diff --git a/amr-wind/immersed_boundary/IB.cpp b/amr-wind/immersed_boundary/IB.cpp
index a2bf830ad7..848ad6660c 100644
--- a/amr-wind/immersed_boundary/IB.cpp
+++ b/amr-wind/immersed_boundary/IB.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "amr-wind/CFDSim.H"
 #include "amr-wind/core/FieldRepo.H"
 #include "amr-wind/core/MultiParser.H"
+#include "amr-wind/utilities/io_utils.H"
 
 #include <algorithm>
 
@@ -26,6 +27,9 @@ void IB::pre_init_actions()
 
     amrex::Vector<std::string> labels;
     pp.getarr("labels", labels);
+    ioutils::assert_with_message(
+        ioutils::all_distinct(labels),
+        "Duplicates in " + identifier() + ".labels");
 
     const int n_ibs = static_cast<int>(labels.size());
 
diff --git a/amr-wind/utilities/ascent/ascent.cpp b/amr-wind/utilities/ascent/ascent.cpp
index a43736c9ca..d533b881da 100644
--- a/amr-wind/utilities/ascent/ascent.cpp
+++ b/amr-wind/utilities/ascent/ascent.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ void AscentPostProcess::initialize()
     {
         amrex::ParmParse pp("ascent");
         pp.getarr("fields", field_names);
+        ioutils::assert_with_message(
+            ioutils::all_distinct(field_names), "Duplicates in ascent.fields");
         pp.query("output_frequency", m_out_freq);
     }
 
diff --git a/amr-wind/utilities/averaging/TimeAveraging.cpp b/amr-wind/utilities/averaging/TimeAveraging.cpp
index 4c1d35c753..3e326d3e66 100644
--- a/amr-wind/utilities/averaging/TimeAveraging.cpp
+++ b/amr-wind/utilities/averaging/TimeAveraging.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "amr-wind/utilities/averaging/TimeAveraging.H"
 #include "amr-wind/utilities/averaging/ReAveraging.H"
+#include "amr-wind/utilities/io_utils.H"
 #include "amr-wind/CFDSim.H"
 
 #include "AMReX_ParmParse.H"
@@ -21,6 +22,9 @@ void TimeAveraging::pre_init_actions()
     {
         amrex::ParmParse pp(m_label);
         pp.getarr("labels", labels);
+        ioutils::assert_with_message(
+            ioutils::all_distinct(labels),
+            "Duplicates in " + m_label + ".labels");
         pp.query("averaging_start_time", m_start_time);
         pp.query("averaging_stop_time", m_stop_time);
         pp.get("averaging_window", m_filter);
@@ -34,17 +38,14 @@ void TimeAveraging::pre_init_actions()
 
         amrex::ParmParse pp1(pp_key);
         pp1.getarr("fields", fnames);
+        ioutils::assert_with_message(
+            ioutils::all_distinct(fnames),
+            "Duplicates in " + pp_key + ".fields");
         pp1.get("averaging_type", avg_type);
 
         for (const auto& fname : fnames) {
             const std::string key = fname + "_" + avg_type;
 
-            // Guard against multiple registrations of the field
-            const auto found = m_registered.find(key);
-            if (found != m_registered.end()) {
-                continue;
-            }
-
             // Create the averaging entity
             m_averages.emplace_back(
                 FieldTimeAverage::create(avg_type, m_sim, fname));
diff --git a/amr-wind/utilities/io_utils.H b/amr-wind/utilities/io_utils.H
index 89074ce80b..005716aa2c 100644
--- a/amr-wind/utilities/io_utils.H
+++ b/amr-wind/utilities/io_utils.H
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <ctime>
 #include <string>
 #include <sstream>
+#include <unordered_set>
 #include "AMReX_Vector.H"
 
 namespace amrex {
@@ -59,6 +60,20 @@ inline void add_var_names(
         }
     }
 }
+
+template <typename T>
+inline bool all_distinct(const amrex::Vector<T>& vec)
+{
+    std::unordered_set<T> s(vec.begin(), vec.end());
+    return static_cast<amrex::Long>(s.size()) == vec.size();
+}
+
+inline void assert_with_message(const bool val, const std::string& msg)
+{
+    if (!val) {
+        amrex::Abort(msg);
+    }
+}
 } // namespace amr_wind::ioutils
 
 #endif /* IO_UTILS_H */
diff --git a/amr-wind/utilities/sampling/Sampling.cpp b/amr-wind/utilities/sampling/Sampling.cpp
index aa7e37885c..622c352c8c 100644
--- a/amr-wind/utilities/sampling/Sampling.cpp
+++ b/amr-wind/utilities/sampling/Sampling.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,13 @@ void Sampling::initialize()
     {
         amrex::ParmParse pp(m_label);
         pp.getarr("labels", labels);
+        ioutils::assert_with_message(
+            ioutils::all_distinct(labels),
+            "Duplicates in " + m_label + ".labels");
         pp.getarr("fields", field_names);
+        ioutils::assert_with_message(
+            ioutils::all_distinct(field_names),
+            "Duplicates in " + m_label + ".fields");
         pp.queryarr("derived_fields", derived_field_names);
         pp.query("output_frequency", m_out_freq);
         pp.query("output_format", m_out_fmt);
diff --git a/amr-wind/wind_energy/actuator/Actuator.cpp b/amr-wind/wind_energy/actuator/Actuator.cpp
index d09c664ed1..91109eadd3 100644
--- a/amr-wind/wind_energy/actuator/Actuator.cpp
+++ b/amr-wind/wind_energy/actuator/Actuator.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "amr-wind/wind_energy/actuator/ActuatorContainer.H"
 #include "amr-wind/CFDSim.H"
 #include "amr-wind/core/FieldRepo.H"
+#include "amr-wind/utilities/io_utils.H"
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <memory>
@@ -23,6 +24,9 @@ void Actuator::pre_init_actions()
 
     amrex::Vector<std::string> labels;
     pp.getarr("labels", labels);
+    ioutils::assert_with_message(
+        ioutils::all_distinct(labels),
+        "Duplicates in " + identifier() + ".labels");
 
     const int nturbines = static_cast<int>(labels.size());
 
@@ -306,4 +310,4 @@ T* Actuator::get_actuator(std::string& key) const
     amrex::Abort("Could not find actuator");
 }
 
-} // namespace amr_wind::actuator
\ No newline at end of file
+} // namespace amr_wind::actuator