diff --git a/cmd/gateway/gateway_suite_test.go b/cmd/gateway/gateway_suite_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..878d92fbdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/gateway/gateway_suite_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package main_test
+
+import (
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestGateway(t *testing.T) {
+	RegisterFailHandler(Fail)
+	RunSpecs(t, "Gateway Suite")
+}
diff --git a/cmd/gateway/main.go b/cmd/gateway/main.go
index 39b182bd07..39e6afe9a5 100644
--- a/cmd/gateway/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gateway/main.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/nginxinc/nginx-gateway-kubernetes/internal/config"
@@ -10,6 +11,10 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/log/zap"
 )
 
+const (
+	domain string = "gateway.nginx.org"
+)
+
 var (
 	// Set during go build
 	version string
@@ -17,23 +22,27 @@ var (
 	date    string
 
 	// Command-line flags
-	gatewayCtlrName = flag.String("gateway-ctlr-name", "", "The name of the Gateway controller")
+	gatewayCtlrName = flag.String(
+		"gateway-ctlr-name",
+		"",
+		fmt.Sprintf("The name of the Gateway controller. The controller name must be of the form: DOMAIN/NAMESPACE/NAME. The controller's domain is '%s'.", domain),
+	)
 )
 
 func main() {
 	flag.Parse()
 
-	if *gatewayCtlrName == "" {
-		flag.PrintDefaults()
-		os.Exit(1)
-	}
-
 	logger := zap.New()
 	conf := config.Config{
 		GatewayCtlrName: *gatewayCtlrName,
 		Logger:          logger,
 	}
 
+	MustValidateArguments(
+		flag.CommandLine,
+		GatewayControllerParam(domain, "nginx-gateway" /* TODO dynamically set */),
+	)
+
 	logger.Info("Starting NGINX Gateway",
 		"version", version,
 		"commit", commit,
diff --git a/cmd/gateway/setup.go b/cmd/gateway/setup.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9961153cfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/gateway/setup.go
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
+	flag "github.com/spf13/pflag"
+)
+
+const (
+	errTmpl = "failed validation - flag: '--%s' reason: '%s'\n"
+)
+
+type Validator func(*flag.FlagSet) error
+type ValidatorContext struct {
+	Key string
+	V   Validator
+}
+
+func GatewayControllerParam(domain string, namespace string) ValidatorContext {
+	name := "gateway-ctlr-name"
+	return ValidatorContext{
+		name,
+		func(flagset *flag.FlagSet) error {
+			// FIXME(yacobucci) this does not provide the same regex validation as
+			// GatewayClass.ControllerName. provide equal and then specific validation
+			param, err := flagset.GetString(name)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if len(param) == 0 {
+				return errors.New("flag must be set")
+			}
+
+			fields := strings.Split(param, "/")
+			l := len(fields)
+			if l != 3 {
+				return errors.New("unsupported path length, must be form DOMAIN/NAMESPACE/NAME")
+			}
+
+			for i := len(fields); i > 0; i-- {
+				switch i {
+				case 3:
+					if fields[0] != domain {
+						return fmt.Errorf("invalid domain: %s", fields[0])
+					}
+					fields = fields[1:]
+				case 2:
+					if fields[0] != namespace {
+						return fmt.Errorf("cross namespace unsupported: %s", fields[0])
+					}
+					fields = fields[1:]
+				case 1:
+					if fields[0] == "" {
+						return errors.New("must provide a name")
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func ValidateArguments(flagset *flag.FlagSet, validators ...ValidatorContext) []string {
+	var msgs []string
+	for _, v := range validators {
+		if flagset.Lookup(v.Key) != nil {
+			err := v.V(flagset)
+			if err != nil {
+				msgs = append(msgs, fmt.Sprintf(errTmpl, v.Key, err.Error()))
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return msgs
+}
+
+func MustValidateArguments(flagset *flag.FlagSet, validators ...ValidatorContext) {
+	msgs := ValidateArguments(flagset, validators...)
+	if msgs != nil {
+		for i := range msgs {
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s", msgs[i])
+		}
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "")
+
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Usage of %s:\n", os.Args[0])
+		flag.PrintDefaults()
+
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/gateway/setup_test.go b/cmd/gateway/setup_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..51e050d894
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/gateway/setup_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+package main_test
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+
+	. "github.com/nginxinc/nginx-gateway-kubernetes/cmd/gateway"
+	flag "github.com/spf13/pflag"
+
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+)
+
+var domain string
+
+func MockValidator(name string, called *int, succeed bool) ValidatorContext {
+	return ValidatorContext{
+		name,
+		func(_ *flag.FlagSet) error {
+			*called++
+
+			if !succeed {
+				return errors.New("Mock error")
+			}
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+var _ = Describe("Main", func() {
+	Describe("Generic Validator", func() {
+		var mockFlags *flag.FlagSet
+		BeforeEach(func() {
+			mockFlags = flag.NewFlagSet("mock", flag.PanicOnError)
+			_ = mockFlags.String("validator-1", "", "validator-1")
+			_ = mockFlags.String("validator-2", "", "validator-2")
+			_ = mockFlags.String("validator-3", "", "validator-3")
+			err := mockFlags.Parse([]string{})
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		})
+		AfterEach(func() {
+			mockFlags = nil
+		})
+		It("should call all validators", func() {
+			var called int
+			table := []struct {
+				ExpectedCalls int
+				Success       bool
+				Contexts      []ValidatorContext
+			}{
+				{
+					0,
+					true,
+					[]ValidatorContext{},
+				},
+				{
+					0,
+					true,
+					[]ValidatorContext{
+						MockValidator("no-flag-set", &called, true),
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					1,
+					true,
+					[]ValidatorContext{
+						MockValidator("validator-1", &called, true),
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					1,
+					true,
+					[]ValidatorContext{
+						MockValidator("no-flag-set", &called, true),
+						MockValidator("validator-1", &called, true),
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					2,
+					true,
+					[]ValidatorContext{
+						MockValidator("validator-1", &called, true),
+						MockValidator("validator-2", &called, true),
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					3,
+					true,
+					[]ValidatorContext{
+						MockValidator("validator-1", &called, true),
+						MockValidator("validator-2", &called, true),
+						MockValidator("validator-3", &called, true),
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					3,
+					false,
+					[]ValidatorContext{
+						MockValidator("validator-1", &called, false),
+						MockValidator("validator-2", &called, true),
+						MockValidator("validator-3", &called, true),
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					3,
+					false,
+					[]ValidatorContext{
+						MockValidator("validator-1", &called, true),
+						MockValidator("validator-2", &called, true),
+						MockValidator("validator-3", &called, false),
+					},
+				},
+			}
+
+			for i := range table {
+				called = 0
+				msgs := ValidateArguments(mockFlags, table[i].Contexts...)
+				Expect(msgs == nil).To(Equal(table[i].Success))
+				Expect(called).To(Equal(table[i].ExpectedCalls))
+			}
+		}) // should call all validators
+	}) // Generic Validator
+
+	Describe("CLI argument validation", func() {
+		type testCase struct {
+			Param    string
+			Domain   string
+			ExpError bool
+		}
+
+		var mockFlags *flag.FlagSet
+		var gatewayCtlrName string
+
+		tester := func(t testCase) {
+			err := mockFlags.Set(gatewayCtlrName, t.Param)
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+			v := GatewayControllerParam(domain, t.Domain)
+			Expect(v.V).ToNot(BeNil())
+
+			err = v.V(mockFlags)
+			if t.ExpError {
+				Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+			} else {
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			}
+		}
+		runner := func(table []testCase) {
+			for i := range table {
+				tester(table[i])
+			}
+		}
+
+		BeforeEach(func() {
+			domain = "k8s-gateway.nginx.org"
+			gatewayCtlrName = "gateway-ctlr-name"
+
+			mockFlags = flag.NewFlagSet("mock", flag.PanicOnError)
+			_ = mockFlags.String("gateway-ctlr-name", "", "mock gateway-ctlr-name")
+			err := mockFlags.Parse([]string{})
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		})
+		AfterEach(func() {
+			mockFlags = nil
+		})
+		It("should parse full gateway-ctlr-name", func() {
+			t := testCase{
+				"k8s-gateway.nginx.org/nginx-gateway/my-gateway",
+				"nginx-gateway",
+				false,
+			}
+			tester(t)
+		}) // should parse full gateway-ctlr-name
+
+		It("should fail with too many path elements", func() {
+			t := testCase{
+				"k8s-gateway.nginx.org/nginx-gateway/my-gateway/broken",
+				"nginx-gateway",
+				true,
+			}
+			tester(t)
+		}) // should fail with too many path elements
+
+		It("should fail with too few path elements", func() {
+			table := []testCase{
+				{
+					Param:    "nginx-gateway/my-gateway",
+					Domain:   "nginx-gateway",
+					ExpError: true,
+				},
+				{
+					Param:    "my-gateway",
+					Domain:   "nginx-gateway",
+					ExpError: true,
+				},
+			}
+
+			runner(table)
+		}) // should fail with too few path elements
+
+		It("should verify constraints", func() {
+			table := []testCase{
+				{
+					// bad domain
+					Param:    "invalid-domain/nginx-gateway/my-gateway",
+					Domain:   "nginx-gateway",
+					ExpError: true,
+				},
+				{
+					// bad domain
+					Param:    "/default/my-gateway",
+					Domain:   "nginx-gateway",
+					ExpError: true,
+				},
+				{
+					// bad namespace
+					Param:    "k8s-gateway.nginx.org/default/my-gateway",
+					Domain:   "nginx-gateway",
+					ExpError: true,
+				},
+				{
+					// bad namespace
+					Param:    "k8s-gateway.nginx.org//my-gateway",
+					Domain:   "nginx-gateway",
+					ExpError: true,
+				},
+				{
+					// bad name
+					Param:    "k8s-gateway.nginx.org/default/",
+					Domain:   "nginx-gateway",
+					ExpError: true,
+				},
+			}
+
+			runner(table)
+		}) // should verify constraints
+	}) // CLI argument validation
+}) // end Main
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 6207e993d6..50f83bc1dc 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/google/gofuzz v1.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/google/uuid v1.1.2 // indirect
 	github.com/googleapis/gnostic v0.5.5 // indirect
+	github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru v0.5.4 // indirect
 	github.com/imdario/mergo v0.3.12 // indirect
 	github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/josharian/intern v1.0.0 // indirect
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/prometheus/common v0.28.0 // indirect
 	github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.6.0 // indirect
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.2.1 // indirect
+	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/atomic v1.9.0 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/multierr v1.7.0 // indirect
 	go.uber.org/zap v1.19.1 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index c947bf52a6..8df48e3c56 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ github.com/google/go-cmp v0.5.6/go.mod h1:v8dTdLbMG2kIc/vJvl+f65V22dbkXbowE6jgT/
 github.com/google/gofuzz v1.0.0/go.mod h1:dBl0BpW6vV/+mYPU4Po3pmUjxk6FQPldtuIdl/M65Eg=
 github.com/google/gofuzz v1.1.0 h1:Hsa8mG0dQ46ij8Sl2AYJDUv1oA9/d6Vk+3LG99Oe02g=
 github.com/google/gofuzz v1.1.0/go.mod h1:dBl0BpW6vV/+mYPU4Po3pmUjxk6FQPldtuIdl/M65Eg=
+github.com/google/martian v2.1.0+incompatible h1:/CP5g8u/VJHijgedC/Legn3BAbAaWPgecwXBIDzw5no=
 github.com/google/martian v2.1.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:9I4somxYTbIHy5NJKHRl3wXiIaQGbYVAs8BPL6v8lEs=
 github.com/google/martian/v3 v3.0.0/go.mod h1:y5Zk1BBys9G+gd6Jrk0W3cC1+ELVxBWuIGO+w/tUAp0=
 github.com/google/martian/v3 v3.1.0/go.mod h1:y5Zk1BBys9G+gd6Jrk0W3cC1+ELVxBWuIGO+w/tUAp0=
@@ -287,6 +288,7 @@ github.com/hashicorp/consul/api v1.1.0/go.mod h1:VmuI/Lkw1nC05EYQWNKwWGbkg+FbDBt
 github.com/hashicorp/consul/sdk v0.1.1/go.mod h1:VKf9jXwCTEY1QZP2MOLRhb5i/I/ssyNV1vwHyQBF0x8=
 github.com/hashicorp/errwrap v1.0.0/go.mod h1:YH+1FKiLXxHSkmPseP+kNlulaMuP3n2brvKWEqk/Jc4=
 github.com/hashicorp/go-cleanhttp v0.5.1/go.mod h1:JpRdi6/HCYpAwUzNwuwqhbovhLtngrth3wmdIIUrZ80=
+github.com/hashicorp/go-immutable-radix v1.0.0 h1:AKDB1HM5PWEA7i4nhcpwOrO2byshxBjXVn/J/3+z5/0=
 github.com/hashicorp/go-immutable-radix v1.0.0/go.mod h1:0y9vanUI8NX6FsYoO3zeMjhV/C5i9g4Q3DwcSNZ4P60=
 github.com/hashicorp/go-msgpack v0.5.3/go.mod h1:ahLV/dePpqEmjfWmKiqvPkv/twdG7iPBM1vqhUKIvfM=
 github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror v1.0.0/go.mod h1:dHtQlpGsu+cZNNAkkCN/P3hoUDHhCYQXV3UM06sGGrk=
@@ -294,10 +296,12 @@ github.com/hashicorp/go-rootcerts v1.0.0/go.mod h1:K6zTfqpRlCUIjkwsN4Z+hiSfzSTQa
 github.com/hashicorp/go-sockaddr v1.0.0/go.mod h1:7Xibr9yA9JjQq1JpNB2Vw7kxv8xerXegt+ozgdvDeDU=
 github.com/hashicorp/go-syslog v1.0.0/go.mod h1:qPfqrKkXGihmCqbJM2mZgkZGvKG1dFdvsLplgctolz4=
 github.com/hashicorp/go-uuid v1.0.0/go.mod h1:6SBZvOh/SIDV7/2o3Jml5SYk/TvGqwFJ/bN7x4byOro=
+github.com/hashicorp/go-uuid v1.0.1 h1:fv1ep09latC32wFoVwnqcnKJGnMSdBanPczbHAYm1BE=
 github.com/hashicorp/go-uuid v1.0.1/go.mod h1:6SBZvOh/SIDV7/2o3Jml5SYk/TvGqwFJ/bN7x4byOro=
 github.com/hashicorp/go.net v0.0.1/go.mod h1:hjKkEWcCURg++eb33jQU7oqQcI9XDCnUzHA0oac0k90=
 github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru v0.5.0/go.mod h1:/m3WP610KZHVQ1SGc6re/UDhFvYD7pJ4Ao+sR/qLZy8=
 github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru v0.5.1/go.mod h1:/m3WP610KZHVQ1SGc6re/UDhFvYD7pJ4Ao+sR/qLZy8=
+github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru v0.5.4 h1:YDjusn29QI/Das2iO9M0BHnIbxPeyuCHsjMW+lJfyTc=
 github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru v0.5.4/go.mod h1:iADmTwqILo4mZ8BN3D2Q6+9jd8WM5uGBxy+E8yxSoD4=
 github.com/hashicorp/hcl v1.0.0/go.mod h1:E5yfLk+7swimpb2L/Alb/PJmXilQ/rhwaUYs4T20WEQ=
 github.com/hashicorp/logutils v1.0.0/go.mod h1:QIAnNjmIWmVIIkWDTG1z5v++HQmx9WQRO+LraFDTW64=