diff --git a/src/reducers/collections.js b/src/reducers/collections.js
index 118d9489..01257c4e 100644
--- a/src/reducers/collections.js
+++ b/src/reducers/collections.js
@@ -12,12 +12,11 @@ const collections = (state = null, action) => {
     case CONFIG_SUCCESS:
       return OrderedMap().withMutations((map) => {
         (configCollections || []).forEach((configCollection) => {
+          validateCollection(configCollection);
           if (has(configCollection, 'folder')) {
             configCollection.type = FOLDER; // eslint-disable-line no-param-reassign
           } else if (has(configCollection, 'files')) {
             configCollection.type = FILES; // eslint-disable-line no-param-reassign
-          } else {
-            throw new Error('Unknown collection type. Collections can be either Folder based or File based. Please verify your site configuration');
           }
           map.set(configCollection.name, fromJS(configCollection));
         });
@@ -27,6 +26,13 @@ const collections = (state = null, action) => {
   }
 };
 
+function validateCollection(configCollection) {
+  const collectionName = get(configCollection, 'name');
+  if (!has(configCollection, 'folder') && !has(configCollection, 'files')) {
+    throw new Error(`Unknown collection type for collection "${ collectionName }". Collections can be either Folder based or File based.`);
+  }
+}
+
 const selectors = {
   [FOLDER]: {
     entryExtension(collection) {