diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_hocon.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_hocon.erl
index 6b2cdfb55..ebf5e0f44 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_hocon.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_hocon.erl
@@ -17,13 +17,40 @@
 %% @doc HOCON schema help module
 -module(emqx_hocon).
 
--export([format_path/1]).
+-export([ format_path/1
+        , check/2
+        ]).
 
+%% @doc Format hocon config field path to dot-separated string in iolist format.
+-spec format_path([atom() | string() | binary()]) -> iolist().
 format_path([]) -> "";
 format_path([Name]) -> iol(Name);
 format_path([Name | Rest]) ->
     [iol(Name) , "." | format_path(Rest)].
 
+%% @doc Plain check the input config.
+%% The input can either be `richmap' or plain `map'.
+%% Always return plain map with atom keys.
+-spec check(module(), hocon:config() | iodata()) ->
+        {ok, hocon:config()} | {error, any()}.
+check(SchemaModule, Conf) when is_map(Conf) ->
+    %% TODO: remove nullable
+    %% fields should state nullable or not in their schema
+    Opts = #{atom_key => true, nullable => true},
+    try
+        {ok, hocon_tconf:check_plain(SchemaModule, Conf, Opts)}
+    catch
+        throw : Reason ->
+            {error, Reason}
+    end;
+check(SchemaModule, HoconText) ->
+    case hocon:binary(HoconText, #{format => map}) of
+        {ok, MapConfig} ->
+            check(SchemaModule, MapConfig);
+        {error, Reason} ->
+            {error, Reason}
+    end.
+
 %% Ensure iolist()
 iol(B) when is_binary(B) -> B;
 iol(A) when is_atom(A) -> atom_to_binary(A, utf8);
diff --git a/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource.erl b/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource.erl
index 48641e4ba..851d2a4c4 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_resource/src/emqx_resource.erl
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@
         , list_group_instances/1
         ]).
 
--define(HOCON_CHECK_OPTS, #{atom_key => true, nullable => true}).
 -define(DEFAULT_RESOURCE_GROUP, <<"default">>).
 
 -optional_callbacks([ on_query/4
@@ -294,22 +293,8 @@ call_jsonify(Mod, Config) ->
 
 -spec check_config(resource_type(), raw_resource_config()) ->
     {ok, resource_config()} | {error, term()}.
-check_config(ResourceType, RawConfig) when is_binary(RawConfig) ->
-    case hocon:binary(RawConfig, #{format => map}) of
-        {ok, MapConfig} ->
-            check_config(ResourceType, MapConfig);
-        {error, Reason} ->
-            {error, Reason}
-    end;
-check_config(ResourceType, RawConfigTerm) ->
-    %% hocon_tconf map and check APIs throw exception on bad configs
-    try hocon_tconf:check_plain(ResourceType, RawConfigTerm, ?HOCON_CHECK_OPTS) of
-        Config ->
-            {ok, Config}
-    catch
-        throw : Reason ->
-            {error, Reason}
-    end.
+check_config(ResourceType, Conf) ->
+    emqx_hocon:check(ResourceType, Conf).
 
 -spec check_and_create(instance_id(), resource_type(), raw_resource_config()) ->
     {ok, resource_data() | 'already_created'} | {error, term()}.
diff --git a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_api_schema.erl b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_api_schema.erl
index e91a95802..196ec642b 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_api_schema.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_api_schema.erl
@@ -15,16 +15,14 @@
 -spec check_params(map(), tag()) -> {ok, map()} | {error, term()}.
 check_params(Params, Tag) ->
     BTag = atom_to_binary(Tag),
-    try hocon_tconf:check_plain(?MODULE, #{BTag => Params},
-            #{atom_key => true, nullable => true}, [BTag]) of
-        #{Tag := Checked} -> {ok, Checked}
-    catch
-        Error:Reason:ST ->
+    case emqx_hocon:check(?MODULE, #{BTag => Params}) of
+        {ok, #{Tag := Checked}} ->
+            {ok, Checked};
+        {error, Reason} ->
             ?SLOG(error, #{msg => "check_rule_params_failed",
-                           exception => Error,
-                           reason => Reason,
-                           stacktrace => ST}),
-            {error, {Reason, ST}}
+                           reason => Reason
+                          }),
+            {error, Reason}
     end.
 
 %%======================================================================================