diff --git a/.changeset/fluffy-facts-film.md b/.changeset/fluffy-facts-film.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..26a6c80cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fluffy-facts-film.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@hey-api/codegen-core": patch
+---
+
+**log**: make group optional in warn method
diff --git a/.changeset/soft-cars-cover.md b/.changeset/soft-cars-cover.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4625ec8e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/soft-cars-cover.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@hey-api/openapi-ts": patch
+---
+
+**config(plugins)**: show warning when plugin infer fails
diff --git a/packages/codegen-core/src/log.ts b/packages/codegen-core/src/log.ts
index 47e3c416b..538759ea2 100644
--- a/packages/codegen-core/src/log.ts
+++ b/packages/codegen-core/src/log.ts
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ function debug(message: string, group: keyof typeof DebugGroups) {
   console.debug(`${prefix} ${message}`);
 }
 
-function warn(message: string, group: keyof typeof WarnGroups) {
+function warn(message: string, group?: keyof typeof WarnGroups) {
   if (NO_WARNINGS) return;
 
-  const color = WarnGroups[group] ?? colors.yellowBright;
+  const color = group ? WarnGroups[group] : colors.yellowBright;
 
   console.warn(color(`${message}`));
 }
diff --git a/packages/openapi-ts/src/plugins/@hey-api/sdk/config.ts b/packages/openapi-ts/src/plugins/@hey-api/sdk/config.ts
index cfe8ca9ee..34634c572 100644
--- a/packages/openapi-ts/src/plugins/@hey-api/sdk/config.ts
+++ b/packages/openapi-ts/src/plugins/@hey-api/sdk/config.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { log } from '@hey-api/codegen-core';
 import { definePluginConfig } from '@hey-api/shared';
 
 import { resolveExamples } from './examples';
@@ -5,6 +6,11 @@ import { resolveOperations } from './operations';
 import { handler } from './plugin';
 import type { HeyApiSdkPlugin } from './types';
 
+const transformerInferWarn =
+  'You set `transformer: true` but no transformer plugin was found in your plugins. Add a transformer plugin like `@hey-api/transformers` to enable this feature. The transformer option has been disabled.';
+const validatorInferWarn =
+  'You set `validator: true` but no validator plugin was found in your plugins. Add a validator plugin like `zod` to enable this feature. The validator option has been disabled.';
+
 export const defaultConfig: HeyApiSdkPlugin['Config'] = {
   config: {
     auth: true,
@@ -38,10 +44,16 @@ export const defaultConfig: HeyApiSdkPlugin['Config'] = {
 
     if (plugin.config.transformer) {
       if (typeof plugin.config.transformer === 'boolean') {
-        plugin.config.transformer = context.pluginByTag('transformer');
+        try {
+          plugin.config.transformer = context.pluginByTag('transformer');
+          plugin.dependencies.add(plugin.config.transformer!);
+        } catch {
+          log.warn(transformerInferWarn);
+          plugin.config.transformer = false;
+        }
+      } else {
+        plugin.dependencies.add(plugin.config.transformer);
       }
-
-      plugin.dependencies.add(plugin.config.transformer!);
     } else {
       plugin.config.transformer = false;
     }
@@ -55,20 +67,32 @@ export const defaultConfig: HeyApiSdkPlugin['Config'] = {
 
     if (plugin.config.validator.request) {
       if (typeof plugin.config.validator.request === 'boolean') {
-        plugin.config.validator.request = context.pluginByTag('validator');
+        try {
+          plugin.config.validator.request = context.pluginByTag('validator');
+          plugin.dependencies.add(plugin.config.validator.request!);
+        } catch {
+          log.warn(validatorInferWarn);
+          plugin.config.validator.request = false;
+        }
+      } else {
+        plugin.dependencies.add(plugin.config.validator.request);
       }
-
-      plugin.dependencies.add(plugin.config.validator.request!);
     } else {
       plugin.config.validator.request = false;
     }
 
     if (plugin.config.validator.response) {
       if (typeof plugin.config.validator.response === 'boolean') {
-        plugin.config.validator.response = context.pluginByTag('validator');
+        try {
+          plugin.config.validator.response = context.pluginByTag('validator');
+          plugin.dependencies.add(plugin.config.validator.response!);
+        } catch {
+          log.warn(validatorInferWarn);
+          plugin.config.validator.response = false;
+        }
+      } else {
+        plugin.dependencies.add(plugin.config.validator.response);
       }
-
-      plugin.dependencies.add(plugin.config.validator.response!);
     } else {
       plugin.config.validator.response = false;
     }