diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 681ae71..cb973b6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+## 3.1.1
+  - Refactor: unified ECS target + validate field reference [#86](https://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-filter-csv/pull/86)
+
 ## 3.1.0
   - Add ECS support [#85](https://github.com/logstash-plugins/logstash-filter-csv/pull/85)
 
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index fd2a018..94ff29c 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-3.1.0
+3.1.1
diff --git a/lib/logstash/filters/csv.rb b/lib/logstash/filters/csv.rb
index 5a6d2c3..e259b8b 100644
--- a/lib/logstash/filters/csv.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/filters/csv.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # encoding: utf-8
 require "logstash/filters/base"
 require "logstash/namespace"
-require "logstash/plugin_mixins/ecs_compatibility_support"
+require 'logstash/plugin_mixins/ecs_compatibility_support'
+require 'logstash/plugin_mixins/ecs_compatibility_support/target_check'
+require 'logstash/plugin_mixins/validator_support/field_reference_validation_adapter'
 
 require "csv"
 
@@ -10,6 +12,9 @@
 # This filter can also parse data with any separator, not just commas.
 class LogStash::Filters::CSV < LogStash::Filters::Base
   include LogStash::PluginMixins::ECSCompatibilitySupport(:disabled, :v1, :v8 => :v1)
+  include LogStash::PluginMixins::ECSCompatibilitySupport::TargetCheck
+
+  extend LogStash::PluginMixins::ValidatorSupport::FieldReferenceValidationAdapter
 
   config_name "csv"
 
@@ -38,7 +43,7 @@ class LogStash::Filters::CSV < LogStash::Filters::Base
 
   # Define target field for placing the data.
   # Defaults to writing to the root of the event.
-  config :target, :validate => :string
+  config :target, :validate => :field_reference
 
   # Define whether column names should autogenerated or not.
   # Defaults to true. If set to false, columns not having a header specified will not be parsed.
@@ -105,15 +110,6 @@ class LogStash::Filters::CSV < LogStash::Filters::Base
   CONVERTERS.default = lambda {|v| v}
   CONVERTERS.freeze
 
-  def initialize(params)
-    super
-    if ecs_compatibility != :disabled && @target.nil?
-      logger.info('ECS compatibility is enabled but no ``target`` option was specified, it is recommended'\
-                  ' to set the option to avoid potential schema conflicts (if your data is ECS compliant or'\
-                  ' non-conflicting feel free to ignore this message)')
-    end
-  end
-
   def register
     # validate conversion types to be the valid ones.
     bad_types = @convert.values.select do |type|
@@ -125,7 +121,7 @@ def register
     # @convert_symbols contains the symbolized types to avoid symbol conversion in the transform method
     @convert_symbols = @convert.inject({}){|result, (k, v)| result[k] = v.to_sym; result}
 
-    # make sure @target is in the format [field name] if defined, i.e. surrounded by brakets
+    # make sure @target is in the format [field name] if defined, i.e. surrounded by brackets
     @target = "[#{@target}]" if @target && !@target.start_with?("[")
     
     # if the zero byte character is entered in the config, set the value
@@ -137,7 +133,7 @@ def register
   end
 
   def filter(event)
-    @logger.debug? && @logger.debug("Running csv filter", :event => event)
+    @logger.debug? && @logger.debug("Running csv filter", :event => event.to_hash)
 
     if (source = event.get(@source))
       begin
@@ -178,7 +174,7 @@ def filter(event)
       end
     end
 
-    @logger.debug? && @logger.debug("Event after csv filter", :event => event)
+    @logger.debug? && @logger.debug("Event after csv filter", :event => event.to_hash)
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/logstash-filter-csv.gemspec b/logstash-filter-csv.gemspec
index 6f934d7..7e4ea4a 100644
--- a/logstash-filter-csv.gemspec
+++ b/logstash-filter-csv.gemspec
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
 
   # Gem dependencies
   s.add_runtime_dependency "logstash-core-plugin-api", ">= 1.60", "<= 2.99"
+  s.add_runtime_dependency 'logstash-mixin-ecs_compatibility_support', '~> 1.3'
+  s.add_runtime_dependency 'logstash-mixin-validator_support', '~> 1.0'
+
   s.add_development_dependency 'logstash-devutils'
-  s.add_runtime_dependency 'logstash-mixin-ecs_compatibility_support', '~>1.2'
 end