diff --git a/pkg/action/install.go b/pkg/action/install.go
index b379d6873..f1677c297 100644
--- a/pkg/action/install.go
+++ b/pkg/action/install.go
@@ -180,12 +180,24 @@ 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 fmt.Errorf("failed to install CRD %s: file is empty", obj.Name)
+		}
+
+		if obj.File.Data == nil {
+			return fmt.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 fmt.Errorf("failed to install CRD %s: %w", obj.Name, err)
 		}
 
+		if len(res) == 0 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to install CRD %s: resources are empty", obj.Name)
+		}
+
 		// Send them to Kube
 		if _, err := i.cfg.KubeClient.Create(
 			res,
diff --git a/pkg/action/install_test.go b/pkg/action/install_test.go
index 9a0ca8d22..fc8a96319 100644
--- a/pkg/action/install_test.go
+++ b/pkg/action/install_test.go
@@ -1186,3 +1186,42 @@ func TestCheckDependencies_MissingDependency(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assert.ErrorContains(t, CheckDependencies(mockChart, []ci.Dependency{&dependency}), "missing in charts")
 }
+
+func TestInstallCRDs_CheckNilErrors(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name  string
+		input []chart.CRD
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "only one crd with file nil",
+			input: []chart.CRD{
+				{Name: "one", File: nil},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "only one crd with its file data nil",
+			input: []chart.CRD{
+				{Name: "one", File: &common.File{Name: "crds/foo.yaml", Data: nil}},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "at least a crd with its file data nil",
+			input: []chart.CRD{
+				{Name: "one", File: &common.File{Name: "crds/foo.yaml", Data: []byte("data")}},
+				{Name: "two", File: &common.File{Name: "crds/foo2.yaml", Data: nil}},
+				{Name: "three", File: &common.File{Name: "crds/foo3.yaml", Data: []byte("data")}},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			instAction := installAction(t)
+
+			err := instAction.installCRDs(tt.input)
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Errorf("got nil expected err")
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/install_test.go b/pkg/cmd/install_test.go
index f0f12e4f7..5fa3c1340 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/install_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/install_test.go
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ func TestInstall(t *testing.T) {
 		// Install chart with only crds
 		{
 			name: "install chart with only crds",
-			cmd:  "install crd-test testdata/testcharts/chart-with-only-crds --namespace default",
+			cmd:  "install crd-test testdata/testcharts/chart-with-only-crds --namespace default --dry-run",
 		},
 		// Verify the user/pass works
 		{