diff --git a/core/command/__tests__/command.test.js b/core/command/__tests__/command.test.js
index 063ca2ba9c..38209a1109 100644
--- a/core/command/__tests__/command.test.js
+++ b/core/command/__tests__/command.test.js
@@ -388,6 +388,36 @@ describe("core-command", () => {
       );
     });
 
+    it("throws ENOVERSION when lerna.json is empty", async () => {
+      const cwd = await initFixture("basic");
+
+      const lernaConfigPath = path.join(cwd, "lerna.json");
+      await fs.writeJson(lernaConfigPath, {});
+
+      await expect(testFactory({ cwd })).rejects.toThrow(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          prefix: "ENOVERSION",
+        })
+      );
+    });
+
+    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 e74f419830..399b883455 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 4448b7bb26..9d0e7ebe6e 100644
--- a/core/project/index.js
+++ b/core/project/index.js
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class Project {
             // No need to distinguish between missing and empty,
             // saves a lot of noisy guards elsewhere
             config: {},
+            configNotFound: true,
             // path.resolve(".", ...) starts from process.cwd()
             filepath: path.resolve(cwd || ".", "lerna.json"),
           };
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ class Project {
 
     /** @type {ProjectConfig} */
     this.config = loaded.config;
+    this.configNotFound = loaded.configNotFound;
     this.rootConfigLocation = loaded.filepath;
     this.rootPath = path.dirname(loaded.filepath);