diff --git a/pkg/v1/cfg/config.go b/pkg/v1/cfg/config.go
index db46d11..4eada54 100644
--- a/pkg/v1/cfg/config.go
+++ b/pkg/v1/cfg/config.go
@@ -224,10 +224,12 @@ type ReleaseConfig struct {
 func (c *ReleaseConfig) validate() error {
 	collector := errs.NewCollector()
 
-	// FIXME (etd): Should this check only be run if there is a strategy specified?
-	//   otherwise, it feels like this should default to "default".
-	if _, err := strategies.UpdateStrategyFromString(c.Strategy); err != nil {
-		collector.Add(fmt.Errorf("invalid release strategy '%v', should be one of: %v", c.Strategy, strategies.ListUpdateStrategies()))
+	// Only validate the strategy if one is set. If not set, this will use
+	// the "default" strategy once the update pipeline is run.
+	if c.Strategy != "" {
+		if _, err := strategies.UpdateStrategyFromString(c.Strategy); err != nil {
+			collector.Add(fmt.Errorf("invalid release strategy '%v', should be one of: %v", c.Strategy, strategies.ListUpdateStrategies()))
+		}
 	}
 
 	if collector.HasErrors() {
@@ -301,6 +303,8 @@ func (c *ExtrasConfig) validate() error {
 
 	if c.Path != "" && len(c.Updates) == 0 {
 		collector.Add(fmt.Errorf("extras config specifies path but no options for search/replace updates"))
+	} else if c.Path == "" && len(c.Updates) != 0 {
+		collector.Add(fmt.Errorf("extras config specifies search/replace options, but no file path"))
 	}
 
 	for _, u := range c.Updates {
diff --git a/pkg/v1/stages/extras/extras.go b/pkg/v1/stages/extras/extras.go
index 661489a..7250737 100644
--- a/pkg/v1/stages/extras/extras.go
+++ b/pkg/v1/stages/extras/extras.go
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ func (Stage) Run(ctx *context.Context) error {
 			RepoName:  ctx.Repository.Name,
 			RepoOwner: ctx.Repository.Owner,
 		}
+		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
+			"path":      extra.Path,
+			"repoName":  ctx.Repository.Name,
+			"repoOwner": ctx.Repository.Owner,
+		}).Debug("getting file contents")
 
 		contents, err := ctx.Client.GetFile(ctx.Context, opts, extra.Path)
 		if err != nil {