diff --git a/include/sharg/detail/poison_config.hpp b/include/sharg/detail/poison_config.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aa60ae94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/sharg/detail/poison_config.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Copyright (c) 2006-2023, Knut Reinert & Freie Universität Berlin
+// Copyright (c) 2016-2023, Knut Reinert & MPI für molekulare Genetik
+// This file may be used, modified and/or redistributed under the terms of the 3-clause BSD-License
+// shipped with this file and also available at: https://github.com/seqan/sharg-parser/blob/main/LICENSE.md
+// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/*!\file
+ * \author Enrico Seiler <enrico.seiler AT fu-berlin.de>
+ * \brief Provides sharg::detail::poison_config.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <sharg/config.hpp>
+
+namespace sharg::detail
+{
+
+/*!\brief This struct is used to prevent the user from calling sharg::parser::add_option, sharg::parser::add_flag,
+ *        and sharg::parser::add_positional_option without a sharg::config.
+ * \ingroup parser
+ * \details
+ * This prevents (and produces a legible error message) for calls like:
+ * ```
+ * parser.add_option(value, {.short_id = 'i', .long_id = "int", .description = "Desc."});
+ * ```
+ * instead of
+ * ```
+ * parser.add_option(value, sharg::config{.short_id = 'i', .long_id = "int", .description = "Desc."});
+ * ```
+ */
+struct poison_config
+{
+    char short_id{'\0'};           //!< Same as sharg::config::short_id.
+    std::string long_id{};         //!< Same as sharg::config::long_id.
+    std::string description{};     //!< Same as sharg::config::description.
+    std::string default_message{}; //!< Same as sharg::config::default_message.
+    bool advanced{false};          //!< Same as sharg::config::advanced.
+    bool hidden{false};            //!< Same as sharg::config::hidden.
+    bool required{false};          //!< Same as sharg::config::required.
+    std::any validator{};          //!< Prevents CTAD inside a function call, which would cause a compiler error.
+};
+
+/*!\brief A validator used for comparing the size of sharg::config and sharg::poison_config.
+ * \ingroup parser
+ * \details
+ * The `sizeof(std::any)` is typically `16`, while `sizeof(sharg::detail::default_validator)` is `1`.
+ * `poison_config_size_comp_validator` provides a validator whose size is the same as the size of `std::any`.
+ */
+struct poison_config_size_comp_validator : public detail::default_validator
+{
+    std::any validator{}; //!< A member such that the sizes of sharg::config and sharg::poison_config are the same.
+};
+
+/*!\concept sharg::detail::poison_config_valid
+ * \ingroup parser
+ * \brief Concept that checks that sharg::poison_config has the same members as sharg::config.
+ * \tparam validator_t The validator to use. Defaults to sharg::detail::poison_config_size_comp_validator.
+ * \details
+ * * Sizes of sharg::config and sharg::detail::poison_config are the same.
+ * * sharg::detail::poison_config can be constructed with designated initializers from sharg::config's members.
+ * * sharg::config can be constructed with designated initializers from sharg::detail::poison_config's members.
+ */
+template <typename validator_t = poison_config_size_comp_validator>
+concept poison_config_valid = (sizeof(poison_config) == sizeof(config<validator_t>))
+                           && requires (config<validator_t> cfg, poison_config poison_cfg) {
+                                  {
+                                      poison_config{.short_id = cfg.short_id,
+                                                    .long_id = cfg.long_id,
+                                                    .description = cfg.description,
+                                                    .default_message = cfg.default_message,
+                                                    .advanced = cfg.advanced,
+                                                    .hidden = cfg.hidden,
+                                                    .required = cfg.required,
+                                                    .validator = cfg.validator}
+                                  };
+                                  {
+                                      config<validator_t>{.short_id = poison_cfg.short_id,
+                                                          .long_id = poison_cfg.long_id,
+                                                          .description = poison_cfg.description,
+                                                          .default_message = poison_cfg.default_message,
+                                                          .advanced = poison_cfg.advanced,
+                                                          .hidden = poison_cfg.hidden,
+                                                          .required = poison_cfg.required,
+                                                          .validator = std::any_cast<validator_t>(poison_cfg.validator)}
+                                  };
+                              };
+
+static_assert(poison_config_valid<>, "sharg::detail::poison_config must have the same members as sharg::config!");
+
+} // namespace sharg::detail
diff --git a/include/sharg/parser.hpp b/include/sharg/parser.hpp
index 7e22e285..3f5f5b30 100644
--- a/include/sharg/parser.hpp
+++ b/include/sharg/parser.hpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <sharg/detail/format_man.hpp>
 #include <sharg/detail/format_parse.hpp>
 #include <sharg/detail/format_tdl.hpp>
+#include <sharg/detail/poison_config.hpp>
 #include <sharg/detail/version_check.hpp>
 
 namespace sharg
@@ -257,6 +258,15 @@ class parser
             format);
     }
 
+    //!\cond DEV
+    //!\brief A poison overload that catches calls to add_option without explicitly passing a sharg::config.
+    template <typename option_type>
+    void add_option(option_type &, detail::poison_config const &)
+    {
+        static_assert(false, "Forgot sharg::config?");
+    }
+    //!\endcond
+
     /*!\brief Adds a flag to the sharg::parser.
      *
      * \param[in, out] value     The variable which shows if the flag is turned off (default) or on.
@@ -286,6 +296,16 @@ class parser
             format);
     }
 
+    //!\cond DEV
+    //!\brief A poison overload that catches calls to add_flag without explicitly passing a sharg::config.
+    template <typename option_type> // Template needed to prevent instantiation of this function if unused.
+        requires std::same_as<option_type, bool>
+    void add_flag(option_type &, detail::poison_config const &)
+    {
+        static_assert(false, "Forgot sharg::config?");
+    }
+    //!\endcond
+
     /*!\brief Adds a positional option to the sharg::parser.
      *
      * \tparam option_type Must have a formatted input function (stream >> value).
@@ -327,6 +347,16 @@ class parser
             },
             format);
     }
+
+    //!\cond DEV
+    //!\brief A poison overload that catches calls to add_positional_option without explicitly passing a sharg::config.
+    template <typename option_type>
+    void add_positional_option(option_type &, detail::poison_config const &)
+    {
+        static_assert(false, "Forgot sharg::config?");
+    }
+    //!\endcond
+
     //!\}
 
     /*!\brief Initiates the actual command line parsing.