diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/translations.ts b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/translations.ts
index 3593e03004..bf50f90e3c 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/translations.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/translations.ts
@@ -74,21 +74,21 @@ function translateNavbar(
 function isMultiColumnFooterLinks(
   links: MultiColumnFooter['links'] | SimpleFooter['links'],
 ): links is MultiColumnFooter['links'] {
-  return 'title' in links[0];
+  return links.length > 0 && 'title' in links[0];
 }
 
 function getFooterTranslationFile(footer: Footer): TranslationFileContent {
-  const footerLinkTitles: TranslationFileContent = isMultiColumnFooterLinks(
-    footer.links,
+  const footerLinkTitles: TranslationFileContent = chain(
+    isMultiColumnFooterLinks(footer.links)
+      ? footer.links.filter((link) => !!link.title)
+      : [],
   )
-    ? chain(footer.links.filter((link) => !!link.title))
-        .keyBy((link) => `link.title.${link.title}`)
-        .mapValues((link) => ({
-          message: link.title!,
-          description: `The title of the footer links column with title=${link.title} in the footer`,
-        }))
-        .value()
-    : {};
+    .keyBy((link) => `link.title.${link.title}`)
+    .mapValues((link) => ({
+      message: link.title!,
+      description: `The title of the footer links column with title=${link.title} in the footer`,
+    }))
+    .value();
 
   const footerLinkLabels: TranslationFileContent = chain(
     isMultiColumnFooterLinks(footer.links)
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/validateThemeConfig.ts b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/validateThemeConfig.ts
index aa5b983fcb..1f7ca0b67f 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/validateThemeConfig.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-theme-classic/src/validateThemeConfig.ts
@@ -312,18 +312,18 @@ const ThemeConfigSchema = Joi.object({
     }),
     copyright: Joi.string(),
     links: Joi.alternatives(
-      Joi.array()
-        .items(
-          Joi.object({
-            title: Joi.string().allow(null).default(null),
-            items: Joi.array().items(FooterLinkItemSchema).default([]),
-          }),
-        )
-        .default([]),
-      Joi.array().items(FooterLinkItemSchema).default([]),
-    ).messages({
-      'alternatives.match': `The footer must be either simple or multi-column, and not a mix of the two. See: https://docusaurus.io/docs/api/themes/configuration#footer-links`,
-    }),
+      Joi.array().items(
+        Joi.object({
+          title: Joi.string().allow(null).default(null),
+          items: Joi.array().items(FooterLinkItemSchema).default([]),
+        }),
+      ),
+      Joi.array().items(FooterLinkItemSchema),
+    )
+      .messages({
+        'alternatives.match': `The footer must be either simple or multi-column, and not a mix of the two. See: https://docusaurus.io/docs/api/themes/configuration#footer-links`,
+      })
+      .default([]),
   }).optional(),
   prism: Joi.object({
     theme: Joi.object({