diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index ffccb43..29f3199 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## bunyan 0.5.2 (not yet released)
 
+- [issue #3] More type checking of `new Logger(...)` and `log.child(...)`
+  options.
 - Start a test suite.
 
 
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 09faeb9..e6bec49 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
   logging, if helpful.
 - add option to "streams" to take the raw object, not serialized.
   It would be a good hook for people with custom needs that Bunyan doesn't
-  care about (e.g. log.ly or hook.io or whatever).
+  care about (e.g. http://loggly.com/ or hook.io or whatever).
 - split out `bunyan` cli to a "bunyan" or "bunyan-reader" or "node-bunyan-reader"
   as the basis for tools to consume bunyan logs. It can grow indep of node-bunyan
   for generating the logs.
diff --git a/lib/bunyan.js b/lib/bunyan.js
index 8fbce8f..63ad890 100644
--- a/lib/bunyan.js
+++ b/lib/bunyan.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012 (c) Trent Mick. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012 Trent Mick. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * The bunyan logging library for node.js.
  */
 
 var VERSION = "0.5.2";
@@ -215,12 +217,25 @@ function Logger(options, _childOptions, _childSimple) {
   if (!options) {
     throw new TypeError('options (object) is required');
   }
-  if (!parent && !options.name) {
-    throw new TypeError('options.name (string) is required');
+  if (!parent) {
+    if (!options.name) {
+      throw new TypeError('options.name (string) is required');
+    }
+  } else {
+    if (options.name) {
+      throw new TypeError('invalid options.name: child cannot set logger name');
+    }
   }
   if ((options.stream || options.level) && options.streams) {
     throw new TypeError('cannot mix "streams" with "stream" or "level" options');
   }
+  if (options.streams && !Array.isArray(options.streams)) {
+    throw new TypeError('invalid options.streams: must be an array')
+  }
+  if (options.serializers && (typeof(options.serializers) !== 'object'
+      || Array.isArray(options.serializers))) {
+    throw new TypeError('invalid options.serializers: must be an object')
+  }
 
   // Fast path for simple child creation.
   if (parent && _childSimple) {
diff --git a/test/ctor.test.js b/test/ctor.test.js
index 81e9d9b..9abfe86 100644
--- a/test/ctor.test.js
+++ b/test/ctor.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, Trent Mick. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012 Trent Mick. All rights reserved.
  *
  * Test type checking on creation of the Logger.
  */
@@ -8,8 +8,83 @@ var test = require('tap').test;
 var Logger = require('../lib/bunyan');
 
 
-test("douglas adams", function(t) {
-  t.ok(42, "the answer to life the universe and everything");
+test('ensure Logger creation options', function (t) {
+  t.throws(function () { new Logger(); },
+    {name: 'TypeError', message: 'options (object) is required'},
+    'no options should throw');
+
+  t.throws(function () { new Logger({}); },
+    {name: 'TypeError', message: 'options.name (string) is required'},
+    'no options.name should throw');
+
+  t.doesNotThrow(function () { new Logger({name: 'foo'}); },
+    'just options.name should be sufficient');
+
+  var options = {name: 'foo', stream: process.stdout, streams: []};
+  t.throws(function () { new Logger(options); },
+    'cannot use "stream" and "streams"');
+
+  options = {name: 'foo', level: 'info', streams: []};
+  t.throws(function () { new Logger(options); },
+    'cannot use "level" and "streams"');
+
+  // https://github.com/trentm/node-bunyan/issues/3
+  options = {name: 'foo', streams: {}};
+  t.throws(function () { new Logger(options); },
+    {name: 'TypeError', message: 'invalid options.streams: must be an array'},
+    '"streams" must be an array');
+
+  options = {name: 'foo', serializers: "a string"};
+  t.throws(function () { new Logger(options); },
+    {name: 'TypeError', message: 'invalid options.serializers: must be an object'},
+    '"serializers" cannot be a string');
+
+  options = {name: 'foo', serializers: [1,2,3]};
+  t.throws(function () { new Logger(options); },
+    {name: 'TypeError', message: 'invalid options.serializers: must be an object'},
+    '"serializers" cannot be an array');
+
+  t.end();
+});
+
+
+test('ensure Logger child() options', function (t) {
+  var log = new Logger({name: 'foo'});
+
+  t.doesNotThrow(function () { log.child(); },
+    'no options should be fine');
+
+  t.doesNotThrow(function () { log.child({}); },
+    'empty options should be fine too');
+
+  t.throws(function () { log.child({name: 'foo'}); },
+    {name: 'TypeError', message: 'invalid options.name: child cannot set logger name'},
+    'child cannot change name');
+
+  var options = {stream: process.stdout, streams: []};
+  t.throws(function () { log.child(options); },
+    'cannot use "stream" and "streams"');
+
+  options = {level: 'info', streams: []};
+  t.throws(function () { log.child(options); },
+    'cannot use "level" and "streams"');
+
+  // https://github.com/trentm/node-bunyan/issues/3
+  options = {streams: {}};
+  t.throws(function () { log.child(options); },
+    {name: 'TypeError', message: 'invalid options.streams: must be an array'},
+    '"streams" must be an array');
+
+  options = {serializers: "a string"};
+  t.throws(function () { log.child(options); },
+    {name: 'TypeError', message: 'invalid options.serializers: must be an object'},
+    '"serializers" cannot be a string');
+
+  options = {serializers: [1,2,3]};
+  t.throws(function () { log.child(options); },
+    {name: 'TypeError', message: 'invalid options.serializers: must be an object'},
+    '"serializers" cannot be an array');
+
   t.end();
 });