diff --git a/nvim/.config/nvim/lua/core/lazy.lua b/nvim/.config/nvim/lua/core/lazy.lua
index f57bf7b..ddb750b 100644
--- a/nvim/.config/nvim/lua/core/lazy.lua
+++ b/nvim/.config/nvim/lua/core/lazy.lua
@@ -31,8 +31,13 @@ if not vim.loop.fs_stat(lazypath) then
 end
 vim.opt.rtp:prepend(lazypath)
 
+-- ensure plugins specs exist before loading into lazy
+local spec_dir = vim.fn.stdpath("config") .. "/lua/plugins"
+local spec_exist = (vim.fn.isdirectory(spec_dir) ~= 0) and (#vim.fn.glob(spec_dir .. "/*.lua", nil, true) ~= 0)
+local spec = spec_exist and { import = "plugins" } or {}
+
 require("lazy").setup({
-	spec = { { import = "plugins" } },
+	spec = { spec },
 	defaults = { lazy = true, version = "*" },
 	performance = {
 		rtp = { disabled_plugins = { "netrw", "netrwPlugin" } },