diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/_options.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/_options.lua
index d54e8b447c..e1c125baf2 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/_options.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/_options.lua
@@ -124,14 +124,12 @@ local function get_option_metatype(name, info)
   return info.type
 end
 
-local options_info = setmetatable({}, {
-  __index = function(t, k)
-    local info = api.nvim_get_option_info(k)
-    info.metatype = get_option_metatype(k, info)
-    rawset(t, k, info)
-    return rawget(t, k)
-  end,
-})
+--- @param name string
+local function get_options_info(name)
+  local info = api.nvim_get_option_info(name)
+  info.metatype = get_option_metatype(name, info)
+  return info
+end
 
 ---Environment variables defined in the editor session.
 ---See |expand-env| and |:let-environment| for the Vimscript behavior.
@@ -155,34 +153,16 @@ vim.env = setmetatable({}, {
   end,
 })
 
-local function opt_validate(option_name, target_scope)
-  local scope = options_info[option_name].scope
-  if scope ~= target_scope then
-    local scope_to_string = { buf = 'buffer', win = 'window' }
-    error(
-      string.format(
-        [['%s' is a %s option, not a %s option. See ":help %s"]],
-        option_name,
-        scope_to_string[scope] or scope,
-        scope_to_string[target_scope] or target_scope,
-        option_name
-      )
-    )
-  end
-end
-
 local function new_buf_opt_accessor(bufnr)
   return setmetatable({}, {
     __index = function(_, k)
       if bufnr == nil and type(k) == 'number' then
         return new_buf_opt_accessor(k)
       end
-      opt_validate(k, 'buf')
       return api.nvim_get_option_value(k, { buf = bufnr or 0 })
     end,
 
     __newindex = function(_, k, v)
-      opt_validate(k, 'buf')
       return api.nvim_set_option_value(k, v, { buf = bufnr or 0 })
     end,
   })
@@ -203,7 +183,6 @@ local function new_win_opt_accessor(winid, bufnr)
         error('only bufnr=0 is supported')
       end
 
-      opt_validate(k, 'win')
       -- TODO(lewis6991): allow passing both buf and win to nvim_get_option_value
       return api.nvim_get_option_value(k, {
         scope = bufnr and 'local' or nil,
@@ -212,7 +191,6 @@ local function new_win_opt_accessor(winid, bufnr)
     end,
 
     __newindex = function(_, k, v)
-      opt_validate(k, 'win')
       -- TODO(lewis6991): allow passing both buf and win to nvim_set_option_value
       return api.nvim_set_option_value(k, v, {
         scope = bufnr and 'local' or nil,
@@ -680,7 +658,7 @@ local function create_option_accessor(scope)
   local option_mt
 
   local function make_option(name, value)
-    local info = assert(options_info[name], 'Not a valid option name: ' .. name)
+    local info = assert(get_options_info(name), 'Not a valid option name: ' .. name)
 
     if type(value) == 'table' and getmetatable(value) == option_mt then
       assert(name == value._name, "must be the same value, otherwise that's weird.")
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/options.c b/src/nvim/api/options.c
index b9a41adc3b..858a663b9f 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/options.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/options.c
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
 # include "api/options.c.generated.h"
 #endif
 
-static int validate_option_value_args(Dict(option) *opts, int *scope, int *opt_type, void **from,
-                                      char **filetype, Error *err)
+static int validate_option_value_args(Dict(option) *opts, char *name, int *scope, int *opt_type,
+                                      void **from, char **filetype, Error *err)
 {
   if (HAS_KEY(opts->scope)) {
     VALIDATE_T("scope", kObjectTypeString, opts->scope.type, {
@@ -92,6 +92,24 @@ static int validate_option_value_args(Dict(option) *opts, int *scope, int *opt_t
     return FAIL;
   });
 
+  int flags = get_option_value_strict(name, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL);
+  if (flags == 0) {
+    // hidden or unknown option
+    api_set_error(err, kErrorTypeValidation, "Unknown option '%s'", name);
+  } else if (*opt_type & (SREQ_BUF | SREQ_WIN)) {
+    // if 'buf' or 'win' is passed, make sure the option supports it
+    int req_flags = *opt_type & SREQ_BUF ? SOPT_BUF : SOPT_WIN;
+    if (!(flags & req_flags)) {
+      char *tgt = *opt_type & SREQ_BUF ? "buf" : "win";
+      char *global = flags & SOPT_GLOBAL ? "global ": "";
+      char *req = flags & SOPT_BUF ? "buffer-local " :
+                  flags & SOPT_WIN ? "window-local " : "";
+
+      api_set_error(err, kErrorTypeValidation, "'%s' cannot be passed for %s%soption '%s'",
+                    tgt, global, req, name);
+    }
+  }
+
   return OK;
 }
 
@@ -197,7 +215,7 @@ Object nvim_get_option_value(String name, Dict(option) *opts, Error *err)
   void *from = NULL;
   char *filetype = NULL;
 
-  if (!validate_option_value_args(opts, &scope, &opt_type, &from, &filetype, err)) {
+  if (!validate_option_value_args(opts, name.data, &scope, &opt_type, &from, &filetype, err)) {
     goto err;
   }
 
@@ -259,7 +277,7 @@ void nvim_set_option_value(uint64_t channel_id, String name, Object value, Dict(
   int scope = 0;
   int opt_type = SREQ_GLOBAL;
   void *to = NULL;
-  if (!validate_option_value_args(opts, &scope, &opt_type, &to, NULL, err)) {
+  if (!validate_option_value_args(opts, name.data, &scope, &opt_type, &to, NULL, err)) {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -343,7 +361,7 @@ Dictionary nvim_get_option_info2(String name, Dict(option) *opts, Error *err)
   int scope = 0;
   int opt_type = SREQ_GLOBAL;
   void *from = NULL;
-  if (!validate_option_value_args(opts, &scope, &opt_type, &from, NULL, err)) {
+  if (!validate_option_value_args(opts, name.data, &scope, &opt_type, &from, NULL, err)) {
     return (Dictionary)ARRAY_DICT_INIT;
   }
 
diff --git a/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua b/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua
index 617d0f12ff..6aa9dcc8fa 100644
--- a/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua
@@ -2445,7 +2445,7 @@ describe('API', function()
   it('can throw exceptions', function()
     local status, err = pcall(nvim, 'get_option_value', 'invalid-option', {})
     eq(false, status)
-    ok(err:match("Invalid 'option': 'invalid%-option'") ~= nil)
+    ok(err:match("Unknown option 'invalid%-option'") ~= nil)
   end)
 
   it('does not truncate error message <1 MB #5984', function()
diff --git a/test/functional/lua/vim_spec.lua b/test/functional/lua/vim_spec.lua
index 77c724b8e6..f1a617fb70 100644
--- a/test/functional/lua/vim_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/lua/vim_spec.lua
@@ -1509,7 +1509,7 @@ describe('lua stdlib', function()
     ]]
     eq('', funcs.luaeval "vim.bo.filetype")
     eq(true, funcs.luaeval "vim.bo[BUF].modifiable")
-    matches("Invalid option %(not found%): 'nosuchopt'$",
+    matches("Unknown option 'nosuchopt'$",
        pcall_err(exec_lua, 'return vim.bo.nosuchopt'))
     matches("Expected lua string$",
        pcall_err(exec_lua, 'return vim.bo[0][0].autoread'))
@@ -1530,7 +1530,7 @@ describe('lua stdlib', function()
     eq(0, funcs.luaeval "vim.wo.cole")
     eq(0, funcs.luaeval "vim.wo[0].cole")
     eq(0, funcs.luaeval "vim.wo[1001].cole")
-    matches("Invalid option %(not found%): 'notanopt'$",
+    matches("Unknown option 'notanopt'$",
        pcall_err(exec_lua, 'return vim.wo.notanopt'))
     matches("Invalid window id: %-1$",
        pcall_err(exec_lua, 'return vim.wo[-1].list'))