diff --git a/src/core/hooks.js b/src/core/hooks.js
index bdd68184a..566cf2574 100644
--- a/src/core/hooks.js
+++ b/src/core/hooks.js
@@ -29,12 +29,6 @@ export function createExtendRoutesHook (moduleContainer, options) {
 }
 
 export function buildHook (moduleContainer, options) {
-  if (options.langDir) {
-    if (!options.locales.length || typeof options.locales[0] === 'string') {
-      console.error('[' + MODULE_NAME + '] When using "langDir" option, the "locales" option must be a list of objects')
-    }
-  }
-
   if (options.strategy === STRATEGIES.NO_PREFIX && options.differentDomains) {
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
     console.warn('[' + MODULE_NAME + '] The `differentDomains` option and `no_prefix` strategy are not compatible. Change strategy or disable `differentDomains` option.')
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index e72d4a07b..7caf21d66 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -21,8 +21,18 @@ export default function (userOptions) {
     return
   }
 
-  // Resolve langDir
-  if (options.langDir) {
+  if (options.lazy) {
+    if (!options.langDir) {
+      throw new Error(`[${MODULE_NAME}] When using the "lazy" option you must also set the "langDir" option.`)
+    }
+    if (!options.locales.length || typeof options.locales[0] === 'string') {
+      throw new Error(`[${MODULE_NAME}] When using the "langDir" option the "locales" option must be a list of objects.`)
+    }
+    for (const locale of options.locales) {
+      if (!locale[LOCALE_FILE_KEY]) {
+        throw new Error(`[${MODULE_NAME}] All locale objects must have the "file" property set when using "lazy".\nFound none in:\n${JSON.stringify(locale, null, 2)}.`)
+      }
+    }
     options.langDir = this.nuxt.resolver.resolveAlias(options.langDir)
   }
 
diff --git a/src/templates/options.js b/src/templates/options.js
index c0f91341b..8ae89a38d 100644
--- a/src/templates/options.js
+++ b/src/templates/options.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(options)) {
 }
 %>
 
-<% if (options.langDir) { %>
+<% if (options.lazy && options.langDir) { %>
 export const ASYNC_LOCALES = {
   <%= Array.from(
         new Set(options.locales.map(l => `'${l.file}': () => import('../${relativeToBuild(options.langDir, l.file)}' /* webpackChunkName: "lang-${l.file}" */)`))
diff --git a/src/templates/utils.js b/src/templates/utils.js
index 084b31e2e..0e19695ce 100755
--- a/src/templates/utils.js
+++ b/src/templates/utils.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import {
   LOCALE_CODE_KEY,
   LOCALE_FILE_KEY,
-  MODULE_NAME/* <% if (options.langDir) { %> */,
+  MODULE_NAME/* <% if (options.lazy && options.langDir) { %> */,
   ASYNC_LOCALES/* <% } %> */
 } from './options'
 
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export async function loadLanguageAsync (context, locale) {
     if (localeObject) {
       const file = localeObject[LOCALE_FILE_KEY]
       if (file) {
-        /* <% if (options.langDir) { %> */
+        /* <% if (options.lazy && options.langDir) { %> */
         let messages
         if (process.client) {
           const { nuxtState } = context