diff --git a/packages/astro/src/core/config/schema.ts b/packages/astro/src/core/config/schema.ts
index 4945afd3ed1af..d1f8665571fc7 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/core/config/schema.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/core/config/schema.ts
@@ -338,21 +338,24 @@ export const AstroConfigSchema = z.object({
 					.optional(),
 				fallback: z.record(z.string(), z.string()).optional(),
 				routing: z
-					.object({
-						prefixDefaultLocale: z.boolean().default(false),
-						redirectToDefaultLocale: z.boolean().default(true),
-						strategy: z.enum(['automatic', 'manual']).default('automatic'),
-					})
-					.default({})
-					.refine(
-						({ prefixDefaultLocale, redirectToDefaultLocale }) => {
-							return !(prefixDefaultLocale === false && redirectToDefaultLocale === false);
-						},
-						{
-							message:
-								'The option `i18n.redirectToDefaultLocale` is only useful when the `i18n.prefixDefaultLocale` is set to `true`. Remove the option `i18n.redirectToDefaultLocale`, or change its value to `true`.',
-						}
-					),
+					.enum(['manual'])
+					.or(
+						z
+							.object({
+								prefixDefaultLocale: z.boolean().default(false),
+								redirectToDefaultLocale: z.boolean().default(true),
+							})
+							.refine(
+								({ prefixDefaultLocale, redirectToDefaultLocale }) => {
+									return !(prefixDefaultLocale === false && redirectToDefaultLocale === false);
+								},
+								{
+									message:
+										'The option `i18n.redirectToDefaultLocale` is only useful when the `i18n.prefixDefaultLocale` is set to `true`. Remove the option `i18n.redirectToDefaultLocale`, or change its value to `true`.',
+								}
+							)
+					)
+					.default({}),
 			})
 			.optional()
 			.superRefine((i18n, ctx) => {
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/core/errors/errors-data.ts b/packages/astro/src/core/errors/errors-data.ts
index 83d9751defb36..bfa4efc47195f 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/core/errors/errors-data.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/core/errors/errors-data.ts
@@ -1033,7 +1033,7 @@ export const MissingIndexForInternationalization = {
 /**
  * @docs
  * @description
- *
+ * Some internationalization functions can't be exposed unless the default routing is disabled
  */
 export const IncorrectStrategy = {
 	name: 'IncorrectStrategy',
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/i18n/utils.ts b/packages/astro/src/i18n/utils.ts
index d3dddba1f8c5c..b45c37ee7186d 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/i18n/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/i18n/utils.ts
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ export function computeCurrentLocale(
 }
 
 export type RoutingStrategies =
+	| 'manual'
 	| 'pathname-prefix-always'
 	| 'pathname-prefix-other-locales'
 	| 'pathname-prefix-always-no-redirect'
@@ -201,25 +202,29 @@ export function toRoutingStrategy(i18n: NonNullable<AstroConfig['i18n']>) {
 	let { routing, domains } = i18n;
 	let strategy: RoutingStrategies;
 	const hasDomains = domains ? Object.keys(domains).length > 0 : false;
-	if (!hasDomains) {
-		if (routing?.prefixDefaultLocale === true) {
-			if (routing.redirectToDefaultLocale) {
-				strategy = 'pathname-prefix-always';
+	if (routing === 'manual') {
+		strategy = 'manual';
+	} else {
+		if (!hasDomains) {
+			if (routing?.prefixDefaultLocale === true) {
+				if (routing.redirectToDefaultLocale) {
+					strategy = 'pathname-prefix-always';
+				} else {
+					strategy = 'pathname-prefix-always-no-redirect';
+				}
 			} else {
-				strategy = 'pathname-prefix-always-no-redirect';
+				strategy = 'pathname-prefix-other-locales';
 			}
 		} else {
-			strategy = 'pathname-prefix-other-locales';
-		}
-	} else {
-		if (routing?.prefixDefaultLocale === true) {
-			if (routing.redirectToDefaultLocale) {
-				strategy = 'domains-prefix-always';
+			if (routing?.prefixDefaultLocale === true) {
+				if (routing.redirectToDefaultLocale) {
+					strategy = 'domains-prefix-always';
+				} else {
+					strategy = 'domains-prefix-always-no-redirect';
+				}
 			} else {
-				strategy = 'domains-prefix-always-no-redirect';
+				strategy = 'domains-prefix-other-locales';
 			}
-		} else {
-			strategy = 'domains-prefix-other-locales';
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/virtual-modules/i18n.ts b/packages/astro/src/virtual-modules/i18n.ts
index 788c0413548c0..2e6d92189924d 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/virtual-modules/i18n.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/virtual-modules/i18n.ts
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ export const pathHasLocale = (path: string) => I18nInternals.pathHasLocale(path,
  * @param {ValidRedirectStatus?} statusCode An optional status code for the redirect.
  */
 export const redirectToDefaultLocale =
-	i18n?.routing?.strategy === 'manual'
+	i18n?.routing === 'manual'
 		? I18nInternals.redirectToDefaultLocale({
 				base,
 				trailingSlash,
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ export const redirectToDefaultLocale =
  *
  */
 export const noFoundForNonLocaleRoute =
-	i18n?.routing?.strategy === 'manual'
+	i18n?.routing === 'manual'
 		? I18nInternals.noFoundForNonLocaleRoute({
 				base,
 				trailingSlash,
@@ -289,12 +289,10 @@ export const noFoundForNonLocaleRoute =
  *
  */
 export const requestHasLocale =
-	i18n?.routing?.strategy === 'manual'
-		? I18nInternals.requestHasLocale(locales)
-		: noop('requestHasLocale');
+	i18n?.routing === 'manual' ? I18nInternals.requestHasLocale(locales) : noop('requestHasLocale');
 
 export const useFallback: UseFallback =
-	i18n?.routing?.strategy === 'manual'
+	i18n?.routing === 'manual'
 		? I18nInternals.useFallback({
 				base,
 				trailingSlash,