diff --git a/.changeset/fluffy-lies-complain.md b/.changeset/fluffy-lies-complain.md
index addffc2baa..b770928e1c 100644
--- a/.changeset/fluffy-lies-complain.md
+++ b/.changeset/fluffy-lies-complain.md
@@ -1,9 +1,38 @@
 ---
-'@backstage/techdocs-common': patch
+'@backstage/techdocs-common': minor
 ---
 
-Move the sanity checks of the publisher configurations to a dedicated `PublisherBase#validateConfiguration()` method instead of throwing an error when doing `Publisher.fromConfig(...)`.
-If you want to preserve this check in your application, use the following code:
+Move the sanity checks of the publisher configurations to a dedicated `PublisherBase#getReadiness()` method instead of throwing an error when doing `Publisher.fromConfig(...)`.
+You should include the check when your backend to get early feedback about a potential misconfiguration:
+
+```diff
+  // packages/backend/src/plugins/techdocs.ts
+
+  export default async function createPlugin({
+    logger,
+    config,
+    discovery,
+    reader,
+  }: PluginEnvironment): Promise<Router> {
+    // ...
+
+    const publisher = await Publisher.fromConfig(config, {
+      logger,
+      discovery,
+    })
+
++   // checks if the publisher is working and logs the result
++   await publisher.getReadiness();
+
+    // Docker client (conditionally) used by the generators, based on techdocs.generators config.
+    const dockerClient = new Docker();
+
+    // ...
+}
+```
+
+If you want to crash your application on invalid configurations, you can throw an `Error` to preserve the old behavior.
+Please be aware that this is not the recommended for the use in a Backstage backend but might be helpful in CLI tools such as the `techdocs-cli`.
 
 ```ts
 const publisher = await Publisher.fromConfig(config, {
@@ -11,8 +40,8 @@ const publisher = await Publisher.fromConfig(config, {
   discovery,
 });
 
-const validation = await publisher.validateConfiguration();
-if (!validation.isValid) {
+const ready = await publisher.getReadiness();
+if (!ready.isAvailable) {
   throw new Error('Invalid TechDocs publisher configuration');
 }
 ```
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/plugins/techdocs.ts b/packages/backend/src/plugins/techdocs.ts
index 9883f2afbc..d0387cd15d 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/plugins/techdocs.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/plugins/techdocs.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ export default async function createPlugin({
     discovery,
   });
 
+  // checks if the publisher is working and logs the result
+  await publisher.getReadiness();
+
   // Docker client (conditionally) used by the generators, based on techdocs.generators config.
   const dockerClient = new Docker();
 
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/src/plugins/techdocs.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/src/plugins/techdocs.ts
index 0ba08cefaf..231a7e7fd7 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/src/plugins/techdocs.ts
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/backend/src/plugins/techdocs.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ export default async function createPlugin({
     discovery,
   });
 
+  // checks if the publisher is working and logs the result
+  await publisher.getReadiness();
+
   // Docker client (conditionally) used by the generators, based on techdocs.generators config.
   const dockerClient = new Docker();
 
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/awsS3.test.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/awsS3.test.ts
index b0000b6464..15da3b7cfc 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/awsS3.test.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/awsS3.test.ts
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 });
 
 describe('AwsS3Publish', () => {
-  describe('validateConfiguration', () => {
+  describe('getReadiness', () => {
     it('should validate correct config', async () => {
-      expect(await publisher.validateConfiguration()).toEqual({
-        isValid: true,
+      expect(await publisher.getReadiness()).toEqual({
+        isAvailable: true,
       });
     });
 
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ describe('AwsS3Publish', () => {
 
       const errorPublisher = AwsS3Publish.fromConfig(mockConfig, logger);
 
-      expect(await errorPublisher.validateConfiguration()).toEqual({
-        isValid: false,
+      expect(await errorPublisher.getReadiness()).toEqual({
+        isAvailable: false,
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/awsS3.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/awsS3.ts
index 77bb771fb6..9c6684fdca 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/awsS3.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/awsS3.ts
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ import { Readable } from 'stream';
 import { Logger } from 'winston';
 import { getFileTreeRecursively, getHeadersForFileExtension } from './helpers';
 import {
-  ConfigurationValidationResponse,
   PublisherBase,
   PublishRequest,
+  ReadinessResponse,
   TechDocsMetadata,
 } from './types';
 
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ export class AwsS3Publish implements PublisherBase {
    * Check if the defined bucket exists. Being able to connect means the configuration is good
    * and the storage client will work.
    */
-  async validateConfiguration(): Promise<ConfigurationValidationResponse> {
+  async getReadiness(): Promise<ReadinessResponse> {
     try {
       await this.storageClient
         .headBucket({ Bucket: this.bucketName })
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ export class AwsS3Publish implements PublisherBase {
         `Successfully connected to the AWS S3 bucket ${this.bucketName}.`,
       );
 
-      return { isValid: true };
+      return { isAvailable: true };
     } catch (error) {
       this.logger.error(
         `Could not retrieve metadata about the AWS S3 bucket ${this.bucketName}. ` +
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ export class AwsS3Publish implements PublisherBase {
       );
       this.logger.error(`from AWS client library`, error);
       return {
-        isValid: false,
+        isAvailable: false,
       };
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/azureBlobStorage.test.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/azureBlobStorage.test.ts
index b67e47c675..c431e924a8 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/azureBlobStorage.test.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/azureBlobStorage.test.ts
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ beforeEach(async () => {
 });
 
 describe('publishing with valid credentials', () => {
-  describe('validateConfiguration', () => {
+  describe('getReadiness', () => {
     it('should validate correct config', async () => {
-      expect(await publisher.validateConfiguration()).toEqual({
-        isValid: true,
+      expect(await publisher.getReadiness()).toEqual({
+        isAvailable: true,
       });
     });
 
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ describe('publishing with valid credentials', () => {
         logger,
       );
 
-      expect(await errorPublisher.validateConfiguration()).toEqual({
-        isValid: false,
+      expect(await errorPublisher.getReadiness()).toEqual({
+        isAvailable: false,
       });
 
       expect(logger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/azureBlobStorage.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/azureBlobStorage.ts
index 6ecc2b76cc..1a823c3d19 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/azureBlobStorage.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/azureBlobStorage.ts
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ import { default as path, default as platformPath } from 'path';
 import { Logger } from 'winston';
 import { getFileTreeRecursively, getHeadersForFileExtension } from './helpers';
 import {
-  ConfigurationValidationResponse,
   PublisherBase,
   PublishRequest,
+  ReadinessResponse,
   TechDocsMetadata,
 } from './types';
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ export class AzureBlobStoragePublish implements PublisherBase {
     this.logger = logger;
   }
 
-  async validateConfiguration(): Promise<ConfigurationValidationResponse> {
+  async getReadiness(): Promise<ReadinessResponse> {
     try {
       const response = await this.storageClient
         .getContainerClient(this.containerName)
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export class AzureBlobStoragePublish implements PublisherBase {
 
       if (response._response.status === 200) {
         return {
-          isValid: true,
+          isAvailable: true,
         };
       }
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ export class AzureBlobStoragePublish implements PublisherBase {
         'Refer to https://backstage.io/docs/features/techdocs/using-cloud-storage',
     );
 
-    return { isValid: false };
+    return { isAvailable: false };
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/googleStorage.test.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/googleStorage.test.ts
index c8cbcb0fda..7e580b16bc 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/googleStorage.test.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/googleStorage.test.ts
@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ beforeEach(async () => {
 });
 
 describe('GoogleGCSPublish', () => {
-  describe('validateConfiguration', () => {
+  describe('getReadiness', () => {
     it('should validate correct config', async () => {
-      expect(await publisher.validateConfiguration()).toEqual({
-        isValid: true,
+      expect(await publisher.getReadiness()).toEqual({
+        isAvailable: true,
       });
     });
 
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ describe('GoogleGCSPublish', () => {
 
       const errorPublisher = GoogleGCSPublish.fromConfig(mockConfig, logger);
 
-      expect(await errorPublisher.validateConfiguration()).toEqual({
-        isValid: false,
+      expect(await errorPublisher.getReadiness()).toEqual({
+        isAvailable: false,
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/googleStorage.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/googleStorage.ts
index 047518d43f..28fbb42ece 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/googleStorage.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/googleStorage.ts
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ import path from 'path';
 import { Logger } from 'winston';
 import { getFileTreeRecursively, getHeadersForFileExtension } from './helpers';
 import {
-  ConfigurationValidationResponse,
   PublisherBase,
   PublishRequest,
+  ReadinessResponse,
   TechDocsMetadata,
 } from './types';
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ export class GoogleGCSPublish implements PublisherBase {
    * Check if the defined bucket exists. Being able to connect means the configuration is good
    * and the storage client will work.
    */
-  async validateConfiguration(): Promise<ConfigurationValidationResponse> {
+  async getReadiness(): Promise<ReadinessResponse> {
     try {
       await this.storageClient.bucket(this.bucketName).getMetadata();
       this.logger.info(
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export class GoogleGCSPublish implements PublisherBase {
       );
 
       return {
-        isValid: true,
+        isAvailable: true,
       };
     } catch (err) {
       this.logger.error(
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export class GoogleGCSPublish implements PublisherBase {
       );
       this.logger.error(`from GCS client library: ${err.message}`);
 
-      return { isValid: false };
+      return { isAvailable: false };
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/local.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/local.ts
index f641c63031..e09473cf60 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/local.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/local.ts
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ import os from 'os';
 import path from 'path';
 import { Logger } from 'winston';
 import {
-  ConfigurationValidationResponse,
   PublisherBase,
   PublishRequest,
   PublishResponse,
+  ReadinessResponse,
   TechDocsMetadata,
 } from './types';
 
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ export class LocalPublish implements PublisherBase {
     this.discovery = discovery;
   }
 
-  async validateConfiguration(): Promise<ConfigurationValidationResponse> {
+  async getReadiness(): Promise<ReadinessResponse> {
     return {
-      isValid: true,
+      isAvailable: true,
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/openStackSwift.test.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/openStackSwift.test.ts
index 67de30245b..6f0aacede0 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/openStackSwift.test.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/openStackSwift.test.ts
@@ -87,10 +87,10 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 });
 
 describe('OpenStackSwiftPublish', () => {
-  describe('validateConfiguration', () => {
+  describe('getReadiness', () => {
     it('should validate correct config', async () => {
-      expect(await publisher.validateConfiguration()).toEqual({
-        isValid: true,
+      expect(await publisher.getReadiness()).toEqual({
+        isAvailable: true,
       });
     });
 
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ describe('OpenStackSwiftPublish', () => {
         logger,
       );
 
-      expect(await errorPublisher.validateConfiguration()).toEqual({
-        isValid: false,
+      expect(await errorPublisher.getReadiness()).toEqual({
+        isAvailable: false,
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/openStackSwift.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/openStackSwift.ts
index ca05cf2ce5..bff0055402 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/openStackSwift.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/openStackSwift.ts
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ import { Readable } from 'stream';
 import { Logger } from 'winston';
 import { getFileTreeRecursively, getHeadersForFileExtension } from './helpers';
 import {
-  ConfigurationValidationResponse,
   PublisherBase,
   PublishRequest,
+  ReadinessResponse,
   TechDocsMetadata,
 } from './types';
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export class OpenStackSwiftPublish implements PublisherBase {
    * Check if the defined container exists. Being able to connect means the configuration is good
    * and the storage client will work.
    */
-  validateConfiguration(): Promise<ConfigurationValidationResponse> {
+  getReadiness(): Promise<ReadinessResponse> {
     return new Promise(resolve => {
       this.storageClient.getContainer(this.containerName, (err, container) => {
         if (container) {
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ export class OpenStackSwiftPublish implements PublisherBase {
             `Successfully connected to the OpenStack Swift container ${this.containerName}.`,
           );
           resolve({
-            isValid: true,
+            isAvailable: true,
           });
         } else {
           this.logger.error(
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ export class OpenStackSwiftPublish implements PublisherBase {
 
           this.logger.error(`from OpenStack client library: ${err.message}`);
           resolve({
-            isValid: false,
+            isAvailable: false,
           });
         }
       });
diff --git a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/types.ts b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/types.ts
index a4a02ae285..c2849b8e35 100644
--- a/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/types.ts
+++ b/packages/techdocs-common/src/stages/publish/types.ts
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ export type PublishResponse = {
 /**
  * Result for the validation check.
  */
-export type ConfigurationValidationResponse = {
-  /** Tells whether the configuration is valid.   */
-  isValid: boolean;
+export type ReadinessResponse = {
+  /** If true, the publisher is able to interact with the backing storage. */
+  isAvailable: boolean;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@ export type TechDocsMetadata = {
  */
 export interface PublisherBase {
   /**
-   * Check if the configuration is valid. This check tries to perform certain checks to see if the
+   * Check if the publisher is ready. This check tries to perform certain checks to see if the
    * publisher is configured correctly and can be used to publish or read documentations.
    * The different implementations might e.g. use the provided service credentials to access the
    * target or check if a folder/bucket is available.
    */
-  validateConfiguration(): Promise<ConfigurationValidationResponse>;
+  getReadiness(): Promise<ReadinessResponse>;
 
   /**
    * Store the generated static files onto a storage service (either local filesystem or external service).