diff --git a/packages/payload/src/errors/ValidationError.spec.ts b/packages/payload/src/errors/ValidationError.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7547089
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/payload/src/errors/ValidationError.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { initI18n } from '@payloadcms/translations'
+import { de } from '@payloadcms/translations/languages/de'
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+import { ValidationError } from './ValidationError.js'
+
+describe('ValidationError', () => {
+  it('should translate the message with req.t when no t is passed', async () => {
+    const i18n = await initI18n({
+      config: { fallbackLanguage: 'de', supportedLanguages: { de } },
+      context: 'api',
+      language: 'de',
+    })
+
+    const error = new ValidationError({
+      errors: [{ message: 'Invalides Passwort', path: 'password' }],
+      req: { i18n, t: i18n.t },
+    })
+
+    expect(error.message).toBe('Das folgende Feld ist nicht korrekt: password')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/errors/ValidationError.ts b/packages/payload/src/errors/ValidationError.ts
index e723028..0c99a10 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/errors/ValidationError.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/errors/ValidationError.ts
@@ -37,13 +37,15 @@ export class ValidationError extends APIError<{
       id?: number | string
       /**
        *  req needs to be passed through (if you have one) in order to resolve label functions that may be part of the errors array
+       *  and to translate the message when `t` is not passed
        */
       req?: Partial<PayloadRequest>
     },
     t?: TFunction,
   ) {
-    const message = t
-      ? t('error:followingFieldsInvalid', { count: results.errors.length })
+    const translate = t ?? results.req?.t
+    const message = translate
+      ? translate('error:followingFieldsInvalid', { count: results.errors.length })
       : results.errors.length === 1
         ? en.translations.error.followingFieldsInvalid_one
         : en.translations.error.followingFieldsInvalid_other