diff --git a/spacy/language.py b/spacy/language.py
index fcd877d12..a0ccdcbea 100644
--- a/spacy/language.py
+++ b/spacy/language.py
@@ -1771,8 +1771,10 @@ class Language:
             ).merge(config)
         if "nlp" not in config:
             raise ValueError(Errors.E985.format(config=config))
-        # auto-fill [nlp]
-        config["nlp"] = Config(cls.default_config["nlp"]).merge(config["nlp"])
+        # fill in [nlp.vectors] if not present (as a narrower alternative to
+        # auto-filling [nlp] from the default config)
+        if "vectors" not in config["nlp"]:
+            config["nlp"]["vectors"] = {"@misc": "spacy.Vectors.v1"}
         config_lang = config["nlp"].get("lang")
         if config_lang is not None and config_lang != cls.lang:
             raise ValueError(