diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 8e2041e..44ac055 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -1,9 +1,183 @@
+// Package config loads, validates, and merges a TOML override file over the
+// default synth.ClassFreqConfigs map. The single public entry point is Load.
 package config
 
-import "github.com/netsynth/netsynth/classify"
-import "github.com/netsynth/netsynth/synth"
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
-// Load is a stub — implementation pending GREEN phase.
+	"github.com/BurntSushi/toml"
+
+	"github.com/netsynth/netsynth/classify"
+	"github.com/netsynth/netsynth/synth"
+)
+
+// SoundOverride holds optional per-class sound parameters decoded from TOML.
+// Pointer fields: nil = not set by user (keep default), non-nil = user override.
+type SoundOverride struct {
+	Frequency *float64 `toml:"frequency"`
+	Waveform  *string  `toml:"waveform"`
+}
+
+// rawConfig is the top-level TOML decode target.
+type rawConfig struct {
+	Sounds map[string]SoundOverride `toml:"sounds"`
+}
+
+// validWaveforms maps TOML waveform strings to WaveformType constants.
+var validWaveforms = map[string]synth.WaveformType{
+	"sine":     synth.WaveformSine,
+	"square":   synth.WaveformSquare,
+	"sawtooth": synth.WaveformSawtooth,
+	"triangle": synth.WaveformTriangle,
+}
+
+// Load finds, parses, validates, and merges a TOML config file.
+//
+// configPath is the --config flag value; empty string triggers auto-discovery.
+// Returns the merged FreqConfig map (defaults + overrides) ready for synth.NewBank.
+// Returns an error on: explicit file not found, parse errors, unknown keys,
+// type mismatches, or invalid waveform values. Returns no error (uses defaults)
+// when no config is found during auto-discovery.
 func Load(configPath string) (map[classify.TrafficClass]synth.FreqConfig, error) {
-	return nil, nil
+	path, explicit, err := resolvePath(configPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if path == "" {
+		// No config found during auto-discovery — use defaults silently (CFG-02)
+		return copyDefaults(), nil
+	}
+
+	raw, err := parseFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		if explicit && errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("config file not found: %s", configPath)
+		}
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if err := validate(raw); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return merge(copyDefaults(), raw.Sounds), nil
+}
+
+// resolvePath resolves the config path from an explicit flag value or auto-discovery.
+// Returns (path, explicit, error) where explicit=true means the user specified a path.
+func resolvePath(configPath string) (string, bool, error) {
+	if configPath != "" {
+		return configPath, true, nil
+	}
+	return discoverPath(), false, nil
+}
+
+// discoverPath probes the standard discovery locations in precedence order.
+// Returns the first existing config path, or "" if none found.
+// Discovery order: ./netsynth.toml > ~/.config/netsynth/config.toml
+func discoverPath() string {
+	// 1. Working directory
+	if _, err := os.Stat("netsynth.toml"); err == nil {
+		return "netsynth.toml"
+	}
+	// 2. XDG config dir (~/.config/netsynth/config.toml or $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/netsynth/config.toml)
+	dir, err := os.UserConfigDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	p := filepath.Join(dir, "netsynth", "config.toml")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(p); err == nil {
+		return p
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// parseFile decodes the TOML file at path and checks for unknown keys via Undecoded().
+// Returns fs.ErrNotExist-wrapped error when the file does not exist.
+func parseFile(path string) (rawConfig, error) {
+	var raw rawConfig
+	md, err := toml.DecodeFile(path, &raw)
+	if err != nil {
+		// Preserve the fs.ErrNotExist sentinel so Load can distinguish explicit vs discovered.
+		if errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
+			return raw, err
+		}
+		return raw, fmt.Errorf("config parse error: %w", err)
+	}
+	// Detect field-level typos within [sounds.<class>] blocks (CFG-05).
+	// Note: class-name typos in [sounds.<name>] are NOT caught here because all
+	// map keys are valid decode targets. Class validation happens in merge (D-09).
+	if undecoded := md.Undecoded(); len(undecoded) > 0 {
+		keyPath := strings.Join(undecoded[0], ".")
+		return raw, fmt.Errorf("config: unknown key %q — check spelling", keyPath)
+	}
+	return raw, nil
+}
+
+// validate checks waveform strings before merge so we fail fast at startup (D-11).
+func validate(raw rawConfig) error {
+	for _, override := range raw.Sounds {
+		if override.Waveform != nil {
+			if _, err := parseWaveform(*override.Waveform); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// parseWaveform converts a TOML waveform string to a WaveformType.
+func parseWaveform(s string) (synth.WaveformType, error) {
+	if wt, ok := validWaveforms[s]; ok {
+		return wt, nil
+	}
+	valid := []string{"sine", "square", "sawtooth", "triangle"}
+	return 0, fmt.Errorf("config: invalid waveform %q — valid values: %s", s, strings.Join(valid, ", "))
+}
+
+// copyDefaults returns a shallow copy of synth.ClassFreqConfigs.
+// Shallow copy is safe because merge assigns fresh Harmonics slices from
+// WaveformPresetHarmonics, never mutating the original default slice.
+func copyDefaults() map[classify.TrafficClass]synth.FreqConfig {
+	result := make(map[classify.TrafficClass]synth.FreqConfig, len(synth.ClassFreqConfigs))
+	for k, v := range synth.ClassFreqConfigs {
+		result[k] = v
+	}
+	return result
+}
+
+// merge overlays per-class overrides onto the defaults map in-place.
+// Only non-nil pointer fields in each SoundOverride are applied.
+func merge(
+	defaults map[classify.TrafficClass]synth.FreqConfig,
+	overrides map[string]SoundOverride,
+) map[classify.TrafficClass]synth.FreqConfig {
+	for className, override := range overrides {
+		class := classify.TrafficClass(className)
+		cfg, known := defaults[class]
+		if !known {
+			// D-09: unknown class name = warning (not error), in case Phase 7 defines it
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Warning: config: unknown class %q (ignored)\n", className)
+			continue
+		}
+		if override.Frequency != nil {
+			cfg.BaseHz = *override.Frequency
+			// Regenerate harmonics when a waveform preset is active (Pitfall 3)
+			if cfg.WaveformType != synth.WaveformCustom {
+				cfg.Harmonics = synth.WaveformPresetHarmonics(cfg.WaveformType, cfg.BaseHz, synth.SampleRate)
+			}
+		}
+		if override.Waveform != nil {
+			wt, _ := parseWaveform(*override.Waveform) // already validated above
+			cfg.WaveformType = wt
+			cfg.Harmonics = synth.WaveformPresetHarmonics(wt, cfg.BaseHz, synth.SampleRate)
+		}
+		defaults[class] = cfg
+	}
+	return defaults
 }
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index fb3e5e4..14e0ca5 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ require (
 )
 
 require (
+	github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.6.0 // indirect
 	github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap v1.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.9.3 // indirect
 	github.com/sjzar/go-lame v0.0.9 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 43e60b1..d246eea 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.6.0 h1:dRaEfpa2VI55EwlIW72hMRHdWouJeRF7TPYhI+AUQjk=
+github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.6.0/go.mod h1:ukJfTF/6rtPPRCnwkur4qwRxa8vTRFBF0uk2lLoLwho=
 github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.6/go.mod h1:oOW0eioCTA6cOiMLiUPZOpcVxMig6NIQQ7OS05n1F4g=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=