diff --git a/packages/@lwc/babel-plugin-component/src/__tests__/wire-decorator.spec.js b/packages/@lwc/babel-plugin-component/src/__tests__/wire-decorator.spec.js
index 437631a7d6..40b47d3c8f 100644
--- a/packages/@lwc/babel-plugin-component/src/__tests__/wire-decorator.spec.js
+++ b/packages/@lwc/babel-plugin-component/src/__tests__/wire-decorator.spec.js
@@ -101,6 +101,24 @@ describe('Transform property', () => {
         }
     );
 
+    pluginTest(
+        'decorator expects wire adapter to be imported',
+        `
+        import { LightningElement, wire } from 'lwc';
+        export default class PublicMethods extends LightningElement {
+          @wire(adapter) foo;
+        }
+        `,
+        {
+            error: {
+                message: 'Failed to resolve @wire adapter "adapter". Ensure it is imported',
+                loc: {
+                    line: 2,
+                    column: 4,
+                },
+            },
+        }
+    );
     pluginTest(
         'decorator expects wire adapter as first parameter',
         `
diff --git a/packages/@lwc/babel-plugin-component/src/decorators/wire/validate.js b/packages/@lwc/babel-plugin-component/src/decorators/wire/validate.js
index a4eca1ea81..057adb8049 100644
--- a/packages/@lwc/babel-plugin-component/src/decorators/wire/validate.js
+++ b/packages/@lwc/babel-plugin-component/src/decorators/wire/validate.js
@@ -20,14 +20,25 @@ function validateWireParameters(path) {
         });
     }
 
-    if (!id.isIdentifier()) {
+    const isIdentifier = id.isIdentifier();
+
+    if (!isIdentifier) {
         throw generateError(id, {
             errorInfo: DecoratorErrors.FUNCTION_IDENTIFIER_SHOULD_BE_FIRST_PARAMETER,
         });
     }
 
+    // ensure wire adapter is imported
+    if (isIdentifier && !path.scope.getBinding(id.node.name)) {
+        throw generateError(id, {
+            errorInfo: DecoratorErrors.WIRE_ADAPTER_SHOULD_BE_IMPORTED,
+            messageArgs: [id.node.name],
+        });
+    }
+
+    // ensure wire adapter is a first parameter
     if (
-        id.isIdentifier() &&
+        isIdentifier &&
         !path.scope.getBinding(id.node.name).path.isImportSpecifier() &&
         !path.scope.getBinding(id.node.name).path.isImportDefaultSpecifier()
     ) {
diff --git a/packages/@lwc/errors/src/compiler/error-info/index.ts b/packages/@lwc/errors/src/compiler/error-info/index.ts
index c803c7a730..9552d6d576 100644
--- a/packages/@lwc/errors/src/compiler/error-info/index.ts
+++ b/packages/@lwc/errors/src/compiler/error-info/index.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  */
 /**
  * TODO: W-5678919 - implement script to determine the next available error code
- * Next error code: 1118
+ * Next error code: 1119
  */
 
 export * from './compiler';
diff --git a/packages/@lwc/errors/src/compiler/error-info/lwc-class.ts b/packages/@lwc/errors/src/compiler/error-info/lwc-class.ts
index 3047838f28..f3e33f9945 100644
--- a/packages/@lwc/errors/src/compiler/error-info/lwc-class.ts
+++ b/packages/@lwc/errors/src/compiler/error-info/lwc-class.ts
@@ -197,4 +197,11 @@ export const DecoratorErrors = {
         level: DiagnosticLevel.Error,
         url: '',
     },
+
+    WIRE_ADAPTER_SHOULD_BE_IMPORTED: {
+        code: 1119,
+        message: 'Failed to resolve @wire adapter "{0}". Ensure it is imported.',
+        level: DiagnosticLevel.Error,
+        url: '',
+    },
 };