diff --git a/docs/guides/service-discovery.md b/docs/guides/service-discovery.md
index 4c91047..98c6e6b 100644
--- a/docs/guides/service-discovery.md
+++ b/docs/guides/service-discovery.md
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ For an app named `myapp` with a `convox.yml` like this:
         internal: true
         ports:
           - 5000
-          - 5001
       web:
         port: 3000
 
@@ -44,16 +43,15 @@ You would see a `convox services` output similar to this:
 
     $ convox services
     SERVICE  DOMAIN                               PORTS
-    auth     auth.convox-myapp.svc.cluster.local  5000 5001
+    auth     auth.convox-myapp.svc.cluster.local  5000
     web      web.myapp.0a1b2c3d4e5f.convox.cloud  443:3000
 
-The `web` Service could reach the `auth` Service using the following endpoints:
+The `web` Service could reach the `auth` Service using the following URL:
 
-* `auth.convox-myapp.svc.cluster.local:5000`
-* `auth.convox-myapp.svc.cluster.local:5001`
+* `http://auth.convox-myapp.svc.cluster.local:5000`
 
-> Note that the internal `auth` Service is no longer receiving automatic HTTPS termination. If you want this
-> connection to be encrypted you would need to terminate HTTPS inside your Service.
+> Note that the internal port of the `auth` Service is not receiving automatic SSL termination. 
+> If you want this connection to be encrypted you would need to handle SSL inside the Service.
 
 DNS search suffixes are automatically configured for internal hostnames on a Rack. The following URLs would
 also work for contacting the `auth` Service:
@@ -61,5 +59,5 @@ also work for contacting the `auth` Service:
 * `http://auth:5000` for Services on the same app.
 * `http://auth.convox-myapp:5000` for other apps on the same Rack.
 
-> The `convox` portion of the internal hostnames in the examples above is the name of the Rack.
+> The `convox` portion of these internal hostnames is the name of the Rack.
 > You can find the name of a Rack using `convox rack`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/manifest/helpers.go b/pkg/manifest/helpers.go
index 7f9d25f..e3f257b 100644
--- a/pkg/manifest/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/manifest/helpers.go
@@ -1,20 +1,9 @@
 package manifest
 
 import (
-	"math/rand"
 	"regexp"
 )
 
-func coalesce(ss ...string) string {
-	for _, s := range ss {
-		if s != "" {
-			return s
-		}
-	}
-
-	return ""
-}
-
 var regexpInterpolation = regexp.MustCompile(`\$\{([^}]*?)\}`)
 
 func interpolate(data []byte, env map[string]string) ([]byte, error) {
@@ -24,13 +13,3 @@ func interpolate(data []byte, env map[string]string) ([]byte, error) {
 
 	return p, nil
 }
-
-var randomAlphabet = []rune("ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz")
-
-func randomString(size int) string {
-	b := make([]rune, size)
-	for i := range b {
-		b[i] = randomAlphabet[rand.Intn(len(randomAlphabet))]
-	}
-	return string(b)
-}
diff --git a/pkg/manifest/manifest.go b/pkg/manifest/manifest.go
index 998c5a9..088a17f 100644
--- a/pkg/manifest/manifest.go
+++ b/pkg/manifest/manifest.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package manifest
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"math/rand"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ func Load(data []byte, env map[string]string) (*Manifest, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err := m.ValidateEnv(); err != nil {
+	if err := m.Validate(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -82,6 +81,68 @@ func (m *Manifest) Agents() []string {
 	return a
 }
 
+func (m *Manifest) ApplyDefaults() error {
+	for i, s := range m.Services {
+		if s.Build.Path == "" && s.Image == "" {
+			m.Services[i].Build.Path = "."
+		}
+
+		if m.Services[i].Build.Path != "" && s.Build.Manifest == "" {
+			m.Services[i].Build.Manifest = "Dockerfile"
+		}
+
+		if s.Drain == 0 {
+			m.Services[i].Drain = 30
+		}
+
+		if s.Health.Path == "" {
+			m.Services[i].Health.Path = "/"
+		}
+
+		if s.Health.Interval == 0 {
+			m.Services[i].Health.Interval = 5
+		}
+
+		if s.Health.Grace == 0 {
+			m.Services[i].Health.Grace = m.Services[i].Health.Interval
+		}
+
+		if s.Health.Timeout == 0 {
+			m.Services[i].Health.Timeout = m.Services[i].Health.Interval - 1
+		}
+
+		if s.Port.Port > 0 && s.Port.Scheme == "" {
+			m.Services[i].Port.Scheme = "http"
+		}
+
+		sp := fmt.Sprintf("services.%s.scale", s.Name)
+
+		// if no scale attributes set
+		if len(m.AttributesByPrefix(sp)) == 0 {
+			m.Services[i].Scale.Count = ServiceScaleCount{Min: 1, Max: 1}
+		}
+
+		// if no explicit count attribute set yet has multiple scale attributes other than count
+		if !m.AttributeExists(fmt.Sprintf("%s.count", sp)) && len(m.AttributesByPrefix(sp)) > 1 {
+			m.Services[i].Scale.Count = ServiceScaleCount{Min: 1, Max: 1}
+		}
+
+		if m.Services[i].Scale.Cpu == 0 {
+			m.Services[i].Scale.Cpu = DefaultCpu
+		}
+
+		if m.Services[i].Scale.Memory == 0 {
+			m.Services[i].Scale.Memory = DefaultMem
+		}
+
+		if !m.AttributeExists(fmt.Sprintf("services.%s.sticky", s.Name)) {
+			m.Services[i].Sticky = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (m *Manifest) Attributes() []string {
 	attrs := []string{}
 
@@ -106,7 +167,7 @@ func (m *Manifest) AttributesByPrefix(prefix string) []string {
 	return attrs
 }
 
-func (m *Manifest) AttributeSet(name string) bool {
+func (m *Manifest) AttributeExists(name string) bool {
 	return m.attributes[name]
 }
 
@@ -114,20 +175,9 @@ func (m *Manifest) Env() map[string]string {
 	return m.env
 }
 
-// used only for tests
-func (m *Manifest) SetAttributes(attrs []string) {
-	m.attributes = map[string]bool{}
-
-	for _, a := range attrs {
-		m.attributes[a] = true
-	}
-}
-
-// used only for tests
-func (m *Manifest) SetEnv(env map[string]string) {
-	m.env = env
-}
-
+// CombineEnv calculates the final environment of each service
+// and filters m.env to the union of all service env vars
+// defined in the manifest
 func (m *Manifest) CombineEnv() error {
 	for i, s := range m.Services {
 		me := make([]string, len(m.Environment))
@@ -135,6 +185,25 @@ func (m *Manifest) CombineEnv() error {
 		m.Services[i].Environment = append(me, s.Environment...)
 	}
 
+	keys := map[string]bool{}
+
+	for _, s := range m.Services {
+		env, err := m.ServiceEnvironment(s.Name)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		for k := range env {
+			keys[k] = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	for k := range m.env {
+		if !keys[k] {
+			delete(m.env, k)
+		}
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -195,95 +264,16 @@ func (m *Manifest) ServiceEnvironment(service string) (map[string]string, error)
 	return env, nil
 }
 
-// ValidateEnv returns an error if required env vars for a service are not available
-// It also filters m.env to the union of all service env vars defined in the manifest
-func (m *Manifest) ValidateEnv() error {
-	keys := map[string]bool{}
+// used only for tests
+func (m *Manifest) SetAttributes(attrs []string) {
+	m.attributes = map[string]bool{}
 
-	for _, s := range m.Services {
-		env, err := m.ServiceEnvironment(s.Name)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		for k := range env {
-			keys[k] = true
-		}
-	}
-
-	for k := range m.env {
-		if !keys[k] {
-			delete(m.env, k)
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (m *Manifest) ApplyDefaults() error {
-	for i, s := range m.Services {
-		if s.Build.Path == "" && s.Image == "" {
-			m.Services[i].Build.Path = "."
-		}
-
-		if m.Services[i].Build.Path != "" && s.Build.Manifest == "" {
-			m.Services[i].Build.Manifest = "Dockerfile"
-		}
-
-		if s.Drain == 0 {
-			m.Services[i].Drain = 30
-		}
-
-		if s.Health.Path == "" {
-			m.Services[i].Health.Path = "/"
-		}
-
-		if s.Health.Interval == 0 {
-			m.Services[i].Health.Interval = 5
-		}
-
-		if s.Health.Grace == 0 {
-			m.Services[i].Health.Grace = m.Services[i].Health.Interval
-		}
-
-		if s.Health.Timeout == 0 {
-			m.Services[i].Health.Timeout = m.Services[i].Health.Interval - 1
-		}
-
-		if s.Port.Port > 0 && s.Port.Scheme == "" {
-			m.Services[i].Port.Scheme = "http"
-		}
-
-		sp := fmt.Sprintf("services.%s.scale", s.Name)
-
-		// if no scale attributes set
-		if len(m.AttributesByPrefix(sp)) == 0 {
-			m.Services[i].Scale.Count = ServiceScaleCount{Min: 1, Max: 1}
-		}
-
-		// if no explicit count attribute set yet has multiple scale attributes other than count
-		if !m.AttributeSet(fmt.Sprintf("%s.count", sp)) && len(m.AttributesByPrefix(sp)) > 1 {
-			m.Services[i].Scale.Count = ServiceScaleCount{Min: 1, Max: 1}
-		}
-
-		if m.Services[i].Scale.Cpu == 0 {
-			m.Services[i].Scale.Cpu = DefaultCpu
-		}
-
-		if m.Services[i].Scale.Memory == 0 {
-			m.Services[i].Scale.Memory = DefaultMem
-		}
-
-		if !m.AttributeSet(fmt.Sprintf("services.%s.sticky", s.Name)) {
-			m.Services[i].Sticky = true
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func message(w io.Writer, format string, args ...interface{}) {
-	if w != nil {
-		w.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf(format, args...) + "\n"))
+	for _, a := range attrs {
+		m.attributes[a] = true
 	}
 }
+
+// used only for tests
+func (m *Manifest) SetEnv(env map[string]string) {
+	m.env = env
+}
diff --git a/pkg/manifest/manifest_test.go b/pkg/manifest/manifest_test.go
index 9b3431f..7924205 100644
--- a/pkg/manifest/manifest_test.go
+++ b/pkg/manifest/manifest_test.go
@@ -329,7 +329,6 @@ func TestManifestLoad(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// env processing that normally happens as part of load
 	require.NoError(t, n.CombineEnv())
-	require.NoError(t, n.ValidateEnv())
 
 	m, err := testdataManifest("full", env)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -388,7 +387,6 @@ func TestManifestLoadSimple(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// env processing that normally happens as part of load
 	require.NoError(t, n.CombineEnv())
-	require.NoError(t, n.ValidateEnv())
 
 	m, err := testdataManifest("simple", map[string]string{"REQUIRED": "test"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -414,6 +412,7 @@ func TestManifestLoadInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 
 	m, err = testdataManifest("invalid.2", map[string]string{})
 	require.NotNil(t, m)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.Len(t, m.Services, 0)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/manifest/service.go b/pkg/manifest/service.go
index cc9834a..6858afe 100644
--- a/pkg/manifest/service.go
+++ b/pkg/manifest/service.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ type Service struct {
 	Image       string                `yaml:"image,omitempty"`
 	Init        bool                  `yaml:"init,omitempty"`
 	Internal    bool                  `yaml:"internal,omitempty"`
-	Links       []string              `yaml:"links,omitempty"`
 	Port        ServicePortScheme     `yaml:"port,omitempty"`
 	Ports       []ServicePortProtocol `yaml:"ports,omitempty"`
 	Privileged  bool                  `yaml:"privileged,omitempty"`
diff --git a/pkg/manifest/validate.go b/pkg/manifest/validate.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..01f39db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/manifest/validate.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package manifest
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+func (m *Manifest) Validate() error {
+	if err := m.validateEnv(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := m.validateResources(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (m *Manifest) validateEnv() error {
+	for _, s := range m.Services {
+		if _, err := m.ServiceEnvironment(s.Name); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (m *Manifest) validateResources() error {
+	for _, r := range m.Resources {
+		if strings.TrimSpace(r.Type) == "" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("resource %q has blank type", r.Name)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/manifest/yaml.go b/pkg/manifest/yaml.go
index 8ae3d45..e17d301 100644
--- a/pkg/manifest/yaml.go
+++ b/pkg/manifest/yaml.go
@@ -447,11 +447,11 @@ func (v *ServiceScaleCount) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) err
 		}
 	case map[interface{}]interface{}:
 		if min := t["min"]; min != nil {
-			switch min.(type) {
+			switch u := min.(type) {
 			case int:
-				v.Min = min.(int)
+				v.Min = u
 			case string:
-				mins, err := strconv.Atoi(min.(string))
+				mins, err := strconv.Atoi(u)
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
@@ -461,11 +461,11 @@ func (v *ServiceScaleCount) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) err
 			}
 		}
 		if max := t["max"]; max != nil {
-			switch max.(type) {
+			switch u := max.(type) {
 			case int:
-				v.Max = max.(int)
+				v.Max = u
 			case string:
-				maxs, err := strconv.Atoi(max.(string))
+				maxs, err := strconv.Atoi(u)
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
diff --git a/provider/k8s/process.go b/provider/k8s/process.go
index 12a94b0..005644d 100644
--- a/provider/k8s/process.go
+++ b/provider/k8s/process.go
@@ -350,27 +350,17 @@ func (p *Provider) podSpecFromService(app, service, release string) (*ac.PodSpec
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		env := map[string]string{}
-
 		senv, err := p.systemEnvironment(app, release)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
+		env := map[string]string{}
+
 		for k, v := range senv {
 			env[k] = v
 		}
 
-		e := structs.Environment{}
-
-		if err := e.Load([]byte(r.Env)); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-
-		for k, v := range e {
-			env[k] = v
-		}
-
 		if s, _ := m.Service(service); s != nil {
 			if s.Command != "" {
 				parts, err := shellquote.Split(s.Command)
@@ -384,10 +374,6 @@ func (p *Provider) podSpecFromService(app, service, release string) (*ac.PodSpec
 				env[k] = v
 			}
 
-			for _, l := range s.Links {
-				env[fmt.Sprintf("%s_URL", envName(l))] = fmt.Sprintf("https://%s.%s.%s", l, app, p.Name)
-			}
-
 			for _, r := range s.Resources {
 				cm, err := p.Cluster.CoreV1().ConfigMaps(p.AppNamespace(app)).Get(fmt.Sprintf("resource-%s", r), am.GetOptions{})
 				if err != nil {
@@ -421,6 +407,16 @@ func (p *Provider) podSpecFromService(app, service, release string) (*ac.PodSpec
 			}
 		}
 
+		e := structs.Environment{}
+
+		if err := e.Load([]byte(r.Env)); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		for k, v := range e {
+			env[k] = v
+		}
+
 		for k, v := range env {
 			c.Env = append(c.Env, ac.EnvVar{Name: k, Value: v})
 		}
diff --git a/provider/k8s/template/app/service.yml.tmpl b/provider/k8s/template/app/service.yml.tmpl
index ca16744..819e4f3 100644
--- a/provider/k8s/template/app/service.yml.tmpl
+++ b/provider/k8s/template/app/service.yml.tmpl
@@ -80,10 +80,6 @@ spec:
           valueFrom:
             fieldRef:
               fieldPath: status.hostIP
-        {{ range .Service.Links }}
-        - name: {{ envname . }}_URL
-          value: https://{{.}}.{{$.App.Name}}.{{$.Rack}}
-        {{ end }}
         {{ range .Service.Resources }}
         - name: {{ envname . }}_URL
           valueFrom:
diff --git a/provider/k8s/template/app/timer.yml.tmpl b/provider/k8s/template/app/timer.yml.tmpl
index b113339..562cc38 100644
--- a/provider/k8s/template/app/timer.yml.tmpl
+++ b/provider/k8s/template/app/timer.yml.tmpl
@@ -37,10 +37,6 @@ spec:
               - {{ safe . }}
             {{ end }}
             env:
-            {{ range .Service.Links }}
-            - name: {{ envname . }}_URL
-              value: https://{{.}}.{{$.App.Name}}.{{$.Rack}}
-            {{ end }}
             {{ range .Service.Resources }}
             - name: {{ envname . }}_URL
               valueFrom: