diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResource.java
index 8611950e04..c9c1d770c5 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResource.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ public ReconcileResult<R> reconcile(P primary, Context<P> context) {
       if (maybeActual.isEmpty()) {
         if (creatable) {
           var desired = desired(primary, context);
+          throwIfNull(desired, primary, "Desired");
           logForOperation("Creating", primary, desired);
           var createdResource = handleCreate(desired, primary, context);
           return ReconcileResult.resourceCreated(createdResource);
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ public ReconcileResult<R> reconcile(P primary, Context<P> context) {
           final var match = updater.match(actual, primary, context);
           if (!match.matched()) {
             final var desired = match.computedDesired().orElse(desired(primary, context));
+            throwIfNull(desired, primary, "Desired");
             logForOperation("Updating", primary, desired);
             var updatedResource = handleUpdate(actual, desired, primary, context);
             return ReconcileResult.resourceUpdated(updatedResource);
@@ -59,6 +61,13 @@ public ReconcileResult<R> reconcile(P primary, Context<P> context) {
     return ReconcileResult.noOperation(maybeActual.orElse(null));
   }
 
+  private void throwIfNull(R desired, P primary, String descriptor) {
+    if (desired == null) {
+      throw new DependentResourceException(
+          descriptor + " cannot be null. Primary ID: " + ResourceID.fromResource(primary));
+    }
+  }
+
   private void logForOperation(String operation, P primary, R desired) {
     final var desiredDesc = desired instanceof HasMetadata
         ? "'" + ((HasMetadata) desired).getMetadata().getName() + "' "
@@ -71,6 +80,7 @@ private void logForOperation(String operation, P primary, R desired) {
   protected R handleCreate(R desired, P primary, Context<P> context) {
     ResourceID resourceID = ResourceID.fromResource(primary);
     R created = creator.create(desired, primary, context);
+    throwIfNull(created, primary, "Created resource");
     onCreated(resourceID, created);
     return created;
   }
@@ -98,6 +108,7 @@ protected R handleCreate(R desired, P primary, Context<P> context) {
   protected R handleUpdate(R actual, R desired, P primary, Context<P> context) {
     ResourceID resourceID = ResourceID.fromResource(primary);
     R updated = updater.update(actual, desired, primary, context);
+    throwIfNull(updated, primary, "Updated resource");
     onUpdated(resourceID, updated, actual);
     return updated;
   }
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/DependentResourceException.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/DependentResourceException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a69eb1e0a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/DependentResourceException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent;
+
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.OperatorException;
+
+public class DependentResourceException extends OperatorException {
+
+  public DependentResourceException() {}
+
+  public DependentResourceException(String message) {
+    super(message);
+  }
+
+  public DependentResourceException(Throwable cause) {
+    super(cause);
+  }
+
+  public DependentResourceException(String message, Throwable cause) {
+    super(message, cause);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResourceTest.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResourceTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4edd3dfb4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/AbstractDependentResourceTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent;
+
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ConfigMap;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ObjectMetaBuilder;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Context;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.ResourceID;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.sample.simple.TestCustomResource;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
+
+class AbstractDependentResourceTest {
+
+
+  @Test
+  void throwsExceptionIfDesiredIsNullOnCreate() {
+    TestDependentResource testDependentResource = new TestDependentResource();
+    testDependentResource.setSecondary(null);
+    testDependentResource.setDesired(null);
+
+    assertThrows(DependentResourceException.class,
+        () -> testDependentResource.reconcile(new TestCustomResource(), null));
+
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void throwsExceptionIfDesiredIsNullOnUpdate() {
+    TestDependentResource testDependentResource = new TestDependentResource();
+    testDependentResource.setSecondary(configMap());
+    testDependentResource.setDesired(null);
+
+    assertThrows(DependentResourceException.class,
+        () -> testDependentResource.reconcile(new TestCustomResource(), null));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void throwsExceptionIfCreateReturnsNull() {
+    TestDependentResource testDependentResource = new TestDependentResource();
+    testDependentResource.setSecondary(null);
+    testDependentResource.setDesired(configMap());
+
+    assertThrows(DependentResourceException.class,
+        () -> testDependentResource.reconcile(new TestCustomResource(), null));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void throwsExceptionIfUpdateReturnsNull() {
+    TestDependentResource testDependentResource = new TestDependentResource();
+    testDependentResource.setSecondary(configMap());
+    testDependentResource.setDesired(configMap());
+
+    assertThrows(DependentResourceException.class,
+        () -> testDependentResource.reconcile(new TestCustomResource(), null));
+  }
+
+  private ConfigMap configMap() {
+    ConfigMap configMap = new ConfigMap();
+    configMap.setMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder()
+        .withName("test")
+        .withNamespace("default")
+        .build());
+    return configMap;
+  }
+
+  private static class TestDependentResource
+      extends AbstractDependentResource<ConfigMap, TestCustomResource>
+      implements Creator<ConfigMap, TestCustomResource>, Updater<ConfigMap, TestCustomResource> {
+
+    private ConfigMap secondary;
+    private ConfigMap desired;
+
+    @Override
+    public Class<ConfigMap> resourceType() {
+      return ConfigMap.class;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Optional<ConfigMap> getSecondaryResource(TestCustomResource primary) {
+      return Optional.ofNullable(secondary);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void onCreated(ResourceID primaryResourceId, ConfigMap created) {}
+
+    @Override
+    protected void onUpdated(ResourceID primaryResourceId, ConfigMap updated, ConfigMap actual) {}
+
+    @Override
+    protected ConfigMap desired(TestCustomResource primary, Context<TestCustomResource> context) {
+      return desired;
+    }
+
+    public ConfigMap getSecondary() {
+      return secondary;
+    }
+
+    public TestDependentResource setSecondary(ConfigMap secondary) {
+      this.secondary = secondary;
+      return this;
+    }
+
+    public ConfigMap getDesired() {
+      return desired;
+    }
+
+    public TestDependentResource setDesired(ConfigMap desired) {
+      this.desired = desired;
+      return this;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public ConfigMap create(ConfigMap desired, TestCustomResource primary,
+        Context<TestCustomResource> context) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public ConfigMap update(ConfigMap actual, ConfigMap desired, TestCustomResource primary,
+        Context<TestCustomResource> context) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Matcher.Result<ConfigMap> match(ConfigMap actualResource, TestCustomResource primary,
+        Context<TestCustomResource> context) {
+      var result = mock(Matcher.Result.class);
+      when(result.matched()).thenReturn(false);
+      return result;
+    }
+  }
+}