diff --git a/src/component.ts b/src/component.ts
index ab6d43b7..a915a508 100644
--- a/src/component.ts
+++ b/src/component.ts
@@ -458,7 +458,9 @@ export class Component<T extends Env, Props extends {}, State extends {}> {
           p = p.__proto__;
         }
         if (p === Component) {
-          this.template = "default";
+          throw new Error(
+            `Could not find template for component "${this.constructor.name}"`
+          );
         } else {
           tmap[name] = template;
           this.template = template;
diff --git a/src/qweb_core.ts b/src/qweb_core.ts
index f8bcd733..c3f4f4da 100644
--- a/src/qweb_core.ts
+++ b/src/qweb_core.ts
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ export class QWeb {
     if (data) {
       this.addTemplates(data);
     }
-    this.addTemplate("default", "<div></div>");
   }
 
   static addDirective(directive: Directive) {
diff --git a/tests/component.test.ts b/tests/component.test.ts
index be3b4120..57efd19d 100644
--- a/tests/component.test.ts
+++ b/tests/component.test.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ let env: Env;
 beforeEach(() => {
   fixture = makeTestFixture();
   env = makeTestEnv();
+  env.qweb.addTemplate("Widget", "<div></div>");
   env.qweb.addTemplate(
     "Counter",
     `<div><t t-esc="state.counter"/><button t-on-click="inc">Inc</button></div>`
@@ -83,6 +84,19 @@ describe("basic widget properties", () => {
     expect(fixture.innerHTML).toBe("<div></div>");
   });
 
+  test("crashes if it cannot find a template", async () => {
+    expect.assertions(1);
+    class SomeWidget extends Component<any, any, any> {}
+    const widget = new SomeWidget(env);
+    try {
+      await widget.mount(fixture);
+    } catch (e) {
+      expect(e.message).toBe(
+        'Could not find template for component "SomeWidget"'
+      );
+    }
+  });
+
   test("can be clicked on and updated", async () => {
     const counter = new Counter(env);
     await counter.mount(fixture);
diff --git a/tests/qweb.test.ts b/tests/qweb.test.ts
index 61d03aac..d34187b8 100644
--- a/tests/qweb.test.ts
+++ b/tests/qweb.test.ts
@@ -1105,7 +1105,7 @@ describe("loading templates", () => {
   test("does not crash if string does not have templates", () => {
     const data = "";
     qweb.addTemplates(data);
-    expect(Object.keys(qweb.templates)).toEqual(["default"]);
+    expect(Object.keys(qweb.templates)).toEqual([]);
   });
 });