diff --git a/pkg/tiller/release_install.go b/pkg/tiller/release_install.go
index 973da3581..97cd1b86c 100644
--- a/pkg/tiller/release_install.go
+++ b/pkg/tiller/release_install.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package tiller
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -60,6 +61,12 @@ func (s *ReleaseServer) prepareRelease(req *services.InstallReleaseRequest) (*re
 		return nil, errMissingChart
 	}
 
+	err := s.isValidNamespace(req.Namespace)
+	if err != nil {
+		errString := fmt.Sprintf("invalid release namespace, err=%s", err.Error())
+		return nil, errors.New(errString)
+	}
+
 	name, err := s.uniqName(req.Name, req.ReuseName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/pkg/tiller/release_install_test.go b/pkg/tiller/release_install_test.go
index f5e84d870..ef7b36cf7 100644
--- a/pkg/tiller/release_install_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tiller/release_install_test.go
@@ -515,3 +515,21 @@ func TestInstallRelease_Description(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected description %q. Got %q", customDescription, desc)
 	}
 }
+func TestInstallRelease_ReleaseNamespaceNotExist(t *testing.T) {
+	c := helm.NewContext()
+	rs := rsFixtureConfigMapStorage()
+
+	req := installRequest(
+		withNamespace("noSpaced"),
+	)
+
+	_, err := rs.InstallRelease(c, req)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected to fail because of the namespace is not exist")
+	}
+
+	expect := "invalid release namespace"
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), expect) {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %q equal to %q", err.Error(), expect)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tiller/release_server.go b/pkg/tiller/release_server.go
index f5e96ed00..f2e4b555c 100644
--- a/pkg/tiller/release_server.go
+++ b/pkg/tiller/release_server.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/proto/hapi/release"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/proto/hapi/services"
 	relutil "k8s.io/helm/pkg/releaseutil"
+	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/storage/driver"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/tiller/environment"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/timeconv"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/version"
@@ -452,6 +453,15 @@ func (s *ReleaseServer) deleteHookByPolicy(h *release.Hook, policy string, name,
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (s *ReleaseServer) isValidNamespace(name string) error {
+	// if the storage is not configmap, do not check the namespace
+	if s.env.Releases.Name() != driver.ConfigMapsDriverName {
+		return nil
+	}
+	_, err := s.clientset.Core().Namespaces().Get(name, metav1.GetOptions{})
+	return err
+}
+
 // hookShouldBeDeleted determines whether the defined hook deletion policy matches the hook deletion polices
 // supported by helm. If so, mark the hook as one should be deleted.
 func hookHasDeletePolicy(h *release.Hook, policy string) bool {
diff --git a/pkg/tiller/release_server_test.go b/pkg/tiller/release_server_test.go
index 311f55b30..b58d4ea99 100644
--- a/pkg/tiller/release_server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tiller/release_server_test.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import (
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	"k8s.io/cli-runtime/pkg/genericclioptions/resource"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/fake"
 
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/helm"
@@ -120,7 +121,13 @@ type chartOptions struct {
 type chartOption func(*chartOptions)
 
 func rsFixture() *ReleaseServer {
-	return NewReleaseServer(MockEnvironment(), fake.NewSimpleClientset(), false)
+	clientset := fake.NewSimpleClientset()
+	return NewReleaseServer(MockEnvironment(driver.MemoryDriverName, clientset), clientset, false)
+}
+
+func rsFixtureConfigMapStorage() *ReleaseServer {
+	clientset := fake.NewSimpleClientset()
+	return NewReleaseServer(MockEnvironment(driver.ConfigMapsDriverName, clientset), clientset, false)
 }
 
 func buildChart(opts ...chartOption) *chart.Chart {
@@ -221,6 +228,12 @@ func withChart(chartOpts ...chartOption) installOption {
 	}
 }
 
+func withNamespace(namepace string) installOption {
+	return func(opts *installOptions) {
+		opts.Namespace = namepace
+	}
+}
+
 func installRequest(opts ...installOption) *services.InstallReleaseRequest {
 	reqOpts := &installOptions{
 		&services.InstallReleaseRequest{
@@ -462,9 +475,13 @@ func releaseWithKeepStub(rlsName string) *release.Release {
 	}
 }
 
-func MockEnvironment() *environment.Environment {
+func MockEnvironment(storageType string, clientset kubernetes.Interface) *environment.Environment {
 	e := environment.New()
-	e.Releases = storage.Init(driver.NewMemory())
+	if storageType == driver.ConfigMapsDriverName {
+		e.Releases = storage.Init(driver.NewConfigMaps(clientset.CoreV1().ConfigMaps("default")))
+	} else {
+		e.Releases = storage.Init(driver.NewMemory())
+	}
 	e.KubeClient = &environment.PrintingKubeClient{Out: ioutil.Discard}
 	return e
 }