diff --git a/src/core/core.config.js b/src/core/core.config.js
index 18fe50a1e19..1523eb5c5c9 100644
--- a/src/core/core.config.js
+++ b/src/core/core.config.js
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ function mergeScaleConfig(config, options) {
   // First figure out first scale id's per axis.
   Object.keys(configScales).forEach(id => {
     const scaleConf = configScales[id];
+    if (!isObject(scaleConf)) {
+      return console.error(`Invalid scale configuration for scale: ${id}`);
+    }
+    if (scaleConf._proxy) {
+      return console.warn(`Ignoring resolver passed as options for scale: ${id}`);
+    }
     const axis = determineAxis(id, scaleConf);
     const defaultId = getDefaultScaleIDFromAxis(axis, chartIndexAxis);
     const defaultScaleOptions = chartDefaults.scales || {};
diff --git a/test/specs/core.controller.tests.js b/test/specs/core.controller.tests.js
index 809b721d9d4..cb4eba08c07 100644
--- a/test/specs/core.controller.tests.js
+++ b/test/specs/core.controller.tests.js
@@ -498,6 +498,49 @@ describe('Chart', function() {
       expect(Chart.defaults.scales.linear._jasmineCheck).not.toBeDefined();
       expect(Chart.defaults.scales.category._jasmineCheck).not.toBeDefined();
     });
+
+    it('should ignore proxy passed as scale options', function() {
+      let failure = false;
+      const chart = acquireChart({
+        type: 'line',
+        data: [],
+        options: {
+          scales: {
+            x: {
+              grid: {
+                color: ctx => {
+                  if (!ctx.tick) {
+                    failure = true;
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      });
+      chart.options.scales = {
+        x: chart.options.scales.x,
+        y: {
+          type: 'linear',
+          position: 'right'
+        }
+      };
+      chart.update();
+      expect(failure).toEqual(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should ignore array passed as scale options', function() {
+      const chart = acquireChart({
+        type: 'line',
+        data: [],
+        options: {
+          scales: {
+            xAxes: [{id: 'xAxes', type: 'category'}]
+          }
+        }
+      });
+      expect(chart.scales.xAxes).not.toBeDefined();
+    });
   });
 
   describe('Updating options', function() {