diff --git a/pkg/action/install.go b/pkg/action/install.go
index f8f740005..d9542a842 100644
--- a/pkg/action/install.go
+++ b/pkg/action/install.go
@@ -162,12 +162,24 @@ func (i *Install) installCRDs(crds []chart.CRD) error {
 	// We do these one file at a time in the order they were read.
 	totalItems := []*resource.Info{}
 	for _, obj := range crds {
+		if obj.File == nil {
+			return errors.Errorf("failed to install CRD %s: file is empty", obj.Name)
+		}
+
+		if obj.File.Data == nil {
+			return errors.Errorf("failed to install CRD %s: file data is empty", obj.Name)
+		}
+
 		// Read in the resources
 		res, err := i.cfg.KubeClient.Build(bytes.NewBuffer(obj.File.Data), false)
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to install CRD %s", obj.Name)
 		}
 
+		if len(res) == 0 {
+			return errors.Errorf("failed to install CRD %s: resources are empty", obj.Name)
+		}
+
 		// Send them to Kube
 		if _, err := i.cfg.KubeClient.Create(res); err != nil {
 			// If the error is CRD already exists, continue.
@@ -191,27 +203,29 @@ func (i *Install) installCRDs(crds []chart.CRD) error {
 		// the case when an action configuration is reused for multiple actions,
 		// as otherwise it is later loaded by ourselves when getCapabilities
 		// is called later on in the installation process.
-		if i.cfg.Capabilities != nil {
-			discoveryClient, err := i.cfg.RESTClientGetter.ToDiscoveryClient()
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
+		if i.cfg.RESTClientGetter != nil {
+			if i.cfg.Capabilities != nil {
+				discoveryClient, err := i.cfg.RESTClientGetter.ToDiscoveryClient()
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
 
-			i.cfg.Log("Clearing discovery cache")
-			discoveryClient.Invalidate()
+				i.cfg.Log("Clearing discovery cache")
+				discoveryClient.Invalidate()
 
-			_, _ = discoveryClient.ServerGroups()
-		}
+				_, _ = discoveryClient.ServerGroups()
+			}
 
-		// Invalidate the REST mapper, since it will not have the new CRDs
-		// present.
-		restMapper, err := i.cfg.RESTClientGetter.ToRESTMapper()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if resettable, ok := restMapper.(meta.ResettableRESTMapper); ok {
-			i.cfg.Log("Clearing REST mapper cache")
-			resettable.Reset()
+			// Invalidate the REST mapper, since it will not have the new CRDs
+			// present.
+			restMapper, err := i.cfg.RESTClientGetter.ToRESTMapper()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if resettable, ok := restMapper.(meta.ResettableRESTMapper); ok {
+				i.cfg.Log("Clearing REST mapper cache")
+				resettable.Reset()
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return nil