diff --git a/ovos_plugin_manager/utils/config.py b/ovos_plugin_manager/utils/config.py
index 25416537..3746f455 100644
--- a/ovos_plugin_manager/utils/config.py
+++ b/ovos_plugin_manager/utils/config.py
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ def get_plugin_config(config: Optional[dict] = None, section: str = None,
     module = module or config.get('module')
     if module:
         module_config = config.get(module) or dict()
-        module_config.setdefault('lang', lang)
         module_config.setdefault('module', module)
+        if section not in ["hotwords", "VAD", "listener"]:
+            module_config.setdefault('lang', lang)
         return module_config
     if section not in ["hotwords", "VAD", "listener"]:
         config.setdefault('lang', lang)
diff --git a/ovos_plugin_manager/vad.py b/ovos_plugin_manager/vad.py
index cfed63db..d9cdf49f 100644
--- a/ovos_plugin_manager/vad.py
+++ b/ovos_plugin_manager/vad.py
@@ -44,12 +44,14 @@ def get_class(config=None):
         The configuration file ``mycroft.conf`` contains a ``vad`` section with
         the name of a VAD module to be read by this method.
 
-        "vad": {
+        "VAD": {
             "module": <engine_name>
         }
         """
         config = get_vad_config(config)
-        vad_module = config.get("module", "dummy")
+        vad_module = config.get("module")
+        if not vad_module:
+            raise ValueError(f"VAD Plugin not configured in: {config}")
         if vad_module == "dummy":
             return VADEngine
         if vad_module in OVOSVADFactory.MAPPINGS:
@@ -60,29 +62,36 @@ def get_class(config=None):
     def create(config=None):
         """Factory method to create a VAD engine based on configuration.
 
-        The configuration file ``mycroft.conf`` contains a ``vad`` section with
+        The configuration file ``mycroft.conf`` contains a ``VAD`` section with
         the name of a VAD module to be read by this method.
 
-        "vad": {
+        "VAD": {
             "module": <engine_name>
         }
         """
-        config = config or get_vad_config()
-        plugin = config.get("module") or "dummy"
-        plugin_config = config.get(plugin) or {}
+        vad_config = get_vad_config(config)
+        plugin = vad_config.get("module")
+        if not plugin:
+            raise ValueError(f"VAD Plugin not configured in: {vad_config}")
         try:
-            clazz = OVOSVADFactory.get_class(config)
-            return clazz(plugin_config)
+            clazz = OVOSVADFactory.get_class(vad_config)
+            return clazz(vad_config)
         except Exception:
             LOG.exception(f'VAD plugin {plugin} could not be loaded!')
             raise
 
 
 def get_vad_config(config=None):
+    """
+    Get the VAD configuration, including `module` and module-specific config
+    @param config: Configuration dict to parse (default Configuration())
+    @return: dict containing `module` and module-specific configuration
+    """
     from ovos_plugin_manager.utils.config import get_plugin_config
     config = config or Configuration()
     if "listener" in config and "VAD" not in config:
-        return get_plugin_config(config, "listener")
-    else:
-        return get_plugin_config(config, "VAD")
+        config = get_plugin_config(config, "listener")
+    if "VAD" in config:
+        config = get_plugin_config(config, "VAD")
+    return config
 
diff --git a/test/unittests/test_vad.py b/test/unittests/test_vad.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fcb90531
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unittests/test_vad.py
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+import unittest
+from unittest.mock import patch, Mock
+from copy import copy, deepcopy
+from ovos_plugin_manager import PluginTypes
+
+_TEST_CONFIG = {
+    "lang": "en-us",
+    "listener": {
+        "VAD": {
+            "module": "dummy",
+            "dummy": {
+                "vad_param": True
+            },
+            "ovos-vad-plugin-webrtcvad": {
+                "vad_mode": 2
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
+class TestVADFactory(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_create(self):
+        from ovos_plugin_manager.vad import OVOSVADFactory
+        real_get_class = OVOSVADFactory.get_class
+        mock_class = Mock()
+
+        mock_get_class = Mock(return_value=mock_class)
+        OVOSVADFactory.get_class = mock_get_class
+
+        OVOSVADFactory.create(config=_TEST_CONFIG)
+        mock_get_class.assert_called_once_with(
+            {**_TEST_CONFIG['listener']['VAD']['dummy'], **{"module": "dummy"}})
+        mock_class.assert_called_once_with(
+            _TEST_CONFIG['listener']["VAD"]['dummy'])
+
+        # Test invalid config
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            OVOSVADFactory.create({'VAD': {'value': None}})
+
+        OVOSVADFactory.get_class = real_get_class
+
+    @patch("ovos_plugin_manager.vad.load_plugin")
+    def test_get_class(self, load_plugin):
+        mock = Mock()
+        load_plugin.return_value = mock
+        from ovos_plugin_manager.vad import OVOSVADFactory
+        from ovos_plugin_manager.templates.vad import VADEngine
+
+        # Test invalid config
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            OVOSVADFactory.get_class({'module': None})
+
+        # Test dummy module
+        module = OVOSVADFactory.get_class(_TEST_CONFIG)
+        load_plugin.assert_not_called()
+        self.assertEqual(VADEngine, module)
+
+        # Test valid module
+        config = deepcopy(_TEST_CONFIG)
+        config['listener']['VAD']['module'] = 'ovos-vad-plugin-webrtcvad'
+        module = OVOSVADFactory.get_class(config)
+        load_plugin.assert_called_once_with('ovos-vad-plugin-webrtcvad',
+                                            PluginTypes.VAD)
+        self.assertEqual(module, mock)
+
+    def test_get_vad_config(self):
+        from ovos_plugin_manager.vad import get_vad_config
+        config = copy(_TEST_CONFIG)
+        dummy_config = get_vad_config(config)
+        self.assertEqual(dummy_config,
+                         {**_TEST_CONFIG['listener']['VAD']['dummy'],
+                          **{'module': 'dummy'}})
+        config = copy(_TEST_CONFIG)
+        config['listener']['VAD']['module'] = 'ovos-vad-plugin-webrtcvad'
+        webrtc_config = get_vad_config(config)
+        self.assertEqual(webrtc_config,
+                         {**_TEST_CONFIG['listener']['VAD']
+                          ['ovos-vad-plugin-webrtcvad'],
+                          **{'module': 'ovos-vad-plugin-webrtcvad'}})
+        config = copy(_TEST_CONFIG)
+        config['VAD'] = {'module': 'fake'}
+        fake_config = get_vad_config(config)
+        self.assertEqual(fake_config, {'module': 'fake'})