                // zones
+                foreach (Codeplug.Zone zone in Codeplug.Zones)
+                {
+                    // channels
+                    foreach (Codeplug.Channel channel in zone.Channels)
+                    {
+                        if (Codeplug.Systems.Find((x) => x.Name == channel.System) == null)
+                            errors.Add($"{channel.Name} refers to an {INVALID_SYSTEM} {channel.System}.");
+
+                        // because we possibly truncated system names above lets see if we
+                        // have to replaced the related system name
+                        if (replacedSystemNames.ContainsKey(channel.System))
+                            channel.System = replacedSystemNames[channel.System];
+
+                        // ensure channel name is less then or equals to the max
+                        if (channel.Name.Length > MAX_CHANNEL_NAME_LEN)
+                        {
+                            string original = channel.Name;
+                            channel.Name = channel.Name.Substring(0, MAX_CHANNEL_NAME_LEN);
+                            Log.WriteLine($"{original} CHANNEL NAME was greater then {MAX_CHANNEL_NAME_LEN} characters, truncated {channel.Name}");
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                // compile list of errors and throw up a messagebox of doom
+                if (errors.Count > 0)
+                {
+                    string newLine = Environment.NewLine + Environment.NewLine;
+                    string messageBoxString = $"Loaded codeplug {filePath} contains errors. {PLEASE_CHECK_CODEPLUG}" + newLine;
+                    foreach (string error in errors)
+                        messageBoxString += error + newLine;
+                    messageBoxString = messageBoxString.TrimEnd(new char[] { '\r', '\n' });
+
+                    MessageBox.Show(messageBoxString, "Error", MessageBoxButton.OK, MessageBoxImage.Error);
+                }
+
+                // generate widgets and enable controls
                 GenerateChannelWidgets();
                 EnableControls();
             }
@@ -356,6 +415,8 @@ namespace dvmconsole
                     foreach (var channel in zone.Channels)
                     {
                         ChannelBox channelBox = new ChannelBox(selectedChannelsManager, audioManager, channel.Name, channel.System, channel.Tgid, settingsManager.TogglePTTMode);
+                        channelBox.ChannelMode = channel.Mode.ToUpperInvariant();
+
                         systemStatuses.Add(channel.Name, new SlotStatus());
 
                         if (settingsManager.ChannelPositions.TryGetValue(channel.Name, out var position))
@@ -425,6 +486,7 @@ namespace dvmconsole
 
             // initialize the playback channel
             playbackChannelBox = new ChannelBox(selectedChannelsManager, audioManager, PLAYBACKCHNAME, PLAYBACKSYS, PLAYBACKTG);
+            playbackChannelBox.ChannelMode = "Local";
 
             if (settingsManager.ChannelPositions.TryGetValue(PLAYBACKCHNAME, out var pos))
             {