diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 334ffc22d..87748a352 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
     "@testing-library/react": "^11.0.4",
     "@types/babel-types": "^7.0.9",
     "@types/jest": "^26.0.14",
+    "@types/mock-fs": "^4.13.1",
     "@types/node": "14.14.31",
     "@types/ramda": "^0.27.23",
     "@types/react": "^16.9.51",
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@
     "lerna": "^3.22.1",
     "memory-fs": "^0.5.0",
     "minimist": "^1.2.5",
-    "mock-fs": "^4.13.0",
+    "mock-fs": "^5.2.0",
     "mockdate": "^3.0.2",
     "ncp": "^2.0.0",
     "npm-cli-login": "^0.1.1",
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/api/catalog.ts b/packages/cli/src/api/catalog.ts
index fa4f98366..b3b4ff587 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/api/catalog.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/api/catalog.ts
@@ -280,10 +280,6 @@ export class Catalog {
   ) {
     const catalog = catalogs[locale] || {}
 
-    if (!catalog.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
-      console.error(`Message with key ${key} is missing in locale ${locale}`)
-    }
-
     const getTranslation = (_locale: string) => {
       const configLocales = this.config.locales.join('", "')
       const localeCatalog = catalogs[_locale] || {}
@@ -299,7 +295,6 @@ export class Catalog {
         return null
       }
       if (!localeCatalog.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
-        console.error(`Message with key ${key} is missing in locale ${_locale}`)
         return null
       }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lingui-compile.ts b/packages/cli/src/lingui-compile.ts
index 416ddca6d..8833bcf77 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lingui-compile.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lingui-compile.ts
@@ -18,9 +18,18 @@ const noMessages: (catalogs: Object[]) => boolean = R.pipe(
   R.all(R.equals<any>(true))
 )
 
-function command(config: LinguiConfig, options) {
+export type CliCompileOptions = {
+  verbose?: boolean
+  allowEmpty?: boolean,
+  typescript?: boolean,
+  watch?: boolean
+  namespace?: string,
+}
+
+export function command(config: LinguiConfig, options: CliCompileOptions) {
   const catalogs = getCatalogs(config)
 
+  // fixme: this is definitely doesn't work
   if (noMessages(catalogs)) {
     console.error("Nothing to compile, message catalogs are empty!\n")
     console.error(
@@ -35,12 +44,13 @@ function command(config: LinguiConfig, options) {
   const doMerge = !!config.catalogsMergePath
   let mergedCatalogs = {}
 
-  console.error("Compiling message catalogs…")
+  console.log("Compiling message catalogs…")
 
-  config.locales.forEach((locale) => {
+  for (const locale of config.locales) {
     const [language] = locale.split(/[_-]/)
+    // todo: this validation should be in @lingui/conf
     if (locale !== config.pseudoLocale && !plurals[language]) {
-      console.log(
+      console.error(
         chalk.red(
           `Error: Invalid locale ${chalk.bold(locale)} (missing plural rules)!`
         )
@@ -48,10 +58,10 @@ function command(config: LinguiConfig, options) {
       console.error()
     }
 
-    catalogs.forEach((catalog) => {
+    for (const catalog of catalogs) {
       const messages = catalog.getTranslations(locale, {
         fallbackLocales: config.fallbackLocales,
-        sourceLocale: config.sourceLocale,
+        sourceLocale: config.sourceLocale
       })
 
       if (!options.allowEmpty) {
@@ -68,14 +78,14 @@ function command(config: LinguiConfig, options) {
 
           if (options.verbose) {
             console.error(chalk.red("Missing translations:"))
-            missingMsgIds.forEach((msgId) => console.log(msgId))
+            missingMsgIds.forEach((msgId) => console.error(msgId))
           } else {
             console.error(
               chalk.red(`Missing ${missingMsgIds.length} translation(s)`)
             )
           }
           console.error()
-          process.exit(1)
+          return false
         }
       }
 
@@ -112,7 +122,7 @@ function command(config: LinguiConfig, options) {
         options.verbose &&
           console.error(chalk.green(`${locale} ⇒ ${compiledPath}`))
       }
-    })
+    }
 
     if (doMerge) {
       const compileCatalog = getCatalogForMerge(config)
@@ -130,7 +140,7 @@ function command(config: LinguiConfig, options) {
       )
       options.verbose && console.log(chalk.green(`${locale} ⇒ ${compiledPath}`))
     }
-  })
+  }
   return true
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/test/__snapshots__/compile.test.ts.snap b/packages/cli/src/test/__snapshots__/compile.test.ts.snap
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e25245b27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/test/__snapshots__/compile.test.ts.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+// Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
+
+exports[`CLI Command: Compile Locales Validation Should throw error for invalid locale 1`] = `
+Error: Invalid locale abra (missing plural rules)!
+
+`;
+
+exports[`CLI Command: Compile allowEmpty = false Should show error and stop compilation of catalog  if message doesnt have a translation (with template) 1`] = `
+Object {
+  en: /*eslint-disable*/module.exports={messages:JSON.parse("{\\"Hello World\\":\\"Hello World\\"}")};,
+  pl: undefined,
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`CLI Command: Compile allowEmpty = false Should show error and stop compilation of catalog  if message doesnt have a translation (with template) 2`] = `
+Error: Failed to compile catalog for locale pl!
+Missing 1 translation(s)
+
+`;
+
+exports[`CLI Command: Compile allowEmpty = false Should show error and stop compilation of catalog if message doesnt have a translation (no template) 1`] = `
+Error: Failed to compile catalog for locale pl!
+Missing 1 translation(s)
+
+`;
+
+exports[`CLI Command: Compile allowEmpty = false Should show missing messages verbosely when verbose = true 1`] = `
+en ⇒ /test/en.js
+Error: Failed to compile catalog for locale pl!
+Missing translations:
+Hello World
+Test String
+
+`;
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/test/compile.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/test/compile.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c1a94b35c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/test/compile.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,203 @@
+import {command} from "../lingui-compile"
+import {makeConfig} from "@lingui/conf"
+import path from "path"
+import {getConsoleMockCalls, mockConsole} from "@lingui/jest-mocks"
+import mockFs from "mock-fs"
+import fs from 'fs'
+
+function readFsToJson(directory: string, filter?: (filename: string) => boolean) {
+  const out = {}
+
+  fs
+    .readdirSync(directory)
+    .map((filename) => {
+      const filepath = path.join(directory, filename)
+
+      if (fs.lstatSync(filepath).isDirectory()) {
+        out[filename] = readFsToJson(filepath)
+        return out
+      }
+
+      if (!filter || filter(filename)) {
+        out[filename] = fs.readFileSync(filepath).toString()
+      }
+    })
+
+  return out
+}
+
+describe('CLI Command: Compile', () => {
+  xit('Should return error if no messages', () => {
+    const config = makeConfig({
+      locales: ['en', 'pl'],
+      rootDir: path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures/compile'),
+      catalogs: [{
+        path: '<rootDir>/{locale}',
+        include: ['<rootDir>']
+      }]
+    })
+
+    const result = command(config, {})
+    expect(result).toBeFalsy()
+  })
+
+  describe('Merge Catalogs', () => {
+    // todo
+  })
+
+  describe('Locales Validation', () => {
+    // todo: should be moved to @lingui/conf
+    it('Should throw error for invalid locale', () => {
+      const config = makeConfig({
+        locales: ['abra'],
+        rootDir: '/test',
+        catalogs: [{
+          path: '<rootDir>/{locale}',
+          include: ['<rootDir>'],
+          exclude: []
+        }]
+      })
+
+      mockFs()
+
+      mockConsole((console) => {
+        const result = command(config, {})
+        mockFs.restore()
+        const log = getConsoleMockCalls(console.error)
+        expect(log).toMatchSnapshot()
+
+        expect(result).toBeTruthy()
+      })
+    })
+
+    it('Should not throw error for pseudolocale', () => {
+      const config = makeConfig({
+        locales: ['abracadabra'],
+        rootDir: '/test',
+        pseudoLocale: 'abracadabra',
+        catalogs: [{
+          path: '<rootDir>/{locale}',
+          include: ['<rootDir>'],
+          exclude: []
+        }]
+      })
+
+      mockFs()
+
+      mockConsole((console) => {
+        const result = command(config, {})
+        mockFs.restore()
+        expect(console.error).not.toBeCalled()
+        expect(result).toBeTruthy()
+      })
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('allowEmpty = false', () => {
+    const config = makeConfig({
+      locales: ['en', 'pl'],
+      sourceLocale: 'en',
+      rootDir: '/test',
+      catalogs: [{
+        path: '<rootDir>/{locale}',
+        include: ['<rootDir>'],
+        exclude: []
+      }]
+    })
+
+    it('Should show error and stop compilation of catalog ' +
+      'if message doesnt have a translation (no template)', () => {
+      mockFs({
+        '/test': {
+          'en.po': `
+msgid "Hello World"
+msgstr "Hello World"
+        `,
+          'pl.po': `
+msgid "Hello World"
+msgstr "Cześć świat"
+
+msgid "Test String"
+msgstr ""
+        `
+        }
+      })
+
+      mockConsole((console) => {
+        const result = command(config, {
+          allowEmpty: false
+        })
+        const actualFiles = readFsToJson('/test')
+
+        expect(actualFiles['pl.js']).toBeFalsy()
+        expect(actualFiles['en.js']).toBeTruthy()
+        mockFs.restore()
+
+        const log = getConsoleMockCalls(console.error)
+        expect(log).toMatchSnapshot()
+        expect(result).toBeFalsy()
+      })
+    })
+
+    it('Should show error and stop compilation of catalog ' +
+      ' if message doesnt have a translation (with template)', () => {
+      mockFs({
+        '/test': {
+          'messages.pot': `
+msgid "Hello World"
+msgstr ""
+        `,
+          'pl.po': ``
+        }
+      })
+
+      mockConsole((console) => {
+        const result = command(config, {
+          allowEmpty: false
+        })
+
+        const actualFiles = readFsToJson('/test')
+
+        expect({
+          pl: actualFiles['pl.js'],
+          en: actualFiles['en.js']
+        }).toMatchSnapshot()
+
+        mockFs.restore()
+
+        const log = getConsoleMockCalls(console.error)
+        expect(log).toMatchSnapshot()
+        expect(result).toBeFalsy()
+      })
+    })
+
+
+    it('Should show missing messages verbosely when verbose = true', () => {
+      mockFs({
+        '/test': {
+          'pl.po': `
+msgid "Hello World"
+msgstr ""
+
+msgid "Test String"
+msgstr ""
+        `
+        }
+      })
+
+      mockConsole((console) => {
+        const result = command(config, {
+          allowEmpty: false,
+          verbose: true
+        })
+
+        mockFs.restore()
+
+        const log = getConsoleMockCalls(console.error)
+        expect(log).toMatchSnapshot()
+        expect(result).toBeFalsy()
+      })
+    })
+
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/conf/index.d.ts b/packages/conf/index.d.ts
index 2d2c07084..9f4e8a829 100644
--- a/packages/conf/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/conf/index.d.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ export declare function getConfig({ cwd, configPath, skipValidation, }?: {
     configPath?: string;
     skipValidation?: boolean;
 }): LinguiConfig;
+
+export declare function makeConfig(userConfig: Partial<LinguiConfig>, opts?: {
+    skipValidation?: boolean
+}): LinguiConfig;
+
 export declare const configValidation: {
     exampleConfig: {
         extractBabelOptions: {
diff --git a/packages/conf/src/index.ts b/packages/conf/src/index.ts
index 9384eeff2..fca64ab83 100644
--- a/packages/conf/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/conf/src/index.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ export type LinguiConfig = {
   compilerBabelOptions: GeneratorOptions
   fallbackLocales?: FallbackLocales
   extractors?: ExtractorType[] | string[]
+  prevFormat?: CatalogFormat;
+  localeDir?: string;
   format: CatalogFormat
   formatOptions: CatalogFormatOptions
   locales: string[]
@@ -136,13 +138,22 @@ export function getConfig({
     ? configExplorer.load(configPath)
     : configExplorer.search(defaultRootDir)
   const userConfig = result ? result.config : {}
+
+  return makeConfig({
+    rootDir: result ? path.dirname(result.filepath) : defaultRootDir,
+    ...userConfig,
+  }, {skipValidation})
+}
+
+export function makeConfig(userConfig: Partial<LinguiConfig>, opts: {
+  skipValidation?: boolean
+} = {}): LinguiConfig {
   const config: LinguiConfig = {
     ...defaultConfig,
-    rootDir: result ? path.dirname(result.filepath) : defaultRootDir,
     ...userConfig,
   }
 
-  if (!skipValidation) {
+  if (!opts.skipValidation) {
     validate(config, configValidation)
 
     return pipe(
diff --git a/packages/jest-mocks/index.ts b/packages/jest-mocks/index.ts
index 895fe89d8..a4950858b 100644
--- a/packages/jest-mocks/index.ts
+++ b/packages/jest-mocks/index.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export function mockConfig(config: Partial<LinguiConfig> = {}) {
   }
 }
 
-export function getConsoleMockCalls({ mock }) {
+export function getConsoleMockCalls({ mock }: jest.MockInstance<any, any>) {
   if (!mock.calls.length) return
   return mock.calls.map((call) => call[0]).join("\n")
 }
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 997c9b0e7..ac8608e41 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2717,6 +2717,13 @@
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/minimist/-/minimist-1.2.2.tgz#ee771e2ba4b3dc5b372935d549fd9617bf345b8c"
   integrity sha512-jhuKLIRrhvCPLqwPcx6INqmKeiA5EWrsCOPhrlFSrbrmU4ZMPjj5Ul/oLCMDO98XRUIwVm78xICz4EPCektzeQ==
 
+"@types/mock-fs@^4.13.1":
+  version "4.13.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/mock-fs/-/mock-fs-4.13.1.tgz#9201554ceb23671badbfa8ac3f1fa9e0706305be"
+  integrity sha512-m6nFAJ3lBSnqbvDZioawRvpLXSaPyn52Srf7OfzjubYbYX8MTUdIgDxQl0wEapm4m/pNYSd9TXocpQ0TvZFlYA==
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/node" "*"
+
 "@types/node@*", "@types/node@>= 8":
   version "18.11.18"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/node/-/node-18.11.18.tgz#8dfb97f0da23c2293e554c5a50d61ef134d7697f"
@@ -8387,10 +8394,10 @@ mkdirp@^0.5.1, mkdirp@^0.5.3, mkdirp@^0.5.5:
   dependencies:
     minimist "^1.2.6"
 
-mock-fs@^4.13.0:
-  version "4.14.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mock-fs/-/mock-fs-4.14.0.tgz#ce5124d2c601421255985e6e94da80a7357b1b18"
-  integrity sha512-qYvlv/exQ4+svI3UOvPUpLDF0OMX5euvUH0Ny4N5QyRyhNdgAgUrVH3iUINSzEPLvx0kbo/Bp28GJKIqvE7URw==
+mock-fs@^5.2.0:
+  version "5.2.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mock-fs/-/mock-fs-5.2.0.tgz#3502a9499c84c0a1218ee4bf92ae5bf2ea9b2b5e"
+  integrity sha512-2dF2R6YMSZbpip1V1WHKGLNjr/k48uQClqMVb5H3MOvwc9qhYis3/IWbj02qIg/Y8MDXKFF4c5v0rxx2o6xTZw==
 
 mockdate@^3.0.2:
   version "3.0.5"