diff --git a/pkg/api/context_test.go b/pkg/api/context_test.go
index f6d9d4ccdb9..1cd9c2b5373 100644
--- a/pkg/api/context_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/context_test.go
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ func TestValidNamespaceOnCreateOrUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	resource = api.ReplicationController{JSONBase: api.JSONBase{Namespace: "other"}}
 	if api.ValidNamespaceOnCreateOrUpdate(ctx, &resource.JSONBase) {
-		t.Errorf("Expected error that resource and context errors do not match")
+		t.Errorf("Expected error that resource and context errors do not match because resource has different namespace")
+	}
+	ctx = api.NewContext()
+	if api.ValidNamespaceOnCreateOrUpdate(ctx, &resource.JSONBase) {
+		t.Errorf("Expected error that resource and context errors do not match since context has no namespace")
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
index e5db3369964..d7bd751dbdd 100644
--- a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ func TestValidateManifest(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestValidatePod(t *testing.T) {
 	errs := ValidatePod(&api.Pod{
-		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
+		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 		Labels: map[string]string{
 			"foo": "bar",
 		},
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ func TestValidatePod(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Unexpected non-zero error list: %#v", errs)
 	}
 	errs = ValidatePod(&api.Pod{
-		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
+		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 		Labels: map[string]string{
 			"foo": "bar",
 		},
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ func TestValidatePod(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	errs = ValidatePod(&api.Pod{
-		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
+		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 		Labels: map[string]string{
 			"foo": "bar",
 		},
@@ -424,16 +424,27 @@ func TestValidateService(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "missing id",
 			svc: api.Service{
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 				Port:     8675,
 				Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
 			},
 			// Should fail because the ID is missing.
 			numErrs: 1,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "missing namespace",
+			svc: api.Service{
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
+				Port:     8675,
+				Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
+			},
+			// Should fail because the Namespace is missing.
+			numErrs: 1,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "invalid id",
 			svc: api.Service{
-				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "123abc"},
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "123abc", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 				Port:     8675,
 				Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
 			},
@@ -443,7 +454,7 @@ func TestValidateService(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "missing port",
 			svc: api.Service{
-				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123"},
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 				Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
 			},
 			// Should fail because the port number is missing/invalid.
@@ -452,7 +463,7 @@ func TestValidateService(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "invalid port",
 			svc: api.Service{
-				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123"},
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 				Port:     65536,
 				Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
 			},
@@ -462,7 +473,7 @@ func TestValidateService(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "invalid protocol",
 			svc: api.Service{
-				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123"},
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 				Port:     8675,
 				Protocol: "INVALID",
 				Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
@@ -473,7 +484,7 @@ func TestValidateService(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "missing selector",
 			svc: api.Service{
-				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 				Port:     8675,
 			},
 			// Should fail because the selector is missing.
@@ -482,7 +493,7 @@ func TestValidateService(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "valid 1",
 			svc: api.Service{
-				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123"},
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 				Port:     1,
 				Protocol: "TCP",
 				Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
@@ -492,7 +503,7 @@ func TestValidateService(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "valid 2",
 			svc: api.Service{
-				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123"},
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 				Port:     65535,
 				Protocol: "UDP",
 				Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
@@ -502,7 +513,7 @@ func TestValidateService(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "valid 3",
 			svc: api.Service{
-				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123"},
+				JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc123", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 				Port:     80,
 				Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
 			},
@@ -519,7 +530,7 @@ func TestValidateService(t *testing.T) {
 
 	svc := api.Service{
 		Port:     6502,
-		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
+		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 		Selector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
 	}
 	errs := ValidateService(&svc)
@@ -544,14 +555,14 @@ func TestValidateReplicationController(t *testing.T) {
 
 	successCases := []api.ReplicationController{
 		{
-			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc"},
+			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{
 				ReplicaSelector: validSelector,
 				PodTemplate:     validPodTemplate,
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc-123"},
+			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc-123", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{
 				ReplicaSelector: validSelector,
 				PodTemplate:     validPodTemplate,
@@ -566,33 +577,40 @@ func TestValidateReplicationController(t *testing.T) {
 
 	errorCases := map[string]api.ReplicationController{
 		"zero-length ID": {
-			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: ""},
+			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
+			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{
+				ReplicaSelector: validSelector,
+				PodTemplate:     validPodTemplate,
+			},
+		},
+		"missing-namespace": {
+			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc-123"},
 			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{
 				ReplicaSelector: validSelector,
 				PodTemplate:     validPodTemplate,
 			},
 		},
 		"empty selector": {
-			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc"},
+			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{
 				PodTemplate: validPodTemplate,
 			},
 		},
 		"selector_doesnt_match": {
-			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc"},
+			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{
 				ReplicaSelector: map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
 				PodTemplate:     validPodTemplate,
 			},
 		},
 		"invalid manifest": {
-			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc"},
+			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{
 				ReplicaSelector: validSelector,
 			},
 		},
 		"negative_replicas": {
-			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc"},
+			JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "abc", Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault},
 			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{
 				Replicas:        -1,
 				ReplicaSelector: validSelector,
@@ -608,6 +626,7 @@ func TestValidateReplicationController(t *testing.T) {
 			field := errs[i].(errors.ValidationError).Field
 			if !strings.HasPrefix(field, "desiredState.podTemplate.") &&
 				field != "id" &&
+				field != "controller.Namespace" &&
 				field != "desiredState.replicaSelector" &&
 				field != "desiredState.replicas" {
 				t.Errorf("%s: missing prefix for: %v", k, errs[i])
diff --git a/pkg/registry/controller/rest_test.go b/pkg/registry/controller/rest_test.go
index 5a5e4e728fd..81ed77790cb 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/controller/rest_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/controller/rest_test.go
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ func TestCreateController(t *testing.T) {
 			PodTemplate:     validPodTemplate,
 		},
 	}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	channel, err := storage.Create(ctx, controller)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
@@ -279,8 +279,8 @@ func TestControllerStorageValidatesCreate(t *testing.T) {
 			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{},
 		},
 	}
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	for _, failureCase := range failureCases {
-		ctx := api.NewContext()
 		c, err := storage.Create(ctx, &failureCase)
 		if c != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Expected nil channel")
@@ -310,8 +310,8 @@ func TestControllerStorageValidatesUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 			DesiredState: api.ReplicationControllerState{},
 		},
 	}
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	for _, failureCase := range failureCases {
-		ctx := api.NewContext()
 		c, err := storage.Update(ctx, &failureCase)
 		if c != nil {
 			t.Errorf("Expected nil channel")
diff --git a/pkg/registry/pod/rest_test.go b/pkg/registry/pod/rest_test.go
index 884dfcc3f7d..d6e6f0d7e19 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/pod/rest_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/pod/rest_test.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func TestCreatePodRegistryError(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	pod := &api.Pod{DesiredState: desiredState}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	ch, err := storage.Create(ctx, pod)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Expected %#v, Got %#v", nil, err)
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func TestCreatePodSetsIds(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	pod := &api.Pod{DesiredState: desiredState}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	ch, err := storage.Create(ctx, pod)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Expected %#v, Got %#v", nil, err)
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func TestCreatePodSetsUUIDs(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	pod := &api.Pod{DesiredState: desiredState}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	ch, err := storage.Create(ctx, pod)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("Expected %#v, Got %#v", nil, err)
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ func TestPodStorageValidatesCreate(t *testing.T) {
 	storage := REST{
 		registry: podRegistry,
 	}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	pod := &api.Pod{}
 	c, err := storage.Create(ctx, pod)
 	if c != nil {
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ func TestPodStorageValidatesUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 	storage := REST{
 		registry: podRegistry,
 	}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	pod := &api.Pod{}
 	c, err := storage.Update(ctx, pod)
 	if c != nil {
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ func TestCreatePod(t *testing.T) {
 		JSONBase:     api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
 		DesiredState: desiredState,
 	}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	channel, err := storage.Create(ctx, pod)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
diff --git a/pkg/registry/service/rest_test.go b/pkg/registry/service/rest_test.go
index ddadda9850f..33f3706151f 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/service/rest_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/service/rest_test.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistryCreate(t *testing.T) {
 		JSONBase: api.JSONBase{ID: "foo"},
 		Selector: map[string]string{"bar": "baz"},
 	}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	c, _ := storage.Create(ctx, svc)
 	created_svc := <-c
 	created_service := created_svc.(*api.Service)
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func TestServiceStorageValidatesCreate(t *testing.T) {
 			Selector: map[string]string{},
 		},
 	}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	for _, failureCase := range failureCases {
 		c, err := storage.Create(ctx, &failureCase)
 		if c != nil {
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func TestServiceStorageValidatesCreate(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestServiceRegistryUpdate(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	registry := registrytest.NewServiceRegistry()
 	registry.CreateService(ctx, &api.Service{
 		Port:     6502,
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistryUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestServiceStorageValidatesUpdate(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	registry := registrytest.NewServiceRegistry()
 	registry.CreateService(ctx, &api.Service{
 		Port:     6502,
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func TestServiceStorageValidatesUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestServiceRegistryExternalService(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	registry := registrytest.NewServiceRegistry()
 	fakeCloud := &cloud.FakeCloud{}
 	machines := []string{"foo", "bar", "baz"}
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistryExternalServiceError(t *testing.T) {
 		Selector:                   map[string]string{"bar": "baz"},
 		CreateExternalLoadBalancer: true,
 	}
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	c, _ := storage.Create(ctx, svc)
 	<-c
 	if len(fakeCloud.Calls) != 1 || fakeCloud.Calls[0] != "get-zone" {
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistryExternalServiceError(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestServiceRegistryDelete(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	registry := registrytest.NewServiceRegistry()
 	fakeCloud := &cloud.FakeCloud{}
 	machines := []string{"foo", "bar", "baz"}
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistryDelete(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestServiceRegistryDeleteExternal(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	registry := registrytest.NewServiceRegistry()
 	fakeCloud := &cloud.FakeCloud{}
 	machines := []string{"foo", "bar", "baz"}
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistryDeleteExternal(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestServiceRegistryMakeLinkVariables(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	registry := registrytest.NewServiceRegistry()
 	registry.List = api.ServiceList{
 		Items: []api.Service{
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistryMakeLinkVariables(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestServiceRegistryGet(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	registry := registrytest.NewServiceRegistry()
 	fakeCloud := &cloud.FakeCloud{}
 	machines := []string{"foo", "bar", "baz"}
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistryGet(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestServiceRegistryResourceLocation(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	registry := registrytest.NewServiceRegistry()
 	registry.Endpoints = api.Endpoints{Endpoints: []string{"foo:80"}}
 	fakeCloud := &cloud.FakeCloud{}
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistryResourceLocation(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestServiceRegistryList(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := api.NewContext()
+	ctx := api.NewDefaultContext()
 	registry := registrytest.NewServiceRegistry()
 	fakeCloud := &cloud.FakeCloud{}
 	machines := []string{"foo", "bar", "baz"}