diff --git a/ovos_PHAL/service.py b/ovos_PHAL/service.py
index a96091d..14cdd23 100644
--- a/ovos_PHAL/service.py
+++ b/ovos_PHAL/service.py
@@ -73,10 +73,19 @@ def load_plugins(self):
                 continue
 
             config = self.user_config.get(name) or {}
+            if config.get("enabled") is False:
+                # Configuration explicitly disabled plugin
+                LOG.debug(f"PHAL plugin {name} disabled in configuration")
+                continue
             if hasattr(plug, "validator"):
-                enabled = plug.validator.validate(config)
+                try:
+                    enabled = plug.validator.validate(config)
+                except Exception:
+                    LOG.exception(f"Validator failed for PHAL plugin: {name}")
+                    continue
             else:
-                enabled = config.get("enabled")
+                # Already checked if enabled == False, default to True
+                enabled = True
             if enabled:
                 try:
                     self.drivers[name] = plug(bus=self.bus, config=config)
diff --git a/test/unittests/test_service.py b/test/unittests/test_service.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7170bee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unittests/test_service.py
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import unittest
+from unittest.mock import patch, Mock
+
+from ovos_utils.fakebus import FakeBus
+
+_MOCK_CONFIG = {
+    "admin": {
+        "mock_admin_plugin": {},
+        "mock_admin_enabled": {
+            "enabled": True
+        },
+        "mock_admin_disabled": {
+            "enabled": False
+        }
+    },
+    "mock_enabled_plugin": {
+        "enabled": True
+    },
+    "mock_disabled_plugin": {
+        "enabled": False
+    },
+    "mock_plugin": {}
+}
+
+
+class MockPlugin:
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        pass
+
+
+class TestService(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        from ovos_PHAL.service import PHAL
+        bus = FakeBus()
+        self.service = PHAL(_MOCK_CONFIG, bus)
+
+    @patch("ovos_PHAL.service.find_phal_plugins")
+    def test_load_plugins(self, find_plugins):
+        mock_plugins = {"mock_admin_plugin": Mock(),
+                        "mock_admin_enabled": Mock(),
+                        "mock_admin_disabled": Mock(),
+                        "mock_disabled_plugin": Mock(),
+                        "mock_plugin": MockPlugin,
+                        "mock_enabled_plugin": Mock()}
+
+        find_plugins.return_value = mock_plugins
+
+        # Test without validators
+        self.service.load_plugins()
+        self.assertEqual(set(self.service.drivers.keys()),
+                         {"mock_plugin", "mock_enabled_plugin"})
+        self.service.drivers = {}
+
+        # Tests with passing validators
+        mock_plugins["mock_plugin"] = Mock()
+        mock_plugins["mock_plugin"].validator.validate = Mock(return_value=True)
+        mock_plugins["mock_enabled_plugin"].validator.validate = Mock(return_value=True)
+        mock_plugins["mock_disabled_plugin"].validator.validate = Mock(return_value=True)
+        self.service.load_plugins()
+        self.assertEqual(set(self.service.drivers.keys()),
+                         {"mock_plugin", "mock_enabled_plugin"})
+        self.service.drivers = {}
+
+        # Tests with failing validators
+        mock_plugins["mock_plugin"].validator.validate.return_value = False
+        mock_plugins["mock_enabled_plugin"].validator.validate.return_value = False
+        mock_plugins["mock_disabled_plugin"].validator.validate.return_value = False
+        self.service.load_plugins()
+        self.assertEqual(self.service.drivers, {})
diff --git a/test/unittests/test_something.py b/test/unittests/test_something.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 9e996d0..0000000
--- a/test/unittests/test_something.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-# write your first unittest!
-import unittest
-
-
-class TestSomething(unittest.TestCase):
-    @classmethod
-    def setUpClass(self):
-        self.var = "hello"
-
-    def test_something(self):
-        self.assertEqual("hello", self.var)
-