diff --git a/spacy/errors.py b/spacy/errors.py
index c897c29ff..9fd41d425 100644
--- a/spacy/errors.py
+++ b/spacy/errors.py
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ class Errors(metaclass=ErrorsWithCodes):
             "match.")
     E083 = ("Error setting extension: only one of `default`, `method`, or "
             "`getter` (plus optional `setter`) is allowed. Got: {nr_defined}")
-    E084 = ("Error assigning label ID {label} to span: not in StringStore.")
+    E084 = ("Error assigning {name} ID '{value}' to span: not in StringStore.")
     E085 = ("Can't create lexeme for string '{string}'.")
     E087 = ("Unknown displaCy style: {style}.")
     E088 = ("Text of length {length} exceeds maximum of {max_length}. The "
diff --git a/spacy/tests/doc/test_span.py b/spacy/tests/doc/test_span.py
index adef5922f..056c41bbd 100644
--- a/spacy/tests/doc/test_span.py
+++ b/spacy/tests/doc/test_span.py
@@ -456,6 +456,16 @@ def test_span_string_label_id(doc):
     assert span.id == doc.vocab.strings["Q342"]
 
 
+def test_span_attrs_in_strings(doc):
+    unusual_label = "test_spans_attrs_in_strings_label"
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        span = Span(doc, 0, 1, label=doc.vocab.strings[unusual_label])
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        span = Span(doc, 0, 1, kb_id=doc.vocab.strings[unusual_label])
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        span = Span(doc, 0, 1, span_id=doc.vocab.strings[unusual_label])
+
+
 def test_span_attrs_writable(doc):
     span = Span(doc, 0, 1)
     span.label_ = "label"
diff --git a/spacy/tokens/span.pyx b/spacy/tokens/span.pyx
index 7750b16ed..c41bb1cbe 100644
--- a/spacy/tokens/span.pyx
+++ b/spacy/tokens/span.pyx
@@ -107,7 +107,11 @@ cdef class Span:
         if isinstance(span_id, str):
             span_id = doc.vocab.strings.add(span_id)
         if label not in doc.vocab.strings:
-            raise ValueError(Errors.E084.format(label=label))
+            raise ValueError(Errors.E084.format(name="label", value=label))
+        if kb_id not in doc.vocab.strings:
+            raise ValueError(Errors.E084.format(name="kb_id", value=kb_id))
+        if span_id not in doc.vocab.strings:
+            raise ValueError(Errors.E084.format(name="span_id", value=span_id))
 
         start_char = doc[start].idx if start < doc.length else len(doc.text)
         if start == end: