diff --git a/lib/config/config-validator.js b/lib/config/config-validator.js
index 6b151f46a496..5262cbbc9ee8 100644
--- a/lib/config/config-validator.js
+++ b/lib/config/config-validator.js
@@ -118,8 +118,9 @@ function validateRuleSchema(rule, localOptions) {
  */
 function validateRuleOptions(rule, ruleId, options, source) {
     if (!rule) {
-        return;
+        throw new Error(`Definition for rule '${ruleId}' was not found.`);
     }
+
     try {
         const severity = validateRuleSeverity(options);
 
diff --git a/tests/lib/config/config-validator.js b/tests/lib/config/config-validator.js
index 456b1518364e..5b01c4b827db 100644
--- a/tests/lib/config/config-validator.js
+++ b/tests/lib/config/config-validator.js
@@ -303,6 +303,12 @@ describe("Validator", () => {
                 validator.validate({ rules: { "mock-rule": ["Error", "second"] } }, "tests", ruleMapper, linter.environments);
             });
 
+            it("should throw an error when the rule does not exist", () => {
+                const fn = validator.validate.bind(null, { rules: { "non-exsistent-rule": "off" } }, "tests", ruleMapper, linter.environments);
+
+                assert.throws(fn, "Definition for rule 'non-exsistent-rule' was not found.");
+            });
+
             it("should catch invalid rule options", () => {
                 const fn = validator.validate.bind(null, { rules: { "mock-rule": [3, "third"] } }, "tests", ruleMapper, linter.environments);