diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0a6cdabb81..23ff5dd8e3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+* ![Bugfix][badge-bugfix] Fix `strict` mode to properly print errors, not just a warnings. ([#1756][github-1756], [#1776][github-1776])
 
 ## Version `v0.27.15`
 
@@ -980,6 +981,7 @@
 [github-1751]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/pull/1751
 [github-1752]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/pull/1752
 [github-1754]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/pull/1754
+[github-1756]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/issues/1756
 [github-1758]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/issues/1758
 [github-1759]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/pull/1759
 [github-1760]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/issues/1760
@@ -989,6 +991,7 @@
 [github-1772]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/issues/1772
 [github-1773]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/pull/1773
 [github-1774]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/pull/1774
+[github-1776]: https://github.com/JuliaDocs/Documenter.jl/pull/1776
 
 [julia-38079]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/38079
 [julia-39841]: https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/pull/39841
diff --git a/src/CrossReferences.jl b/src/CrossReferences.jl
index 3776b59b9a..3c2ad4efe6 100644
--- a/src/CrossReferences.jl
+++ b/src/CrossReferences.jl
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ import ..Documenter:
     Documents,
     Expanders,
     Documenter,
-    Utilities
+    Utilities,
+    Utilities.@docerror
 
 using DocStringExtensions
 import Markdown
@@ -70,8 +71,7 @@ function namedxref(link::Markdown.Link, meta, page, doc)
     slug = match(NAMED_XREF, link.url)[1]
     if isempty(slug)
         text = sprint(Markdown.plaininline, link)
-        push!(doc.internal.errors, :cross_references)
-        @warn "'$text' missing a name after '#' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))."
+        @docerror(doc, :cross_references, "'$text' missing a name after '#' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)).")
     else
         if Anchors.exists(doc.internal.headers, slug)
             namedxref(link, slug, meta, page, doc)
@@ -96,12 +96,10 @@ function namedxref(link::Markdown.Link, slug, meta, page, doc)
             path     = relpath(anchor.file, dirname(page.build))
             link.url = string(path, Anchors.fragment(anchor))
         else
-            push!(doc.internal.errors, :cross_references)
-            @warn "'$slug' is not unique in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))."
+            @docerror(doc, :cross_references, "'$slug' is not unique in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)).")
         end
     else
-        push!(doc.internal.errors, :cross_references)
-        @warn "reference for '$slug' could not be found in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))."
+        @docerror(doc, :cross_references, "reference for '$slug' could not be found in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)).")
     end
 end
 
@@ -121,8 +119,7 @@ function docsxref(link::Markdown.Link, code, meta, page, doc)
             ex = Meta.parse(code)
         catch err
             !isa(err, Meta.ParseError) && rethrow(err)
-            push!(doc.internal.errors, :cross_references)
-            @warn "unable to parse the reference '[`$code`](@ref)' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))."
+            @docerror(doc, :cross_references, "unable to parse the reference '[`$code`](@ref)' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)).")
             return
         end
     end
@@ -133,8 +130,7 @@ function docsxref(link::Markdown.Link, code, meta, page, doc)
     try
         binding = Documenter.DocSystem.binding(mod, ex)
     catch err
-        push!(doc.internal.errors, :cross_references)
-        @warn "unable to get the binding for '[`$code`](@ref)' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)) from expression '$(repr(ex))' in module $(mod)" exception = err
+        @docerror(doc, :cross_references, "unable to get the binding for '[`$code`](@ref)' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)) from expression '$(repr(ex))' in module $(mod)", exception = err)
         return
     end
 
@@ -142,8 +138,7 @@ function docsxref(link::Markdown.Link, code, meta, page, doc)
     try
         typesig = Core.eval(mod, Documenter.DocSystem.signature(ex, rstrip(code)))
     catch err
-        push!(doc.internal.errors, :cross_references)
-        @warn "unable to evaluate the type signature for '[`$code`](@ref)' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)) from expression '$(repr(ex))' in module $(mod)" exception = err
+        @docerror(doc, :cross_references, "unable to evaluate the type signature for '[`$code`](@ref)' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)) from expression '$(repr(ex))' in module $(mod)", exception = err)
         return
     end
 
@@ -156,8 +151,7 @@ function docsxref(link::Markdown.Link, code, meta, page, doc)
         slug     = Utilities.slugify(object)
         link.url = string(path, '#', slug)
     else
-        push!(doc.internal.errors, :cross_references)
-        @warn "no doc found for reference '[`$code`](@ref)' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))."
+        @docerror(doc, :cross_references, "no doc found for reference '[`$code`](@ref)' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)).")
     end
 end
 
diff --git a/src/DocChecks.jl b/src/DocChecks.jl
index 028e03bc77..191719c2d7 100644
--- a/src/DocChecks.jl
+++ b/src/DocChecks.jl
@@ -9,14 +9,11 @@ import ..Documenter:
     Documents,
     Utilities,
     Utilities.Markdown2,
-    Builder.is_strict
+    Utilities.@docerror
 
 using DocStringExtensions
 import Markdown
 
-using Logging
-loglevel(doc, val) = is_strict(doc.user.strict, val) ? Logging.Error : Logging.Warn
-
 # Missing docstrings.
 # -------------------
 
@@ -66,8 +63,7 @@ function missingdocs(doc::Documents.Document)
         println(b, """\n
             These are docstrings in the checked modules (configured with the modules keyword)
             that are not included in @docs or @autodocs blocks.""")
-        push!(doc.internal.errors, :missing_docs)
-        @logmsg loglevel(doc, :missing_docs) String(take!(b))
+        @docerror(doc, :missing_docs, String(take!(b)))
     end
 end
 
@@ -129,18 +125,15 @@ function footnotes(doc::Documents.Document)
         for (id, (ids, bodies)) in orphans
             # Multiple footnote bodies.
             if bodies > 1
-                push!(doc.internal.errors, :footnote)
-                @logmsg loglevel(doc, :footnote) "footnote '$id' has $bodies bodies in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))."
+                @docerror(doc, :footnote, "footnote '$id' has $bodies bodies in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)).")
             end
             # No footnote references for an id.
             if ids === 0
-                push!(doc.internal.errors, :footnote)
-                @logmsg loglevel(doc, :footnote) "unused footnote named '$id' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))."
+                @docerror(doc, :footnote, "unused footnote named '$id' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)).")
             end
             # No footnote bodies for an id.
             if bodies === 0
-                push!(doc.internal.errors, :footnote)
-                @logmsg loglevel(doc, :footnote) "no footnotes found for '$id' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))."
+                @docerror(doc, :footnote, "no footnotes found for '$id' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source)).")
             end
         end
     end
@@ -182,8 +175,7 @@ function linkcheck(doc::Documents.Document)
                 end
             end
         else
-            push!(doc.internal.errors, :linkcheck)
-            @logmsg loglevel(doc, :linkcheck) "linkcheck requires `curl`."
+            @docerror(doc, :linkcheck, "linkcheck requires `curl`.")
         end
     end
     return nothing
@@ -209,8 +201,7 @@ function linkcheck(link::Markdown.Link, doc::Documents.Document; method::Symbol=
             # interpolating into backticks escapes spaces so constructing a Cmd is necessary
             result = read(cmd, String)
         catch err
-            push!(doc.internal.errors, :linkcheck)
-            @logmsg loglevel(doc, :linkcheck) "$cmd failed:" exception = err
+            @docerror(doc, :linkcheck, "$cmd failed:", exception = err)
             return false
         end
         STATUS_REGEX = r"^(\d+) (\w+)://(?:\S+) (\S+)?$"m
@@ -240,12 +231,10 @@ function linkcheck(link::Markdown.Link, doc::Documents.Document; method::Symbol=
                 @debug "linkcheck '$(link.url)' status: $(status), retrying without `-I`"
                 return linkcheck(link, doc; method=:GET)
             else
-                push!(doc.internal.errors, :linkcheck)
-                @logmsg loglevel(doc, :linkcheck) "linkcheck '$(link.url)' status: $(status)."
+                @docerror(doc, :linkcheck, "linkcheck '$(link.url)' status: $(status).")
             end
         else
-            push!(doc.internal.errors, :linkcheck)
-            @logmsg loglevel(doc, :linkcheck) "invalid result returned by $cmd:" result
+            @docerror(doc, :linkcheck, "invalid result returned by $cmd:", result)
         end
     end
     return false
diff --git a/src/DocTests.jl b/src/DocTests.jl
index e3a33364e5..c24ac384a2 100644
--- a/src/DocTests.jl
+++ b/src/DocTests.jl
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import ..Documenter:
     IdDict
 
 import Markdown, REPL
-import .Utilities: Markdown2
+import .Utilities: Markdown2, @docerror
 import IOCapture
 
 # Julia code block testing.
@@ -97,8 +97,7 @@ function parse_metablock(ctx::DocTestContext, block::Markdown2.CodeBlock)
             try
                 meta[ex.args[1]] = Core.eval(Main, ex.args[2])
             catch err
-                push!(ctx.doc.internal.errors, :meta_block)
-                @warn "Failed to evaluate `$(strip(str))` in `@meta` block." err
+                @docerror(ctx.doc, :meta_block, "Failed to evaluate `$(strip(str))` in `@meta` block.", exception = err)
             end
         end
     end
@@ -138,10 +137,10 @@ function doctest(ctx::DocTestContext, block_immutable::Markdown2.CodeBlock)
                 Meta.parse("($(lang[nextind(lang, idx):end]),)")
             catch e
                 e isa Meta.ParseError || rethrow(e)
-                push!(ctx.doc.internal.errors, :doctest)
                 file = ctx.meta[:CurrentFile]
                 lines = Utilities.find_block_in_file(block.code, file)
-                @warn("""
+                @docerror(ctx.doc, :doctest,
+                    """
                     Unable to parse doctest keyword arguments in $(Utilities.locrepr(file, lines))
                     Use ```jldoctest name; key1 = value1, key2 = value2
 
@@ -153,10 +152,10 @@ function doctest(ctx::DocTestContext, block_immutable::Markdown2.CodeBlock)
             end
             for kwarg in kwargs.args
                 if !(isa(kwarg, Expr) && kwarg.head === :(=) && isa(kwarg.args[1], Symbol))
-                    push!(ctx.doc.internal.errors, :doctest)
                     file = ctx.meta[:CurrentFile]
                     lines = Utilities.find_block_in_file(block.code, file)
-                    @warn("""
+                    @docerror(ctx.doc, :doctest,
+                        """
                         invalid syntax for doctest keyword arguments in $(Utilities.locrepr(file, lines))
                         Use ```jldoctest name; key1 = value1, key2 = value2
 
@@ -187,10 +186,10 @@ function doctest(ctx::DocTestContext, block_immutable::Markdown2.CodeBlock)
         elseif occursin(r"^# output$"m, block.code)
             eval_script(block, sandbox, ctx.meta, ctx.doc, ctx.file)
         else
-            push!(ctx.doc.internal.errors, :doctest)
             file = ctx.meta[:CurrentFile]
             lines = Utilities.find_block_in_file(block.code, file)
-            @warn("""
+            @docerror(ctx.doc, :doctest,
+                """
                 invalid doctest block in $(Utilities.locrepr(file, lines))
                 Requires `julia> ` or `# output`
 
diff --git a/src/Expanders.jl b/src/Expanders.jl
index c6d73de635..488819a674 100644
--- a/src/Expanders.jl
+++ b/src/Expanders.jl
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import .Documents:
     EvalNode,
     MetaNode
 
-import .Utilities: Selectors
+import .Utilities: Selectors, @docerror
 
 import Markdown, REPL
 import Base64: stringmime
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{MetaBlocks}, x, page, doc)
             try
                 meta[ex.args[1]] = Core.eval(Main, ex.args[2])
             catch err
-                push!(doc.internal.errors, :meta_block)
-                @warn("""
+                @docerror(doc, :meta_block,
+                    """
                     failed to evaluate `$(strip(str))` in `@meta` block in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source, lines))
                     ```$(x.language)
                     $(x.code)
@@ -283,8 +283,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{DocsBlocks}, x, page, doc)
         binding = try
             Documenter.DocSystem.binding(curmod, ex)
         catch err
-            push!(doc.internal.errors, :docs_block)
-            @warn("""
+            @docerror(doc, :docs_block,
+                """
                 unable to get the binding for '$(strip(str))' in `@docs` block in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source, lines)) from expression '$(repr(ex))' in module $(curmod)
                 ```$(x.language)
                 $(x.code)
@@ -296,8 +296,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{DocsBlocks}, x, page, doc)
         end
         # Undefined `Bindings` get discarded.
         if !Documenter.DocSystem.iskeyword(binding) && !Documenter.DocSystem.defined(binding)
-            push!(doc.internal.errors, :docs_block)
-            @warn("""
+            @docerror(doc, :docs_block,
+                """
                 undefined binding '$(binding)' in `@docs` block in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source, lines))
                 ```$(x.language)
                 $(x.code)
@@ -311,8 +311,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{DocsBlocks}, x, page, doc)
         object = Utilities.Object(binding, typesig)
         # We can't include the same object more than once in a document.
         if haskey(doc.internal.objects, object)
-            push!(doc.internal.errors, :docs_block)
-            @warn("""
+            @docerror(doc, :docs_block,
+                """
                 duplicate docs found for '$(strip(str))' in `@docs` block in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source, lines))
                 ```$(x.language)
                 $(x.code)
@@ -332,8 +332,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{DocsBlocks}, x, page, doc)
 
         # Check that we aren't printing an empty docs list. Skip block when empty.
         if isempty(docs)
-            push!(doc.internal.errors, :docs_block)
-            @warn("""
+            @docerror(doc, :docs_block,
+                """
                 no docs found for '$(strip(str))' in `@docs` block in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source, lines))
                 ```$(x.language)
                 $(x.code)
@@ -383,8 +383,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{AutoDocsBlocks}, x, page, doc)
                     fields[ex.args[1]] = Core.eval(curmod, ex.args[2])
                 end
             catch err
-                push!(doc.internal.errors, :autodocs_block)
-                @warn("""
+                @docerror(doc, :autodocs_block,
+                    """
                     failed to evaluate `$(strip(str))` in `@autodocs` block in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source, lines))
                     ```$(x.language)
                     $(x.code)
@@ -451,8 +451,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{AutoDocsBlocks}, x, page, doc)
         nodes = DocsNode[]
         for (mod, path, category, object, isexported, docstr) in results
             if haskey(doc.internal.objects, object)
-                push!(doc.internal.errors, :autodocs_block)
-                @warn("""
+                @docerror(doc, :autodocs_block,
+                    """
                     duplicate docs found for '$(object.binding)' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source, lines))
                     ```$(x.language)
                     $(x.code)
@@ -475,8 +475,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{AutoDocsBlocks}, x, page, doc)
         end
         page.mapping[x] = DocsNodes(nodes)
     else
-        push!(doc.internal.errors, :autodocs_block)
-        @warn("""
+        @docerror(doc, :autodocs_block,
+            """
             '@autodocs' missing 'Modules = ...' in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source, lines))
             ```$(x.language)
             $(x.code)
@@ -502,8 +502,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{EvalBlocks}, x, page, doc)
             try
                 result = Core.eval(sandbox, ex)
             catch err
-                push!(doc.internal.errors, :eval_block)
-                @warn("""
+                @docerror(doc, :eval_block,
+                    """
                     failed to evaluate `@eval` block in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))
                     ```$(x.language)
                     $(x.code)
@@ -587,13 +587,13 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{ExampleBlocks}, x, page, doc)
             result = c.value
             print(buffer, c.output)
             if c.error
-                push!(doc.internal.errors, :example_block)
-                @warn("""
+                @docerror(doc, :example_block,
+                    """
                     failed to run `@example` block in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source, lines))
                     ```$(x.language)
                     $(x.code)
                     ```
-                    """, c.value)
+                    """, value = c.value)
                 page.mapping[x] = x
                 return
             end
@@ -714,8 +714,8 @@ function Selectors.runner(::Type{SetupBlocks}, x, page, doc)
         end
         Markdown.MD([])
     catch err
-        push!(doc.internal.errors, :setup_block)
-        @warn("""
+        @docerror(doc, :setup_block,
+            """
             failed to run `@setup` block in $(Utilities.locrepr(page.source))
             ```$(x.language)
             $(x.code)
diff --git a/src/Utilities/Utilities.jl b/src/Utilities/Utilities.jl
index 05d888e38e..c4cdbf7346 100644
--- a/src/Utilities/Utilities.jl
+++ b/src/Utilities/Utilities.jl
@@ -10,6 +10,33 @@ import Markdown, LibGit2
 import Base64: stringmime
 import ..ERROR_NAMES
 
+"""
+    @docerror(doc, tag, msg, exs...)
+
+Add `tag` to the `doc.internal.errors` array and log the message `msg` as an
+error (if `tag` matches the `doc.user.strict` setting) or warning.
+
+- `doc` must be the instance of `Document` used for the Documenter run
+- `tag` must be one of the `Symbol`s in `ERROR_NAMES`
+- `msg` is the explanation of the issue to the user
+- `exs...` are additional expressions that will be included with the message;
+  see `@error` and `@warn`
+"""
+macro docerror(doc, tag, msg, exs...)
+    tag isa QuoteNode || error("invalid call of @docerror")
+    tag.value ∈ ERROR_NAMES || throw(ArgumentError("tag $(tag) is not a valid Documenter error"))
+    esc(quote
+        let
+            push!($(doc).internal.errors, $(tag))
+            if $Utilities.is_strict($(doc).user.strict, $(tag))
+                @error $(msg) $(exs...)
+            else
+                @warn $(msg) $(exs...)
+            end
+        end
+    end)
+end
+
 # escape characters that has a meaning in regex
 regex_escape(str) = sprint(escape_string, str, "\\^\$.|?*+()[{")
 
@@ -113,8 +140,7 @@ function parseblock(code::AbstractString, doc, file; skip = 0, keywords = true,
                 try
                     Meta.parse(code, cursor; raise=raise)
                 catch err
-                    push!(doc.internal.errors, :parse_error)
-                    @warn "failed to parse exception in $(Utilities.locrepr(file))" exception = err
+                    @docerror(doc, :parse_error, "failed to parse exception in $(Utilities.locrepr(file))", exception = err)
                     break
                 end
             end
diff --git a/test/utilities.jl b/test/utilities.jl
index 4d1c0c899b..4430d79f6d 100644
--- a/test/utilities.jl
+++ b/test/utilities.jl
@@ -522,6 +522,23 @@ end
         @test_throws ArgumentError Documenter.Utilities.check_strict_kw(:a)
         @test_throws ArgumentError Documenter.Utilities.check_strict_kw([:a, :doctest])
     end
+
+    @testset "@docerror" begin
+        doc = (; internal = (; errors = Symbol[]), user = (; strict = [:doctest, :setup_block]))
+        foo = 123
+        @test_logs (:warn, "meta_block issue 123") (Documenter.Utilities.@docerror(doc, :meta_block, "meta_block issue $foo"))
+        @test :meta_block ∈ doc.internal.errors
+        @test_logs (:error, "doctest issue 123") (Documenter.Utilities.@docerror(doc, :doctest, "doctest issue $foo"))
+        @test :doctest ∈ doc.internal.errors
+        try
+            @macroexpand Documenter.Utilities.@docerror(doc, :foo, "invalid tag")
+            error("unexpected")
+        catch err
+            err isa LoadError && (err = err.error)
+            @test err isa ArgumentError
+            @test err.msg == "tag :foo is not a valid Documenter error"
+        end
+    end
 end
 
 end