diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/AbstractRequiredApprovalConfig.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/AbstractRequiredApprovalConfig.java
index 3511f46..dcf50e7 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/AbstractRequiredApprovalConfig.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/AbstractRequiredApprovalConfig.java
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@
  * parent projects.
  */
 abstract class AbstractRequiredApprovalConfig {
-  private final String pluginName;
+  protected final String pluginName;
+
   private final PluginConfigFactory pluginConfigFactory;
 
   AbstractRequiredApprovalConfig(
diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/RequiredApprovalConfig.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/RequiredApprovalConfig.java
index 66b6cc8..e49904d 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/RequiredApprovalConfig.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/config/RequiredApprovalConfig.java
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 package com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.config;
 
+import static com.google.gerrit.plugins.codeowners.config.CodeOwnersPluginConfiguration.SECTION_CODE_OWNERS;
+
 import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.annotations.PluginName;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.config.PluginConfigFactory;
@@ -54,6 +56,21 @@
   }
 
   RequiredApproval createDefault(ProjectState projectState) throws IllegalStateException {
-    return RequiredApproval.createDefault(projectState, DEFAULT_LABEL, DEFAULT_VALUE);
+    try {
+      return RequiredApproval.createDefault(projectState, DEFAULT_LABEL, DEFAULT_VALUE);
+    } catch (IllegalStateException | IllegalArgumentException e) {
+      throw new InvalidPluginConfigurationException(
+          pluginName,
+          String.format(
+              "The default required approval '%s+%d' that is used for project %s is not valid: %s"
+                  + " Please configure a valid required approval in %s.config (parameter %s.%s).",
+              DEFAULT_LABEL,
+              DEFAULT_VALUE,
+              projectState.getName(),
+              e.getMessage(),
+              pluginName,
+              SECTION_CODE_OWNERS,
+              getConfigKey()));
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/restapi/GetCodeOwnerProjectConfigRestIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/restapi/GetCodeOwnerProjectConfigRestIT.java
index 1ad14ce..a39cab8 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/restapi/GetCodeOwnerProjectConfigRestIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/plugins/codeowners/acceptance/restapi/GetCodeOwnerProjectConfigRestIT.java
@@ -51,4 +51,26 @@
                 + " 'non-existing-backend' that is configured in gerrit.config (parameter"
                 + " plugin.code-owners.backend) not found.");
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void cannotGetStatusIfPluginConfigurationIsInvalid_defaultRequiredApprovalConfigIsInvalid()
+      throws Exception {
+    // Delete the Code-Review label which is required as code owner approval by default.
+    gApi.projects().name(allProjects.get()).label("Code-Review").delete();
+
+    RestResponse r =
+        adminRestSession.get(
+            String.format(
+                "/projects/%s/code_owners.project_config", IdString.fromDecoded(project.get())));
+    r.assertConflict();
+    assertThat(r.getEntityContent())
+        .contains(
+            String.format(
+                "Invalid configuration of the code-owners plugin. The default required approval"
+                    + " 'Code-Review+1' that is used for project %s is not valid:"
+                    + " Default label Code-Review doesn't exist for project %s."
+                    + " Please configure a valid required approval in code-owners.config"
+                    + " (parameter codeOwners.requiredApproval).",
+                project.get(), project.get()));
+  }
 }