diff --git a/mandelstudio/launch_validation.py b/mandelstudio/launch_validation.py
index 83e2353..9d1da20 100644
--- a/mandelstudio/launch_validation.py
+++ b/mandelstudio/launch_validation.py
@@ -19,13 +19,39 @@ def _is_dummy_payment_app(app_label: str) -> bool:
     return "payment_dummy" in parts or normalized == "payment_dummy"
 
 
+def _load_config_payload() -> dict:
+    config_path = Path(__file__).resolve().parent / "ocyan.json"
+    if not config_path.exists():
+        return {}
+    with config_path.open("r", encoding="utf-8") as handle:
+        return json.load(handle)
+
+
+def get_declared_plugins() -> list[str]:
+    payload = _load_config_payload()
+    return [str(plugin) for plugin in payload.get("ocyan_plugins", [])]
+
+
+def get_declared_payment_apps(installed_apps: list[str] | None = None) -> list[str]:
+    declared_plugins = [plugin for plugin in get_declared_plugins() if "payment" in plugin.lower()]
+    if declared_plugins:
+        return declared_plugins
+    installed_apps = installed_apps or list(settings.INSTALLED_APPS)
+    return [app for app in installed_apps if "payment" in app.lower()]
+
+
+def get_checkout_apps() -> list[str]:
+    return [app for app in settings.INSTALLED_APPS if "checkout" in app.lower()]
+
+
 def validate_payment_provider_config() -> None:
     installed_apps = list(settings.INSTALLED_APPS)
-    payment_apps = [app for app in installed_apps if "payment" in app.lower()]
-    checkout_apps = [app for app in installed_apps if "checkout" in app.lower()]
+    payment_apps = get_declared_payment_apps(installed_apps)
+    checkout_apps = get_checkout_apps()
+    config_plugins = get_declared_plugins()
 
     if not payment_apps:
-        raise CommandError("No payment app found in INSTALLED_APPS.")
+        raise CommandError("No payment app declared for this project.")
     if not checkout_apps:
         raise CommandError("No checkout app found in INSTALLED_APPS.")
     if not any("oscar_checkout" in app.lower() for app in checkout_apps):
@@ -34,9 +60,9 @@ def validate_payment_provider_config() -> None:
         raise CommandError(
             "Demo data plugin detected in INSTALLED_APPS. Remove all demodata plugins before launch."
         )
-    if any(_is_dummy_payment_app(app) for app in payment_apps):
+    if any(_is_dummy_payment_app(app) for app in config_plugins):
         raise CommandError(
-            "Dummy payment app detected in INSTALLED_APPS. Use a real provider plugin before production launch."
+            "Dummy payment app is declared in ocyan.json. Use a real provider plugin before production launch."
         )
 
     if any("mollie" in app.lower() for app in payment_apps):
@@ -58,11 +84,7 @@ def validate_payment_provider_config() -> None:
                 "Mollie key must be a live key for production launch (expected prefix 'live_')."
             )
 
-    config_path = Path(__file__).resolve().parent / "ocyan.json"
-    if config_path.exists():
-        with config_path.open("r", encoding="utf-8") as handle:
-            config_payload = json.load(handle)
-        config_plugins = [str(plugin) for plugin in config_payload.get("ocyan_plugins", [])]
+    if config_plugins:
         if any(_is_demo_data(plugin) for plugin in config_plugins):
             raise CommandError(
                 "Demo data plugin detected in ocyan.json. Remove it before launch."
diff --git a/mandelstudio/management/commands/validate_idea_marketplace_launch.py b/mandelstudio/management/commands/validate_idea_marketplace_launch.py
index 7902f9a..9cacd8f 100644
--- a/mandelstudio/management/commands/validate_idea_marketplace_launch.py
+++ b/mandelstudio/management/commands/validate_idea_marketplace_launch.py
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ from mandelstudio.idea_marketplace import (
     SHORT_DESCRIPTION_ATTRIBUTE_CODE,
 )
 from mandelstudio.launch_validation import (
-    _is_dummy_payment_app,
+    get_checkout_apps,
+    get_declared_payment_apps,
     validate_payment_provider_config,
 )
 
@@ -38,11 +39,8 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         validate_payment_provider_config()
 
         installed_apps = list(settings.INSTALLED_APPS)
-        if any(_is_dummy_payment_app(app) for app in installed_apps):
-            raise CommandError(
-                "Dummy payment app detected in INSTALLED_APPS. Use a real provider plugin before production launch."
-            )
-
+        payment_apps = get_declared_payment_apps(installed_apps)
+        checkout_apps = get_checkout_apps()
         config_path = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "ocyan.json"
         if config_path.exists():
             with config_path.open("r", encoding="utf-8") as handle: