diff --git a/spacy/__init__.py b/spacy/__init__.py
index ca5a39f05..0b76f1f9e 100644
--- a/spacy/__init__.py
+++ b/spacy/__init__.py
@@ -35,14 +35,16 @@ set_lang_class(bn.Bengali.lang, bn.Bengali)
 
 def load(name, **overrides):
     data_path = overrides.get('path', util.get_data_path())
-    meta = parse_package_meta(data_path, name)
-    lang = meta['lang'] if meta and 'lang' in meta else 'en'
+    meta = parse_package_meta(data_path, name, require=False)
+    lang = meta['lang'] if meta and 'lang' in meta else name
     cls = get_lang_class(lang)
     overrides['meta'] = meta
-    overrides['path'] = Path(data_path / name)
+    model_path = Path(data_path) / name
+    if model_path.exists():
+        overrides['path'] = model_path
     return cls(**overrides)
 
 
 def info(name):
-    meta = parse_package_meta(util.get_data_path(), name)
+    meta = parse_package_meta(util.get_data_path(), name, require=True)
     print(json.dumps(meta, indent=2))
diff --git a/spacy/util.py b/spacy/util.py
index ef6d9884d..63c57bf69 100644
--- a/spacy/util.py
+++ b/spacy/util.py
@@ -149,15 +149,16 @@ def check_renamed_kwargs(renamed, kwargs):
             raise TypeError("Keyword argument %s now renamed to %s" % (old, new))
 
 
-def parse_package_meta(package_path, package, on_error=False):
+def parse_package_meta(package_path, package, require=True):
     location = os.path.join(str(package_path), package, 'meta.json')
-    if not os.path.isfile(location) and on_error:
-        on_error()
-    else:
+    if os.path.isfile(location):
         with io.open(location, encoding='utf8') as f:
             meta = json.load(f)
             return meta
-    return False
+    elif require:
+        raise IOError("Could not read meta.json from %s" % location)
+    else:
+        return None
 
 
 def print_msg(*text, **kwargs):