diff --git a/src/bm_sim/P4Objects.cpp b/src/bm_sim/P4Objects.cpp
index d11a2c20..b61ccf61 100644
--- a/src/bm_sim/P4Objects.cpp
+++ b/src/bm_sim/P4Objects.cpp
@@ -1920,6 +1920,12 @@ P4Objects::init_pipelines(const Json::Value &cfg_root,
         const auto table_type = cfg_table["type"].asString();
 
         const auto &cfg_default_entry = cfg_table["default_entry"];
+        if (!cfg_default_entry.isMember("action_id")) {
+          throw json_exception(
+              EFormat() << "'default_entry' of table '" << table_name
+              << "' must have key 'action_id'",
+              cfg_default_entry);
+        }
         const p4object_id_t action_id = cfg_default_entry["action_id"].asInt();
         const ActionFn *action = get_action_by_id(action_id); assert(action);
 
@@ -1949,15 +1955,18 @@ P4Objects::init_pipelines(const Json::Value &cfg_root,
                                            is_action_entry_const);
         } else {
           throw json_exception(
-              EFormat() << "'default_action' of table '" << table_name
-              << "' should have key 'action_data'",
+              EFormat() << "'default_entry' of table '" << table_name
+              << "' must have key 'action_data'",
               cfg_default_entry);
         }
       } else {
-        throw json_exception(
-            EFormat() << "Table '" << table_name << "' should have key"
-            << " 'default_action'",
-            cfg_table);
+        const auto table_type = cfg_table["type"].asString();
+        if ((table_type != "indirect") && (table_type != "indirect_ws")) {
+          throw json_exception(
+              EFormat() << "Table '" << table_name << "' with type '"
+              << table_type << "' must have key" << " 'default_entry'",
+              cfg_table);
+        }
       }
 
       // for 'simple' tables, it is possible to specify immutable entries