diff --git a/src/services/impl/json_config_merge_service.cpp b/src/services/impl/json_config_merge_service.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..518b29c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/impl/json_config_merge_service.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#include "json_config_merge_service.hpp"
+#include "../interfaces/i_logger.hpp"
+
+#include <stdexcept>
+
+namespace sdl3cpp::services::impl::json_config {
+
+namespace {
+constexpr const char* kDeleteKey = "@delete";
+}
+
+JsonConfigMergeService::JsonConfigMergeService(std::shared_ptr<ILogger> logger)
+    : logger_(std::move(logger)) {}
+
+void JsonConfigMergeService::ApplyDeleteDirectives(rapidjson::Value& target,
+                                                   const rapidjson::Value& overlay,
+                                                   const std::string& jsonPath) const {
+    if (!overlay.HasMember(kDeleteKey)) {
+        return;
+    }
+    const auto& deletes = overlay[kDeleteKey];
+    if (!deletes.IsArray()) {
+        throw std::runtime_error("JSON member '" + std::string(kDeleteKey) + "' must be an array of strings");
+    }
+    for (const auto& entry : deletes.GetArray()) {
+        if (!entry.IsString()) {
+            throw std::runtime_error("JSON member '" + std::string(kDeleteKey) + "' must contain only strings");
+        }
+        const char* key = entry.GetString();
+        if (target.HasMember(key)) {
+            target.RemoveMember(key);
+            if (logger_) {
+                logger_->Trace("JsonConfigService", "ApplyDeleteDirectives",
+                               "jsonPath=" + jsonPath + ", key=" + std::string(key),
+                               "Removed key from merged config");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void JsonConfigMergeService::Merge(rapidjson::Value& target,
+                                   const rapidjson::Value& overlay,
+                                   rapidjson::Document::AllocatorType& allocator,
+                                   const std::string& jsonPath) const {
+    if (!overlay.IsObject()) {
+        target.CopyFrom(overlay, allocator);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (!target.IsObject()) {
+        target.CopyFrom(overlay, allocator);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    ApplyDeleteDirectives(target, overlay, jsonPath);
+
+    for (auto it = overlay.MemberBegin(); it != overlay.MemberEnd(); ++it) {
+        const std::string memberName = it->name.GetString();
+        if (memberName == kDeleteKey) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (target.HasMember(memberName.c_str())) {
+            auto& targetValue = target[memberName.c_str()];
+            const auto& overlayValue = it->value;
+            if (targetValue.IsObject() && overlayValue.IsObject()) {
+                Merge(targetValue, overlayValue, allocator, jsonPath + "/" + memberName);
+            } else {
+                targetValue.CopyFrom(overlayValue, allocator);
+            }
+        } else {
+            rapidjson::Value nameValue(memberName.c_str(), allocator);
+            rapidjson::Value valueCopy;
+            valueCopy.CopyFrom(it->value, allocator);
+            target.AddMember(nameValue, valueCopy, allocator);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+}  // namespace sdl3cpp::services::impl::json_config
diff --git a/src/services/impl/json_config_schema_path_resolver.hpp b/src/services/impl/json_config_schema_path_resolver.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d43885d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/impl/json_config_schema_path_resolver.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <filesystem>
+
+namespace sdl3cpp::services::impl::json_config {
+
+class JsonConfigSchemaPathResolver {
+public:
+    std::filesystem::path Resolve(const std::filesystem::path& configPath) const;
+};
+
+}  // namespace sdl3cpp::services::impl::json_config