diff --git a/packages/service/ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service/measurement/service.py b/packages/service/ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service/measurement/service.py
index ab8718563..625faf454 100644
--- a/packages/service/ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service/measurement/service.py
+++ b/packages/service/ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service/measurement/service.py
@@ -210,7 +210,10 @@ def __init__(
             raise RuntimeError(f"File does not exist. {service_config_path}")
 
         with open(service_config_path) as service_config_file:
-            service_config = json.load(service_config_file)
+            try:
+                service_config = json.loads(service_config_file.read())
+            except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError:
+                raise NameError(f"Invalid character(s) in {service_config_path}")
 
         if service_class is None:
             service = next(iter(service_config["services"]), None)
diff --git a/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.Control.V1.serviceconfig b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.Control.V1.serviceconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..305fd8840
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.Control.V1.serviceconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "services": [
+    {
+      "displayName": "SampleMeasurement",
+      "serviceClass": "SampleMeasurement_Python",
+      "descriptionUrl": "https://www.example.com/SampleMeasurement.html",
+      "providedInterfaces": [
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v1.MeasurementService",
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v2.MeasurementService"
+      ],
+      "path": "start.bat",
+      "annotations": {
+        "ni/service.description": "Measure inrush current with a shorted load and validate results against configured limits.",
+        "ni/service.collection": "CurrentTests.Inrush",
+        "ni/service.tags": [ "powerup", "current" ]
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.Control.V2.serviceconfig b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.Control.V2.serviceconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..305fd8840
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.Control.V2.serviceconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "services": [
+    {
+      "displayName": "SampleMeasurement",
+      "serviceClass": "SampleMeasurement_Python",
+      "descriptionUrl": "https://www.example.com/SampleMeasurement.html",
+      "providedInterfaces": [
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v1.MeasurementService",
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v2.MeasurementService"
+      ],
+      "path": "start.bat",
+      "annotations": {
+        "ni/service.description": "Measure inrush current with a shorted load and validate results against configured limits.",
+        "ni/service.collection": "CurrentTests.Inrush",
+        "ni/service.tags": [ "powerup", "current" ]
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.Control.serviceconfig b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.Control.serviceconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..305fd8840
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.Control.serviceconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "services": [
+    {
+      "displayName": "SampleMeasurement",
+      "serviceClass": "SampleMeasurement_Python",
+      "descriptionUrl": "https://www.example.com/SampleMeasurement.html",
+      "providedInterfaces": [
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v1.MeasurementService",
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v2.MeasurementService"
+      ],
+      "path": "start.bat",
+      "annotations": {
+        "ni/service.description": "Measure inrush current with a shorted load and validate results against configured limits.",
+        "ni/service.collection": "CurrentTests.Inrush",
+        "ni/service.tags": [ "powerup", "current" ]
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorAnnotations.serviceconfig b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorAnnotations.serviceconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5a070d54f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorAnnotations.serviceconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "services": [
+    {
+      "displayName": "SampleMeasurement",
+      "serviceClass": "SampleMeasurement_Python",
+      "descriptionUrl": "https://www.example.com/SampleMeasurement.html",
+      "providedInterfaces": [
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v1.MeasurementService",
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v2.MeasurementService"
+      ],
+      "path": "start.bat",
+      "annotations": {
+        "ni/service.description": """,
+        "ni/service.collection": "CurrentTests.Inrush",
+        "ni/service.tags": [ "powerup", "current" ]
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorCollections.serviceconfig b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorCollections.serviceconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1dc3c2f05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorCollections.serviceconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "services": [
+    {
+      "displayName": "SampleMeasurement\",
+      "serviceClass": "SampleMeasurement_Python",
+      "descriptionUrl": "https://www.example.com/SampleMeasurement.html",
+      "providedInterfaces": [
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v1.MeasurementService",
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v2.MeasurementService"
+      ],
+      "path": "start.bat",
+      "annotations": {
+        "ni/service.description": "Measure inrush current with a shorted load and validate results against configured limits.",
+        "ni/service.collection": "\",
+        "ni/service.tags": [ "powerup", "current" ]
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorDisplayName.serviceconfig b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorDisplayName.serviceconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7df8043f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorDisplayName.serviceconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "services": [
+    {
+      "displayName": "\\SampleMeasurement\",
+      "serviceClass": "SampleMeasurement_Python",
+      "descriptionUrl": "https://www.example.com/SampleMeasurement.html",
+      "providedInterfaces": [
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v1.MeasurementService",
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v2.MeasurementService"
+      ],
+      "path": "start.bat",
+      "annotations": {
+        "ni/service.description": "Measure inrush current with a shorted load and validate results against configured limits.",
+        "ni/service.collection": "CurrentTests.Inrush",
+        "ni/service.tags": [ "powerup", "current" ]
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorTags.serviceconfig b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorTags.serviceconfig
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..053b7430a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/service/tests/assets/check_char/example.ErrorTags.serviceconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{
+  "services": [
+    {
+      "displayName": "SampleMeasurement\",
+      "serviceClass": "SampleMeasurement_Python",
+      "descriptionUrl": "https://www.example.com/SampleMeasurement.html",
+      "providedInterfaces": [
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v1.MeasurementService",
+        "ni.measurementlink.measurement.v2.MeasurementService"
+      ],
+      "path": "start.bat",
+      "annotations": {
+        "ni/service.description": "Measure inrush current with a shorted load and validate results against configured limits.",
+        "ni/service.collection": "CurrentTests.Inrush",
+        "ni/service.tags": [ "powerup", "\"" ]
+      }
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/service/tests/unit/test_service.py b/packages/service/tests/unit/test_service.py
index b62235f2f..edea0121c 100644
--- a/packages/service/tests/unit/test_service.py
+++ b/packages/service/tests/unit/test_service.py
@@ -10,8 +10,13 @@
 
 from ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service import _datatypeinfo
 from ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service._annotations import TYPE_SPECIALIZATION_KEY
-from ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service._internal.stubs.ni.protobuf.types import xydata_pb2
-from ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service.measurement.info import DataType, TypeSpecialization
+from ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service._internal.stubs.ni.protobuf.types import (
+    xydata_pb2,
+)
+from ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service.measurement.info import (
+    DataType,
+    TypeSpecialization,
+)
 from ni_measurement_plugin_sdk_service.measurement.service import MeasurementService
 
 
@@ -421,6 +426,58 @@ def test___service_config___create_measurement_service___service_info_matches_se
     assert measurement_service.service_info.annotations == provided_annotations
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "service_config,have_special_char",
+    [
+        (
+            "Control.serviceconfig",
+            False,
+        ),
+        (
+            "Control.V1.serviceconfig",
+            False,
+        ),
+        (
+            "Control.V2.serviceconfig",
+            False,
+        ),
+        (
+            "ErrorDisplayName.serviceconfig",
+            True,
+        ),
+        (
+            "ErrorAnnotations.serviceconfig",
+            True,
+        ),
+        (
+            "ErrorTags.serviceconfig",
+            True,
+        ),
+        (
+            "ErrorCollections.serviceconfig",
+            True,
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test___service_config___check_service_config___validiate_no_special_characters(
+    test_assets_directory: pathlib.Path,
+    service_config: str,
+    have_special_char: bool,
+):
+    char_service_config = "check_char\\example." + service_config
+    try:
+        MeasurementService(
+            service_config_path=test_assets_directory / char_service_config,
+            version="1.0.0.0",
+            ui_file_paths=[],
+        )
+        error_occurred = False
+    except NameError:
+        error_occurred = True
+
+    assert error_occurred == have_special_char
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "display_name,type,default_value,enum_type",
     [