diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts b/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts
index 30d53613b..f27bccac8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/test/test-ui.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,40 @@ import format from "date-fns/format";
 import { Auth } from "../firebase";
 import { skipXpBreakdown } from "../elements/account-button";
 import * as FunboxList from "./funbox/funbox-list";
+import { debounce } from "throttle-debounce";
+
+const debouncedZipfCheck = debounce(250, () => {
+  Misc.checkIfLanguageSupportsZipf(Config.language).then((supports) => {
+    if (supports === "no") {
+      Notifications.add(
+        `${Misc.capitalizeFirstLetter(
+          Config.language.replace(/_/g, " ")
+        )} does not support Zipf funbox, because the list is not ordered by frequency. Please try another word list.`,
+        0,
+        7
+      );
+    }
+    if (supports === "unknown") {
+      Notifications.add(
+        `${Misc.capitalizeFirstLetter(
+          Config.language.replace(/_/g, " ")
+        )} may not support Zipf funbox, because we don't know if its ordered by frequency or not. If you would like to add this label, please contact us.`,
+        0,
+        7
+      );
+    }
+  });
+});
 
 ConfigEvent.subscribe((eventKey, eventValue) => {
+  if (
+    eventKey === "language" ||
+    (eventKey === "funbox" &&
+      (eventValue as string).split("#").includes("zipf"))
+  ) {
+    debouncedZipfCheck();
+  }
+
   if (eventValue === undefined || typeof eventValue !== "boolean") return;
   if (eventKey === "flipTestColors") flipColors(eventValue);
   if (eventKey === "colorfulMode") colorful(eventValue);
diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/utils/misc.ts b/frontend/src/ts/utils/misc.ts
index c6252c1be..ad8569417 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/utils/misc.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/utils/misc.ts
@@ -1402,3 +1402,12 @@ export function dreymarIndex(arrayLength: number): number {
   const W = Math.ceil(h);
   return W - 1;
 }
+
+export async function checkIfLanguageSupportsZipf(
+  language: string
+): Promise<"yes" | "no" | "unknown"> {
+  const lang = await getLanguage(language);
+  if (lang.orderedByFrequency === true) return "yes";
+  if (lang.orderedByFrequency === false) return "no";
+  return "unknown";
+}