diff --git a/src/Lazy.ts b/src/Lazy.ts
index 41af84c6..0c23a32c 100644
--- a/src/Lazy.ts
+++ b/src/Lazy.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type {
   ISchema,
   ValidateOptions,
   NestedTestConfig,
+  InferType,
 } from './types';
 import type { ResolveOptions } from './Condition';
 
@@ -14,7 +15,8 @@ import type {
   SchemaLazyDescription,
 } from './schema';
 import { Flags, Maybe } from './util/types';
-import { InferType, Schema } from '.';
+import ValidationError from './ValidationError';
+import Schema from './schema';
 
 export type LazyBuilder<
   TSchema extends ISchema<TContext>,
@@ -28,6 +30,15 @@ export function create<
   return new Lazy<InferType<TSchema>, TContext>(builder);
 }
 
+function catchValidationError(fn: () => any) {
+  try {
+    return fn();
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (ValidationError.isError(err)) return Promise.reject(err);
+    throw err;
+  }
+}
+
 export interface LazySpec {
   meta: Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
   optional: boolean;
@@ -113,7 +124,9 @@ class Lazy<T, TContext = AnyObject, TFlags extends Flags = any>
   }
 
   validate(value: any, options?: ValidateOptions<TContext>): Promise<T> {
-    return this._resolve(value, options).validate(value, options);
+    return catchValidationError(() =>
+      this._resolve(value, options).validate(value, options),
+    );
   }
 
   validateSync(value: any, options?: ValidateOptions<TContext>): T {
@@ -121,7 +134,9 @@ class Lazy<T, TContext = AnyObject, TFlags extends Flags = any>
   }
 
   validateAt(path: string, value: any, options?: ValidateOptions<TContext>) {
-    return this._resolve(value, options).validateAt(path, value, options);
+    return catchValidationError(() =>
+      this._resolve(value, options).validateAt(path, value, options),
+    );
   }
 
   validateSyncAt(
@@ -133,7 +148,14 @@ class Lazy<T, TContext = AnyObject, TFlags extends Flags = any>
   }
 
   isValid(value: any, options?: ValidateOptions<TContext>) {
-    return this._resolve(value, options).isValid(value, options);
+    try {
+      return this._resolve(value, options).isValid(value, options);
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (ValidationError.isError(err)) {
+        return Promise.resolve(false);
+      }
+      throw err;
+    }
   }
 
   isValidSync(value: any, options?: ValidateOptions<TContext>) {
diff --git a/test/lazy.ts b/test/lazy.ts
index 7ebaa3b8..3b3cbf3c 100644
--- a/test/lazy.ts
+++ b/test/lazy.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
-import { lazy, object, mixed, AnyObject, MixedSchema } from '../src';
+import {
+  lazy,
+  object,
+  mixed,
+  AnyObject,
+  MixedSchema,
+  ValidationError,
+} from '../src';
 
 describe('lazy', function () {
   it('should throw on a non-schema value', () => {
     // @ts-expect-error testing incorrect usage
-    expect(() => lazy(() => undefined).validate(undefined)).toThrowError();
+    expect(() => lazy(() => undefined).validateSync(undefined)).toThrowError();
   });
 
   describe('mapper', () => {
@@ -54,5 +61,23 @@ describe('lazy', function () {
         added: true,
       });
     });
+
+    it('should allow throwing validation error in builder', async () => {
+      const schema = lazy(() => {
+        throw new ValidationError('oops');
+      });
+
+      await expect(schema.validate(value)).rejects.toThrowError('oops');
+      await expect(schema.isValid(value)).resolves.toEqual(false);
+
+      expect(() => schema.validateSync(value)).toThrowError('oops');
+
+      const schema2 = lazy(() => {
+        throw new Error('error');
+      });
+      // none validation errors are thrown sync to maintain back compat
+      expect(() => schema2.validate(value)).toThrowError('error');
+      expect(() => schema2.isValid(value)).toThrowError('error');
+    });
   });
 });