diff --git a/macro/Cargo.toml b/macro/Cargo.toml
index 51dd2b2..020c08e 100644
--- a/macro/Cargo.toml
+++ b/macro/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ license = "MIT/Apache-2.0"
 proc-macro = true
 
 [dependencies]
-darling = "0.13.0"
-heck = "0.3.2"
-proc-macro2 = "1.0"
-quote = "1.0"
 syn = "1.0"
+quote = "1.0"
+proc-macro2 = "1.0"
+heck = "0.3.2"
diff --git a/macro/src/ir.rs b/macro/src/ir.rs
index a0c5d64..e6ee088 100644
--- a/macro/src/ir.rs
+++ b/macro/src/ir.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 //! Definition of the intermediate representation.
 
+use syn::{Error, Token, parse::{Parse, ParseStream}, spanned::Spanned};
+
+use crate::util::{is_option, unwrap_option};
+
 
 /// The parsed input to the `gen_config` macro.
 pub(crate) struct Input {
@@ -53,7 +57,6 @@ impl LeafKind {
 
 /// The kinds of expressions (just literals) we allow for default or example
 /// values.
-#[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) enum Expr {
     Str(syn::LitStr),
     Int(syn::LitInt),
@@ -61,3 +64,263 @@ pub(crate) enum Expr {
     Bool(syn::LitBool),
     // TODO: arrays?
 }
+
+impl Input {
+    pub(crate) fn from_ast(mut input: syn::DeriveInput) -> Result<Self, Error> {
+        let fields = match input.data {
+            syn::Data::Struct(syn::DataStruct { fields: syn::Fields::Named(f), .. }) => f,
+            _ => return Err(Error::new(
+                input.span(),
+                "`confique::Config` can only be derive for structs with named fields",
+            )),
+        };
+
+        let doc = extract_doc(&mut input.attrs);
+        let fields = fields.named.into_iter()
+            .map(Field::from_ast)
+            .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?;
+
+
+        Ok(Self {
+            doc,
+            visibility: input.vis,
+            name: input.ident,
+            fields,
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl Field {
+    fn from_ast(mut field: syn::Field) -> Result<Self, Error> {
+        let doc = extract_doc(&mut field.attrs);
+        let attrs = extract_internal_attrs(&mut field.attrs)?;
+
+        // TODO: check no other attributes are here
+        let kind = if attrs.nested {
+            if is_option(&field.ty) {
+                return Err(Error::new(
+                    field.ident.span(),
+                    "nested configurations cannot be optional (type `Option<_>`)",
+                ));
+            }
+            if attrs.default.is_some() {
+                return Err(Error::new(
+                    field.ident.span(),
+                    "cannot specify `nested` and `default` attributes at the same time",
+                ));
+            }
+            if attrs.env.is_some() {
+                return Err(Error::new(
+                    field.ident.span(),
+                    "cannot specify `nested` and `env` attributes at the same time",
+                ));
+            }
+
+            FieldKind::Nested { ty: field.ty }
+        } else {
+            match unwrap_option(&field.ty) {
+                None => FieldKind::Leaf {
+                    env: attrs.env,
+                    kind: LeafKind::Required {
+                        default: attrs.default,
+                        ty: field.ty,
+                    },
+                },
+                Some(inner) => {
+                    if attrs.default.is_some() {
+                        return Err(Error::new(
+                            field.ident.span(),
+                            "optional fields (type `Option<_>`) cannot have default \
+                                values (`#[config(default = ...)]`)",
+                        ));
+                    }
+
+                    FieldKind::Leaf {
+                        env: attrs.env,
+                        kind: LeafKind::Optional {
+                            inner_ty: inner.clone(),
+                        },
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        Ok(Self {
+            doc,
+            name: field.ident.expect("bug: expected named field"),
+            kind,
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn is_leaf(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self.kind, FieldKind::Leaf { .. })
+    }
+}
+
+impl Expr {
+    fn from_lit(lit: syn::Lit) -> Result<Self, Error> {
+        match lit {
+            syn::Lit::Str(l) => Ok(Self::Str(l)),
+            syn::Lit::Int(l) => Ok(Self::Int(l)),
+            syn::Lit::Float(l) => Ok(Self::Float(l)),
+            syn::Lit::Bool(l) => Ok(Self::Bool(l)),
+
+            _ => {
+                let msg = "only string, integer, float and bool literals are allowed here";
+                Err(Error::new(lit.span(), msg))
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Extracts all doc string attributes from the list and return them as list of
+/// strings (in order).
+fn extract_doc(attrs: &mut Vec<syn::Attribute>) -> Vec<String> {
+    extract_attrs(attrs, |attr| {
+        match attr.parse_meta().ok()? {
+            syn::Meta::NameValue(syn::MetaNameValue {
+                lit: syn::Lit::Str(s),
+                path,
+                ..
+            }) if path.is_ident("doc") => Some(s.value()),
+            _ => None,
+        }
+    })
+}
+
+fn extract_attrs<P, O>(attrs: &mut Vec<syn::Attribute>, mut pred: P) -> Vec<O>
+where
+    P: FnMut(&syn::Attribute) -> Option<O>,
+{
+    // TODO: use `Vec::drain_filter` once stabilized. The current impl is O(n²).
+    let mut i = 0;
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    while i < attrs.len() {
+        match pred(&attrs[i]) {
+            Some(v) => {
+                out.push(v);
+                attrs.remove(i);
+            }
+            None => i += 1,
+        }
+    }
+
+    out
+}
+
+fn extract_internal_attrs(
+    attrs: &mut Vec<syn::Attribute>,
+) -> Result<InternalAttrs, Error> {
+    let internal_attrs = extract_attrs(attrs, |attr| {
+        if attr.path.is_ident("config") {
+            // TODO: clone not necessary once we use drain_filter
+            Some(attr.clone())
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    });
+
+
+    let mut out = InternalAttrs::default();
+    for attr in internal_attrs {
+        type AttrList = syn::punctuated::Punctuated<InternalAttr, Token![,]>;
+        let parsed_list = attr.parse_args_with(AttrList::parse_terminated)?;
+
+        for parsed in parsed_list {
+            let keyword = parsed.keyword();
+
+            macro_rules! duplicate_if {
+                ($cond:expr) => {
+                    if $cond {
+                        let msg = format!("duplicate '{}' confique attribute", keyword);
+                        return Err(Error::new(attr.tokens.span(), msg));
+                    }
+                };
+            }
+
+            match parsed {
+                InternalAttr::Default(expr) => {
+                    duplicate_if!(out.default.is_some());
+                    out.default = Some(expr);
+                }
+                InternalAttr::Nested => {
+                    duplicate_if!(out.nested);
+                    out.nested = true;
+                }
+                InternalAttr::Env(key) => {
+                    duplicate_if!(out.env.is_some());
+                    out.env = Some(key);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok(out)
+}
+
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct InternalAttrs {
+    nested: bool,
+    default: Option<Expr>,
+    env: Option<String>
+}
+
+enum InternalAttr {
+    Nested,
+    Default(Expr),
+    Env(String),
+}
+
+impl InternalAttr {
+    fn keyword(&self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            Self::Nested => "nested",
+            Self::Default(_) => "default",
+            Self::Env(_) => "env",
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Parse for InternalAttr {
+    fn parse(input: ParseStream) -> Result<Self, syn::Error> {
+        let ident: syn::Ident = input.parse()?;
+        match &*ident.to_string() {
+            "nested" => {
+                assert_empty_or_comma(input)?;
+                Ok(Self::Nested)
+            }
+
+            "default" => {
+                let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+                let expr = Expr::from_lit(input.parse()?)?;
+                assert_empty_or_comma(input)?;
+                Ok(Self::Default(expr))
+            }
+
+            "env" => {
+                let _: Token![=] = input.parse()?;
+                let key: syn::LitStr = input.parse()?;
+                assert_empty_or_comma(input)?;
+                let value = key.value();
+                if value.contains('=') || value.contains('\0') {
+                    Err(syn::Error::new(
+                        key.span(),
+                        "environment variable key must not contain '=' or null bytes",
+                    ))
+                } else {
+                    Ok(Self::Env(value))
+                }
+            }
+
+            _ => Err(syn::Error::new(ident.span(), "unknown confique attribute")),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn assert_empty_or_comma(input: ParseStream) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    if input.is_empty() || input.peek(Token![,]) {
+        Ok(())
+    } else {
+        Err(Error::new(input.span(), "unexpected tokens, expected no more tokens in this context"))
+    }
+}
diff --git a/macro/src/lib.rs b/macro/src/lib.rs
index bc1c79f..51eaba7 100644
--- a/macro/src/lib.rs
+++ b/macro/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,19 +3,14 @@ use proc_macro::TokenStream as TokenStream1;
 
 mod gen;
 mod ir;
-mod parse;
 mod util;
 
 
 #[proc_macro_derive(Config, attributes(config))]
 pub fn config(input: TokenStream1) -> TokenStream1 {
-    let input = match syn::parse2::<syn::DeriveInput>(input.into()) {
-        Err(e) => return e.to_compile_error().into(),
-        Ok(i) => i,
-    };
-
-    ir::Input::from_ast(input)
+    syn::parse2::<syn::DeriveInput>(input.into())
+        .and_then(ir::Input::from_ast)
         .map(gen::gen)
-        .unwrap_or_else(|e| e.write_errors())
+        .unwrap_or_else(|e| e.to_compile_error())
         .into()
 }
diff --git a/macro/src/parse.rs b/macro/src/parse.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index b85906e..0000000
--- a/macro/src/parse.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,187 +0,0 @@
-use darling::Error;
-use syn::spanned::Spanned;
-
-use crate::{ir, util::{is_option, unwrap_option}};
-
-
-macro_rules! bail {
-    ($span:expr, $msg:expr $(,)?) => {
-        return Err(Error::custom($msg).with_span(&$span))
-    };
-}
-
-impl ir::Input {
-    pub(crate) fn from_ast(mut input: syn::DeriveInput) -> Result<Self, Error> {
-        let struct_fields = match input.data {
-            syn::Data::Struct(syn::DataStruct { fields: syn::Fields::Named(f), .. }) => f,
-            _ => bail!(
-                input.span(),
-                "`confique::Config` can only be derive for structs with named fields",
-            ),
-        };
-
-        let doc = extract_doc(&mut input.attrs);
-
-        let mut errors = Vec::new();
-        let mut fields = Vec::new();
-        for field in struct_fields.named {
-            match ir::Field::from_ast(field) {
-                Ok(f) => fields.push(f),
-                Err(e) => errors.push(e),
-            }
-        }
-
-        if !errors.is_empty() {
-            return Err(Error::multiple(errors));
-        }
-
-        Ok(Self {
-            doc,
-            visibility: input.vis,
-            name: input.ident,
-            fields,
-        })
-    }
-}
-
-impl ir::Field {
-    fn from_ast(field: syn::Field) -> Result<Self, darling::Error> {
-        use darling::FromField;
-        let mut field = Field::from_field(&field)?;
-        let doc = extract_doc(&mut field.attrs);
-
-        let kind = if field.nested {
-            // Nested field.
-
-            if is_option(&field.ty) {
-                bail!(
-                    field.ident.span(),
-                    "nested configurations cannot be optional (type `Option<_>`)",
-                );
-            }
-            if field.default.is_some() {
-                bail!(
-                    field.ident.span(),
-                    "cannot specify `nested` and `default` attributes at the same time",
-                );
-            }
-            if field.env.is_some() {
-                bail!(
-                    field.ident.span(),
-                    "cannot specify `nested` and `env` attributes at the same time",
-                );
-            }
-
-            ir::FieldKind::Nested { ty: field.ty }
-        } else {
-            // Leaf field.
-
-            match unwrap_option(&field.ty) {
-                None => ir::FieldKind::Leaf {
-                    env: field.env,
-                    kind: ir::LeafKind::Required {
-                        default: field.default,
-                        ty: field.ty,
-                    },
-                },
-                Some(inner) => {
-                    if field.default.is_some() {
-                        bail!(
-                            field.ident.span(),
-                            "optional fields (type `Option<_>`) cannot have default \
-                                values (`#[config(default = ...)]`)",
-                        );
-                    }
-
-                    ir::FieldKind::Leaf {
-                        env: field.env,
-                        kind: ir::LeafKind::Optional {
-                            inner_ty: inner.clone(),
-                        },
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        };
-
-        Ok(Self {
-            doc,
-            name: field.ident.expect("bug: expected named field"),
-            kind,
-        })
-    }
-
-    pub(crate) fn is_leaf(&self) -> bool {
-        matches!(self.kind, ir::FieldKind::Leaf { .. })
-    }
-}
-
-impl darling::FromMeta for ir::Expr {
-    fn from_value(lit: &syn::Lit) -> Result<Self, darling::Error> {
-        match lit {
-            syn::Lit::Str(l) => Ok(Self::Str(l.clone())),
-            syn::Lit::Int(l) => Ok(Self::Int(l.clone())),
-            syn::Lit::Float(l) => Ok(Self::Float(l.clone())),
-            syn::Lit::Bool(l) => Ok(Self::Bool(l.clone())),
-
-            _ => {
-                // let msg = "only string, integer, float and bool literals are allowed here";
-                // Err(Error::new(lit.span(), msg))
-                Err(darling::Error::unexpected_lit_type(lit))
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-
-
-#[derive(Debug, darling::FromField)]
-#[darling(attributes(config), forward_attrs(doc))]
-struct Field {
-    ident: Option<syn::Ident>,
-    ty: syn::Type,
-    attrs: Vec<syn::Attribute>,
-
-    #[darling(default)]
-    nested: bool,
-
-    #[darling(default)]
-    env: Option<String>,
-
-    #[darling(default)]
-    default: Option<ir::Expr>,
-}
-
-/// Extracts all doc string attributes from the list and return them as list of
-/// strings (in order).
-fn extract_doc(attrs: &mut Vec<syn::Attribute>) -> Vec<String> {
-    extract_attrs(attrs, |attr| {
-        match attr.parse_meta().ok()? {
-            syn::Meta::NameValue(syn::MetaNameValue {
-                lit: syn::Lit::Str(s),
-                path,
-                ..
-            }) if path.is_ident("doc") => Some(s.value()),
-            _ => None,
-        }
-    })
-}
-
-fn extract_attrs<P, O>(attrs: &mut Vec<syn::Attribute>, mut pred: P) -> Vec<O>
-where
-    P: FnMut(&syn::Attribute) -> Option<O>,
-{
-    // TODO: use `Vec::drain_filter` once stabilized. The current impl is O(n²).
-    let mut i = 0;
-    let mut out = Vec::new();
-    while i < attrs.len() {
-        match pred(&attrs[i]) {
-            Some(v) => {
-                out.push(v);
-                attrs.remove(i);
-            }
-            None => i += 1,
-        }
-    }
-
-    out
-}