diff --git a/cmd/crowdsec/api.go b/cmd/crowdsec/api.go
index 8648d37ba..f053470fa 100644
--- a/cmd/crowdsec/api.go
+++ b/cmd/crowdsec/api.go
@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@ func initAPIServer(cConfig *csconfig.Config) (*apiserver.APIServer, error) {
 
 	if hasPlugins(cConfig.API.Server.Profiles) {
 		log.Info("initiating plugin broker")
+		if cConfig.PluginConfig == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugins are enabled, but no plugin_config section is missing in the configuration")
+		}
+		if cConfig.ConfigPaths.NotificationDir == "" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugins are enabled, but config_paths.notification_dir is not defined")
+		}
+		if cConfig.ConfigPaths.PluginDir == "" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("plugins are enabled, but config_paths.plugin_dir is not defined")
+		}
 		err = pluginBroker.Init(cConfig.PluginConfig, cConfig.API.Server.Profiles, cConfig.ConfigPaths)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to run local API: %s", err)