diff --git a/core/command/__tests__/command.test.js b/core/command/__tests__/command.test.js
index 063ca2ba9c9..3e7998f1c04 100644
--- a/core/command/__tests__/command.test.js
+++ b/core/command/__tests__/command.test.js
@@ -388,6 +388,23 @@ describe("core-command", () => {
       );
     });
 
+    it("throws ENOVERSION when no version property exists in lerna.json", async () => {
+      const cwd = await initFixture("basic");
+
+      const lernaConfigPath = path.join(cwd, "lerna.json");
+      const lernaConfig = await fs.readJson(lernaConfigPath);
+      delete lernaConfig.version;
+      await fs.writeJson(lernaConfigPath, {
+        ...lernaConfig,
+      });
+
+      await expect(testFactory({ cwd })).rejects.toThrow(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          prefix: "ENOVERSION",
+        })
+      );
+    });
+
     it("throws ENOWORKSPACES when npm client is pnpm and useWorkspaces is not true", async () => {
       const cwd = await initFixture("pnpm");
 
diff --git a/core/command/index.js b/core/command/index.js
index e74f4198305..399b883455f 100644
--- a/core/command/index.js
+++ b/core/command/index.js
@@ -240,10 +240,14 @@ class Command {
       throw new ValidationError("ENOPKG", "`package.json` does not exist, have you run `lerna init`?");
     }
 
-    if (!this.project.version) {
+    if (this.project.configNotFound) {
       throw new ValidationError("ENOLERNA", "`lerna.json` does not exist, have you run `lerna init`?");
     }
 
+    if (!this.project.version) {
+      throw new ValidationError("ENOVERSION", "Required property version does not exist in `lerna.json`");
+    }
+
     if (this.options.independent && !this.project.isIndependent()) {
       throw new ValidationError(
         "EVERSIONMODE",
diff --git a/core/project/index.js b/core/project/index.js
index 4448b7bb269..99f1119993f 100644
--- a/core/project/index.js
+++ b/core/project/index.js
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class Project {
       transform(obj) {
         // cosmiconfig returns null when nothing is found
         if (!obj) {
+          this.configNotFound = true;
           return {
             // No need to distinguish between missing and empty,
             // saves a lot of noisy guards elsewhere