diff --git a/pkg/action/action.go b/pkg/action/action.go
index 8fa3ae289..8759597b4 100644
--- a/pkg/action/action.go
+++ b/pkg/action/action.go
@@ -371,8 +371,10 @@ func (cfg *Configuration) recordRelease(r *release.Release) {
 
 // Init initializes the action configuration
 func (cfg *Configuration) Init(getter genericclioptions.RESTClientGetter, namespace, helmDriver string, log DebugLog) error {
-  // TODO I don't love that this ends up using nil instead of a real watcher
-	kc := kube.New(getter, nil)
+	kc, err := kube.New(getter, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	kc.Log = log
 
 	lazyClient := &lazyClient{
diff --git a/pkg/kube/client.go b/pkg/kube/client.go
index 469a89b35..a50655a40 100644
--- a/pkg/kube/client.go
+++ b/pkg/kube/client.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func getStatusWatcher(factory Factory) (watcher.StatusWatcher, error) {
 }
 
 // New creates a new Client.
-func New(getter genericclioptions.RESTClientGetter, waiter Waiter) *Client {
+func New(getter genericclioptions.RESTClientGetter, waiter Waiter) (*Client, error) {
 	if getter == nil {
 		getter = genericclioptions.NewConfigFlags(true)
 	}
@@ -138,9 +138,7 @@ func New(getter genericclioptions.RESTClientGetter, waiter Waiter) *Client {
 	if waiter == nil {
 		sw, err := getStatusWatcher(factory)
 		if err != nil {
-			// TODO, likely will move how the stats watcher is created so it doesn't need to be created
-			// unless it's going to be used
-			panic(err)
+			return nil, err
 		}
 		waiter = &kstatusWaiter{sw, nopLogger}
 	}
@@ -148,7 +146,7 @@ func New(getter genericclioptions.RESTClientGetter, waiter Waiter) *Client {
 		Factory: factory,
 		Log:     nopLogger,
 		Waiter:  waiter,
-	}
+	}, nil
 }
 
 var nopLogger = func(_ string, _ ...interface{}) {}
diff --git a/pkg/kube/client_test.go b/pkg/kube/client_test.go
index a6e095942..037719219 100644
--- a/pkg/kube/client_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kube/client_test.go
@@ -679,7 +679,10 @@ func TestWaitDelete(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestReal(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Skip("This is a live test, comment this line to run")
-	c := New(nil, nil)
+	c, err := New(nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	resources, err := c.Build(strings.NewReader(guestbookManifest), false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -689,7 +692,10 @@ func TestReal(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	testSvcEndpointManifest := testServiceManifest + "\n---\n" + testEndpointManifest
-	c = New(nil, nil)
+	c, err = New(nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	resources, err = c.Build(strings.NewReader(testSvcEndpointManifest), false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)