diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/plugin/validatingadmissionpolicy/admission_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/plugin/validatingadmissionpolicy/admission_test.go
index 438b408e3e8..d658b588523 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/plugin/validatingadmissionpolicy/admission_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/plugin/validatingadmissionpolicy/admission_test.go
@@ -275,13 +275,11 @@ func setupTestCommon(t *testing.T, compiler ValidatorCompiler, shouldStartInform
 		features.ValidatingAdmissionPolicy: {
 			Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha}})
 	if err != nil {
-		// FIXME: handle error.
-		panic("Unexpected error")
+		t.Fatalf("Unable to add feature gate: %v", err)
 	}
 	err = featureGate.SetFromMap(map[string]bool{string(features.ValidatingAdmissionPolicy): true})
 	if err != nil {
-		// FIXME: handle error.
-		panic("Unexpected error.")
+		t.Fatalf("Unable to store flag gate: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	plug, err := NewPlugin()