diff --git a/component/componenttest/nop_receiver.go b/component/componenttest/nop_receiver.go
index 3bc2993fdf4..839e97de797 100644
--- a/component/componenttest/nop_receiver.go
+++ b/component/componenttest/nop_receiver.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ package componenttest
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"errors"
 
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/component"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/component/componenthelper"
@@ -39,24 +38,10 @@ func (f *nopReceiverFactory) Type() config.Type {
 	return "nop"
 }
 
-// TODO: Consider to remove this or move it to configtest.
-type NopConfig struct {
-	config.ReceiverSettings
-}
-
-func (nc *NopConfig) Validate() error {
-	if nc.TypeVal != "nop" {
-		return errors.New("invalid receiver config")
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // CreateDefaultConfig creates the default configuration for the Receiver.
 func (f *nopReceiverFactory) CreateDefaultConfig() config.Receiver {
-	return &NopConfig{
-		ReceiverSettings: config.ReceiverSettings{
-			TypeVal: f.Type(),
-		},
+	return &config.ReceiverSettings{
+		TypeVal: f.Type(),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/component/componenttest/nop_receiver_test.go b/component/componenttest/nop_receiver_test.go
index db29340d5ad..0e9904c6107 100644
--- a/component/componenttest/nop_receiver_test.go
+++ b/component/componenttest/nop_receiver_test.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func TestNewNopReceiverFactory(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotNil(t, factory)
 	assert.Equal(t, config.Type("nop"), factory.Type())
 	cfg := factory.CreateDefaultConfig()
-	assert.Equal(t, &NopConfig{ReceiverSettings: config.ReceiverSettings{TypeVal: factory.Type()}}, cfg)
+	assert.Equal(t, &config.ReceiverSettings{TypeVal: factory.Type()}, cfg)
 
 	traces, err := factory.CreateTracesReceiver(context.Background(), component.ReceiverCreateParams{}, cfg, consumertest.NewTracesNop())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/config/receiver.go b/config/receiver.go
index 95e530cac93..155fa3455b3 100644
--- a/config/receiver.go
+++ b/config/receiver.go
@@ -27,12 +27,13 @@ type Receivers map[string]Receiver
 
 // ReceiverSettings defines common settings for a receiver configuration.
 // Specific receivers can embed this struct and extend it with more fields if needed.
+// It is highly recommended to "override" the Validate() function.
 type ReceiverSettings struct {
 	TypeVal Type   `mapstructure:"-"`
 	NameVal string `mapstructure:"-"`
 }
 
-var _ NamedEntity = (*ReceiverSettings)(nil)
+var _ Receiver = (*ReceiverSettings)(nil)
 
 // Name gets the receiver name.
 func (rs *ReceiverSettings) Name() string {
@@ -48,3 +49,8 @@ func (rs *ReceiverSettings) SetName(name string) {
 func (rs *ReceiverSettings) Type() Type {
 	return rs.TypeVal
 }
+
+// Validate validates the configuration and returns an error if invalid.
+func (rs *ReceiverSettings) Validate() error {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/testcomponents/example_receiver.go b/internal/testcomponents/example_receiver.go
index aa90b9f4c85..7f5a76e14c2 100644
--- a/internal/testcomponents/example_receiver.go
+++ b/internal/testcomponents/example_receiver.go
@@ -36,10 +36,6 @@ type ExampleReceiver struct {
 	ExtraListSetting []string          `mapstructure:"extra_list"`
 }
 
-func (ecfg *ExampleReceiver) Validate() error {
-	return nil
-}
-
 const recvType = "examplereceiver"
 
 // ExampleReceiverFactory is factory for ExampleReceiver.
diff --git a/receiver/receiverhelper/factory_test.go b/receiver/receiverhelper/factory_test.go
index d28db0e2177..22b39a6bab9 100644
--- a/receiver/receiverhelper/factory_test.go
+++ b/receiver/receiverhelper/factory_test.go
@@ -23,18 +23,15 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/component"
-	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/component/componenttest"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/config"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/consumer"
 )
 
 const typeStr = "test"
 
-var defaultCfg = &componenttest.NopConfig{
-	ReceiverSettings: config.ReceiverSettings{
-		TypeVal: typeStr,
-		NameVal: typeStr,
-	},
+var defaultCfg = &config.ReceiverSettings{
+	TypeVal: typeStr,
+	NameVal: typeStr,
 }
 
 func TestNewFactory(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/service/internal/builder/factories_test.go b/service/internal/builder/factories_test.go
index f25a375feb9..c5787cc1c17 100644
--- a/service/internal/builder/factories_test.go
+++ b/service/internal/builder/factories_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/component"
-	componenttest "go.opentelemetry.io/collector/component/componenttest"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/config"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/exporter/exporterhelper"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/extension/extensionhelper"
@@ -59,9 +58,7 @@ func createTestFactories() component.Factories {
 
 func newBadReceiverFactory() component.ReceiverFactory {
 	return receiverhelper.NewFactory("bf", func() config.Receiver {
-		return &componenttest.NopConfig{
-			ReceiverSettings: config.ReceiverSettings{TypeVal: "bf"},
-		}
+		return &config.ReceiverSettings{TypeVal: "bf"}
 	})
 }
 
@@ -85,7 +82,7 @@ func newBadExtensionFactory() component.ExtensionFactory {
 	return extensionhelper.NewFactory(
 		"bf",
 		func() config.Extension {
-			return &config.ExporterSettings{
+			return &config.ExtensionSettings{
 				TypeVal: "bf",
 			}
 		},
diff --git a/service/internal/builder/receivers_builder_test.go b/service/internal/builder/receivers_builder_test.go
index 425f889fa7b..c2558d3b0a8 100644
--- a/service/internal/builder/receivers_builder_test.go
+++ b/service/internal/builder/receivers_builder_test.go
@@ -334,7 +334,8 @@ func TestBuildReceivers_NotSupportedDataType(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(test.configFile, func(t *testing.T) {
 
 			cfg, err := configtest.LoadConfigFile(t, path.Join("testdata", test.configFile), factories)
-			assert.Error(t, err)
+			assert.NoError(t, err)
+			require.NotNil(t, cfg)
 
 			allExporters, err := BuildExporters(zap.NewNop(), component.DefaultApplicationStartInfo(), cfg, factories.Exporters)
 			assert.NoError(t, err)