diff --git a/d2compiler/compile.go b/d2compiler/compile.go
index 2a2e3becd..0b3ed9ed0 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile.go
@@ -288,20 +288,28 @@ func (c *compiler) compileReserved(attrs *d2graph.Attributes, f *d2ir.Field) {
 		attrs.Height.Value = scalar.ScalarString()
 		attrs.Height.MapKey = f.LastPrimaryKey()
 	case "top":
-		_, err := strconv.Atoi(scalar.ScalarString())
+		v, err := strconv.Atoi(scalar.ScalarString())
 		if err != nil {
 			c.errorf(scalar, "non-integer top %#v: %s", scalar.ScalarString(), err)
 			return
 		}
+		if v < 0 {
+			c.errorf(scalar, "top must be a non-negative integer: %#v", scalar.ScalarString())
+			return
+		}
 		attrs.Top = &d2graph.Scalar{}
 		attrs.Top.Value = scalar.ScalarString()
 		attrs.Top.MapKey = f.LastPrimaryKey()
 	case "left":
-		_, err := strconv.Atoi(scalar.ScalarString())
+		v, err := strconv.Atoi(scalar.ScalarString())
 		if err != nil {
 			c.errorf(scalar, "non-integer left %#v: %s", scalar.ScalarString(), err)
 			return
 		}
+		if v < 0 {
+			c.errorf(scalar, "left must be a non-negative integer: %#v", scalar.ScalarString())
+			return
+		}
 		attrs.Left = &d2graph.Scalar{}
 		attrs.Left.Value = scalar.ScalarString()
 		attrs.Left.MapKey = f.LastPrimaryKey()
@@ -604,6 +612,13 @@ func (c *compiler) validateKey(obj *d2graph.Object, f *d2ir.Field) {
 			}
 		}
 
+		if keyword == "top" && obj.Attributes.Left == nil {
+			c.errorf(f.LastPrimaryKey(), `keyword "top" currently cannot be set without also setting "left"`)
+		}
+		if keyword == "left" && obj.Attributes.Top == nil {
+			c.errorf(f.LastPrimaryKey(), `keyword "left" currently cannot be set without also setting "top"`)
+		}
+
 		switch f.Name {
 		case "style":
 			if obj.Attributes.Style.ThreeDee != nil {
diff --git a/d2compiler/compile_test.go b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
index 85a27d860..9a09dbda7 100644
--- a/d2compiler/compile_test.go
+++ b/d2compiler/compile_test.go
@@ -124,6 +124,23 @@ x: {
 				tassert.Equal(t, "200", g.Objects[0].Attributes.Top.Value)
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "positions_disjoint",
+			text: `hey: {
+	top: 200
+}
+`,
+			expErr: `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_disjoint.d2:2:2: keyword "top" currently cannot be set without also setting "left"`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "positions_negative",
+			text: `hey: {
+	top: 200
+	left: -200
+}
+`,
+			expErr: `d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_negative.d2:3:8: left must be a non-negative integer: "-200"`,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "equal_dimensions_on_circle",
 
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_disjoint.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_disjoint.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cced8f7d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_disjoint.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "graph": null,
+  "err": {
+    "ioerr": null,
+    "errs": [
+      {
+        "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_disjoint.d2,1:1:8-1:9:16",
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_disjoint.d2:2:2: keyword \"top\" currently cannot be set without also setting \"left\""
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_negative.exp.json b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_negative.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..308bba5fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_negative.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "graph": null,
+  "err": {
+    "ioerr": null,
+    "errs": [
+      {
+        "range": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_negative.d2,2:7:24-2:11:28",
+        "errmsg": "d2/testdata/d2compiler/TestCompile/positions_negative.d2:3:8: left must be a non-negative integer: \"-200\""
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}