diff --git a/v2/internal/testcommon/kube_test_context.go b/v2/internal/testcommon/kube_test_context.go
index c559840b8f8..95532e1cb75 100644
--- a/v2/internal/testcommon/kube_test_context.go
+++ b/v2/internal/testcommon/kube_test_context.go
@@ -66,18 +66,30 @@ type KubeBaseTestContext struct {
 }
 
 func AsOwner(obj client.Object) *genruntime.KnownResourceReference {
+	if obj.GetName() == "" {
+		panic("cannot use AsOwner() with empty name")
+	}
+
 	return &genruntime.KnownResourceReference{
 		Name: obj.GetName(),
 	}
 }
 
 func AsKubernetesOwner(obj client.Object) *genruntime.KubernetesOwnerReference {
+	if obj.GetName() == "" {
+		panic("cannot use AsKubernetesOwner() with empty name")
+	}
+
 	return &genruntime.KubernetesOwnerReference{
 		Name: obj.GetName(),
 	}
 }
 
 func AsARMIDOwner(id string) *genruntime.KnownResourceReference {
+	if id == "" {
+		panic("cannot use AsARMIDOwner() with empty ID")
+	}
+
 	return &genruntime.KnownResourceReference{
 		ARMID: id,
 	}