diff --git a/packages/payload/src/admin/RichText.ts b/packages/payload/src/admin/RichText.ts
index 4e90f90cd7..2e76967bbb 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/admin/RichText.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/admin/RichText.ts
@@ -1,19 +1,13 @@
-import type { GenericLanguages, I18n, I18nClient } from '@payloadcms/translations'
+import type { GenericLanguages, I18n } from '@payloadcms/translations'
 import type { JSONSchema4 } from 'json-schema'
 
-import type { ImportMap } from '../bin/generateImportMap/index.js'
 import type { SanitizedCollectionConfig, TypeWithID } from '../collections/config/types.js'
 import type { Config, PayloadComponent, SanitizedConfig } from '../config/types.js'
 import type { ValidationFieldError } from '../errors/ValidationError.js'
-import type {
-  FieldAffectingData,
-  RichTextField,
-  RichTextFieldClient,
-  Validate,
-} from '../fields/config/types.js'
+import type { FieldAffectingData, RichTextField, Validate } from '../fields/config/types.js'
 import type { SanitizedGlobalConfig } from '../globals/config/types.js'
 import type { RequestContext } from '../index.js'
-import type { JsonObject, Payload, PayloadRequest, PopulateType } from '../types/index.js'
+import type { JsonObject, PayloadRequest, PopulateType } from '../types/index.js'
 import type { RichTextFieldClientProps } from './fields/RichText.js'
 import type { FieldSchemaMap } from './types.js'
 
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/baseFields/apiKey.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/baseFields/apiKey.ts
index 64082f0fb2..196f53441b 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/baseFields/apiKey.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/baseFields/apiKey.ts
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ export const apiKeyFields = [
     hooks: {
       beforeValidate: [
         ({ data, req, value }) => {
-          if (data.apiKey === false || data.apiKey === null) {
+          if (data?.apiKey === false || data?.apiKey === null) {
             return null
           }
-          if (data.enableAPIKey === false || data.enableAPIKey === null) {
+          if (data?.enableAPIKey === false || data?.enableAPIKey === null) {
             return null
           }
-          if (data.apiKey) {
+          if (data?.apiKey) {
             return crypto
               .createHmac('sha1', req.payload.secret)
               .update(data.apiKey as string)
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/cookies.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/cookies.ts
index 67e69dfdb1..2276b7fb41 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/cookies.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/cookies.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ type CookieObject = {
   path?: string
   sameSite?: 'Lax' | 'None' | 'Strict'
   secure?: boolean
-  value: string
+  value: string | undefined
 }
 
 export const generateCookie = <ReturnCookieAsObject = boolean>(
@@ -191,13 +191,13 @@ export const parseCookies = (headers: Request['headers']): Map<string, string> =
   if (cookie) {
     cookie.split(';').forEach((cookie) => {
       const parts = cookie.split('=')
-      const key = parts.shift().trim()
+      const key = parts.shift()?.trim()
       const encodedValue = parts.join('=')
 
       try {
         const decodedValue = decodeURI(encodedValue)
         cookieMap.set(key, decodedValue)
-      } catch (e) {
+      } catch (ignore) {
         return null
       }
     })
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/getAccessResults.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/getAccessResults.ts
index 32d0f5e357..830c0fe108 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/getAccessResults.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/getAccessResults.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export async function getAccessResults({
       ? payload.config.collections.find((collection) => collection.slug === user.collection)
       : null
 
-  if (userCollectionConfig && payload.config.admin.user === user.collection) {
+  if (userCollectionConfig && payload.config.admin.user === user?.collection) {
     results.canAccessAdmin = userCollectionConfig.access.admin
       ? await userCollectionConfig.access.admin({ req })
       : isLoggedIn
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/getAuthFields.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/getAuthFields.ts
index be8bf085b2..702d12193a 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/getAuthFields.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/getAuthFields.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export const getBaseAuthFields = (authConfig: IncomingAuthType): Field[] => {
       authFields.push(...verificationFields)
     }
 
-    if (authConfig.maxLoginAttempts > 0) {
+    if (authConfig?.maxLoginAttempts && authConfig.maxLoginAttempts > 0) {
       authFields.push(...accountLockFields)
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/getFieldsToSign.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/getFieldsToSign.ts
index 1cbef07344..4c8d269c73 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/getFieldsToSign.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/getFieldsToSign.ts
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ export const getFieldsToSign = (args: {
   const { collectionConfig, email, user } = args
 
   const result: Record<string, unknown> = {
-    id: user.id,
+    id: user?.id,
     collection: collectionConfig.slug,
     email,
   }
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/forgotPassword.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/forgotPassword.ts
index 9368907d6c..8b6d1b4792 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/forgotPassword.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/forgotPassword.ts
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ export const forgotPasswordOperation = async <TSlug extends CollectionSlug>(
     <a href="${serverURL}${config.routes.admin}${config.admin.routes.reset}/${token}">${serverURL}${config.routes.admin}${config.admin.routes.reset}/${token}</a>
     ${req.t('authentication:youDidNotRequestPassword')}`
 
-      if (typeof collectionConfig.auth.forgotPassword.generateEmailHTML === 'function') {
+      if (typeof collectionConfig.auth.forgotPassword?.generateEmailHTML === 'function') {
         html = await collectionConfig.auth.forgotPassword.generateEmailHTML({
           req,
           token,
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ export const forgotPasswordOperation = async <TSlug extends CollectionSlug>(
 
       let subject = req.t('authentication:resetYourPassword')
 
-      if (typeof collectionConfig.auth.forgotPassword.generateEmailSubject === 'function') {
+      if (typeof collectionConfig.auth.forgotPassword?.generateEmailSubject === 'function') {
         subject = await collectionConfig.auth.forgotPassword.generateEmailSubject({
           req,
           token,
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/forgotPassword.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/forgotPassword.ts
index 1bf5cb55db..bfe7a77448 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/forgotPassword.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/forgotPassword.ts
@@ -42,4 +42,4 @@ async function localForgotPassword<T extends CollectionSlug>(
   })
 }
 
-export default localForgotPassword
+export const forgotPassword = localForgotPassword
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/index.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/index.ts
index 3268bd641b..7b25f2afdf 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/index.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/index.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,8 @@
 import { auth } from './auth.js'
-import forgotPassword from './forgotPassword.js'
-import login from './login.js'
-import resetPassword from './resetPassword.js'
-import unlock from './unlock.js'
-import verifyEmail from './verifyEmail.js'
+import { forgotPassword } from './forgotPassword.js'
+import { login } from './login.js'
+import { resetPassword } from './resetPassword.js'
+import { unlock } from './unlock.js'
+import { verifyEmail } from './verifyEmail.js'
 
-export default {
-  auth,
-  forgotPassword,
-  login,
-  resetPassword,
-  unlock,
-  verifyEmail,
-}
+export { auth, forgotPassword, login, resetPassword, unlock, verifyEmail }
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/login.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/login.ts
index 5192dfaadc..c3dd186d89 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/login.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/login.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export type Options<TSlug extends CollectionSlug> = {
   showHiddenFields?: boolean
 }
 
-async function localLogin<TSlug extends CollectionSlug>(
+export async function localLogin<TSlug extends CollectionSlug>(
   payload: Payload,
   options: Options<TSlug>,
 ): Promise<{ user: DataFromCollectionSlug<TSlug> } & Result> {
@@ -62,4 +62,4 @@ async function localLogin<TSlug extends CollectionSlug>(
   return result
 }
 
-export default localLogin
+export const login = localLogin
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/resetPassword.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/resetPassword.ts
index 9b624c1581..ec46188b06 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/resetPassword.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/resetPassword.ts
@@ -47,4 +47,4 @@ async function localResetPassword<T extends CollectionSlug>(
   return result
 }
 
-export default localResetPassword
+export const resetPassword = localResetPassword
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/unlock.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/unlock.ts
index bfa3189fc2..9776c20328 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/unlock.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/unlock.ts
@@ -40,4 +40,4 @@ async function localUnlock<TSlug extends CollectionSlug>(
   })
 }
 
-export default localUnlock
+export const unlock = localUnlock
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/verifyEmail.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/verifyEmail.ts
index 9b8f12b6d5..c12bae6fa8 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/verifyEmail.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/operations/local/verifyEmail.ts
@@ -33,4 +33,4 @@ async function localVerifyEmail<T extends CollectionSlug>(
   })
 }
 
-export default localVerifyEmail
+export const verifyEmail = localVerifyEmail
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/strategies/jwt.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/strategies/jwt.ts
index 00f4cbc10d..b218374d6c 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/strategies/jwt.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/strategies/jwt.ts
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ async function autoLogin({
     or: [],
   }
   if (payload.config.admin?.autoLogin.email) {
-    where.or.push({
+    where.or?.push({
       email: {
         equals: payload.config.admin?.autoLogin.email,
       },
     })
   } else if (payload.config.admin?.autoLogin.username) {
-    where.or.push({
+    where.or?.push({
       username: {
         equals: payload.config.admin?.autoLogin.username,
       },
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export const JWTAuthentication: AuthStrategyFunction = async ({
       }
       return { user: null }
     }
-  } catch (error) {
+  } catch (ignore) {
     if (headers.get('DisableAutologin') !== 'true') {
       return await autoLogin({ isGraphQL, payload })
     }
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/auth/strategies/local/register.ts b/packages/payload/src/auth/strategies/local/register.ts
index 6b060c7313..fede389d3e 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/auth/strategies/local/register.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/auth/strategies/local/register.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export const registerLocalStrategy = async ({
     }
 
     if (doc.email) {
-      whereConstraint.or.push({
+      whereConstraint.or?.push({
         email: {
           equals: doc.email,
         },
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export const registerLocalStrategy = async ({
     }
 
     if (doc.username) {
-      whereConstraint.or.push({
+      whereConstraint.or?.push({
         username: {
           equals: doc.username,
         },
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/collections/config/sanitize.ts b/packages/payload/src/collections/config/sanitize.ts
index 2ad6fe00dc..7a5c249c69 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/collections/config/sanitize.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/collections/config/sanitize.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export const sanitizeCollection = async (
   // Sanitize fields
   // /////////////////////////////////
 
-  const validRelationships = config.collections.reduce(
+  const validRelationships = (config.collections || []).reduce(
     (acc, c) => {
       acc.push(c.slug)
       return acc
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ export const sanitizeCollection = async (
 
   if (sanitized.timestamps !== false) {
     // add default timestamps fields only as needed
-    let hasUpdatedAt = null
-    let hasCreatedAt = null
+    let hasUpdatedAt: boolean | null = null
+    let hasCreatedAt: boolean | null = null
     sanitized.fields.some((field) => {
       if (fieldAffectsData(field)) {
         if (field.name === 'updatedAt') {
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ export const sanitizeCollection = async (
     sanitized.upload.bulkUpload = sanitized.upload?.bulkUpload ?? true
     sanitized.upload.staticDir = sanitized.upload.staticDir || sanitized.slug
     sanitized.admin.useAsTitle =
-      sanitized.admin.useAsTitle && sanitized.admin.useAsTitle !== 'id'
+      sanitized.admin?.useAsTitle && sanitized.admin.useAsTitle !== 'id'
         ? sanitized.admin.useAsTitle
         : 'filename'
 
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/collections/config/useAsTitle.ts b/packages/payload/src/collections/config/useAsTitle.ts
index b25ffc8a84..a57aa32e17 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/collections/config/useAsTitle.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/collections/config/useAsTitle.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import flattenFields from '../../utilities/flattenTopLevelFields.js'
  * Validate useAsTitle for collections.
  */
 export const validateUseAsTitle = (config: CollectionConfig) => {
-  if (config.admin.useAsTitle.includes('.')) {
+  if (config.admin?.useAsTitle?.includes('.')) {
     throw new InvalidConfiguration(
       `"useAsTitle" cannot be a nested field. Please specify a top-level field in the collection "${config.slug}"`,
     )
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/local/index.ts b/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/local/index.ts
index 2ed3258a80..bcb6e909be 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/local/index.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/collections/operations/local/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* eslint-disable no-restricted-exports */
-import auth from '../../../auth/operations/local/index.js'
+import * as auth from '../../../auth/operations/local/index.js'
 import count from './count.js'
 import countVersions from './countVersions.js'
 import create from './create.js'
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/versions/saveVersion.ts b/packages/payload/src/versions/saveVersion.ts
index 5da82dc102..6e9273ad28 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/versions/saveVersion.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/versions/saveVersion.ts
@@ -167,16 +167,15 @@ export const saveVersion = async ({
       }
     }
   } catch (err) {
-    let errorMessage: string
+    let errorMessage: string | undefined
 
     if (collection) {
-      errorMessage = `There was an error while saving a version for the ${collection.labels.singular} with ID ${id}.`
+      errorMessage = `There was an error while saving a version for the ${typeof collection.labels.singular === 'string' ? collection.labels.singular : collection.slug} with ID ${id}.`
     }
     if (global) {
-      errorMessage = `There was an error while saving a version for the global ${global.label}.`
+      errorMessage = `There was an error while saving a version for the global ${typeof global.label === 'string' ? global.label : global.slug}.`
     }
-    payload.logger.error(errorMessage)
-    payload.logger.error(err)
+    payload.logger.error({ err, msg: errorMessage })
     return
   }