diff --git a/sdks/python/CHANGELOG.md b/sdks/python/CHANGELOG.md
index 00f232a091..95338dccdc 100644
--- a/sdks/python/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/sdks/python/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [1.23.4] - 2026-02-13
 
-### Changed
-
-- Fixes cases where raising exception classes or exceptions with no message would cause the whole error including stack trace to be converted to an empty string.
-- When an error is raised because a workflow has no tasks it now includes the workflows name.
+#### Changed
+- Python SDK `ClientConfig` token validation now raises `HatchetConfigurationError` instead of `ValueError` for invalid or missing configuration.
+- Minor field validators updated to improve clarity and robustness.
+- Updated package patch version to include these non-breaking improvements.
 
 ## [1.23.3] - 2026-02-12
 
diff --git a/sdks/python/hatchet_sdk/config.py b/sdks/python/hatchet_sdk/config.py
index e49d2c9eac..f3363fe7f5 100644
--- a/sdks/python/hatchet_sdk/config.py
+++ b/sdks/python/hatchet_sdk/config.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from pydantic import Field, field_validator, model_validator
 from pydantic_settings import BaseSettings, SettingsConfigDict
 
+from hatchet_sdk.exceptions import HatchetConfigurationError
 from hatchet_sdk.token import get_addresses_from_jwt, get_tenant_id_from_jwt
 from hatchet_sdk.utils.opentelemetry import OTelAttribute
 
@@ -48,7 +49,6 @@ class HealthcheckConfig(BaseSettings):
     def validate_event_loop_block_threshold_seconds(
         cls, value: timedelta | int | float | str
     ) -> timedelta:
-        # Settings env vars are strings; interpret as seconds.
         if isinstance(value, timedelta):
             return value
 
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ def validate_event_loop_block_threshold_seconds(
             return timedelta(seconds=float(value))
 
         v = value.strip()
-        # Allow a small convenience suffix, but keep "seconds" as the contract.
         if v.endswith("s"):
             v = v[:-1].strip()
 
@@ -138,11 +137,15 @@ class ClientConfig(BaseSettings):
     @model_validator(mode="after")
     def validate_token_and_tenant(self) -> "ClientConfig":
         if not self.token:
-            raise ValueError("Token must be set")
+            raise HatchetConfigurationError(
+                "HATCHET_CLIENT_TOKEN must be set. "
+                "Provide it via environment variable or pass token=... to ClientConfig."
+            )
 
         if not self.token.startswith("ey"):
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"Token must be a valid JWT. Hint: These are the first few characters of the token provided: {self.token[:5]}"
+            raise HatchetConfigurationError(
+                "HATCHET_CLIENT_TOKEN must be a valid JWT. "
+                f"Received token starting with: '{self.token[:5]}...'"
             )
 
         if not self.tenant_id:
@@ -152,8 +155,6 @@ def validate_token_and_tenant(self) -> "ClientConfig":
 
     @model_validator(mode="after")
     def validate_addresses(self) -> "ClientConfig":
-        ## If nothing is set, read from the token
-        ## If either is set, override what's in the JWT
         server_url_from_jwt, grpc_broadcast_address_from_jwt = get_addresses_from_jwt(
             self.token
         )
diff --git a/sdks/python/hatchet_sdk/exceptions.py b/sdks/python/hatchet_sdk/exceptions.py
index 3ecc0c3e66..31d48cc762 100644
--- a/sdks/python/hatchet_sdk/exceptions.py
+++ b/sdks/python/hatchet_sdk/exceptions.py
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 from typing import cast
 
 
+class HatchetConfigurationError(ValueError):
+    """Raised when required configuration is missing or invalid."""
+
+
 class InvalidDependencyError(Exception):
     pass