diff --git a/lib/core/src/client/preview/start.js b/lib/core/src/client/preview/start.js
index 19a6421fe763..1420c75b76f6 100644
--- a/lib/core/src/client/preview/start.js
+++ b/lib/core/src/client/preview/start.js
@@ -440,6 +440,11 @@ export default function start(render, { decorateStory } = {}) {
    * @param {*} framework - name of framework in use, e.g. "react"
    */
   const configure = (loadable, m, framework) => {
+    if (typeof m === 'string') {
+      throw new Error(
+        `Invalid module '${m}'. Did you forget to pass \`module\` as the second argument to \`configure\`"?`
+      );
+    }
     if (m && m.hot && m.hot.dispose) {
       ({ previousExports = new Map() } = m.hot.data || {});