diff --git a/hack/make-rules/test-cmd-util.sh b/hack/make-rules/test-cmd-util.sh
index e4181d82d11..8cd4d07b61e 100755
--- a/hack/make-rules/test-cmd-util.sh
+++ b/hack/make-rules/test-cmd-util.sh
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ __EOF__
 }
 
 # runs specific kubectl create tests
-run_create_tests() {
+run_create_secret_tests() {
     set -o nounset
     set -o errexit
 
@@ -4297,11 +4297,17 @@ run_cluster_management_tests() {
   response=$(! kubectl cordon 2>&1)
   kube::test::if_has_string "${response}" 'error\: USAGE\: cordon NODE'
 
-  ### kubectl cordon selects all nodes with an empty --selector=
+  ### kubectl cordon selects no nodes with an empty --selector=
   # Pre-condition: node "127.0.0.1" is uncordoned
   kubectl uncordon "127.0.0.1"
-  response=$(kubectl cordon --selector=)
+  response=$(! kubectl cordon --selector= 2>&1)
+  kube::test::if_has_string "${response}" 'must provide one or more resources'
+  # test=label matches our node
+  response=$(kubectl cordon --selector test=label)
   kube::test::if_has_string "${response}" 'node "127.0.0.1" cordoned'
+  # invalid=label does not match any nodes
+  response=$(kubectl cordon --selector invalid=label)
+  kube::test::if_has_not_string "${response}" 'cordoned'
   # Post-condition: node "127.0.0.1" is cordoned
   kube::test::get_object_assert "nodes 127.0.0.1" "{{.spec.unschedulable}}" 'true'
 
@@ -4607,7 +4613,7 @@ runTests() {
   # Create             #
   ######################
   if kube::test::if_supports_resource "${secrets}" ; then
-    record_command run_create_tests
+    record_command run_create_secret_tests
   fi
 
   ##################
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/drain.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/drain.go
index 7d0a9b4ba08..9a678e771c0 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/drain.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/drain.go
@@ -237,20 +237,18 @@ func (o *DrainOptions) SetupDrain(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	nameArgs := []string{"nodes"}
-	if len(args) > 0 {
-		nameArgs = append(nameArgs, args[0])
-		if strings.Contains(args[0], "/") {
-			nameArgs = []string{args[0]}
-		}
+	builder := o.Factory.NewBuilder().
+		NamespaceParam(cmdNamespace).DefaultNamespace().
+		ResourceNames("nodes", args...).
+		SingleResourceType().
+		Flatten()
+
+	if len(o.Selector) > 0 {
+		builder = builder.SelectorParam(o.Selector).
+			ResourceTypes("nodes")
 	}
 
-	r := o.Factory.NewBuilder().
-		NamespaceParam(cmdNamespace).DefaultNamespace().
-		SelectorParam(o.Selector).
-		ResourceTypeOrNameArgs(true, nameArgs...).
-		Flatten().
-		Do()
+	r := builder.Do()
 
 	if err = r.Err(); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -260,6 +258,10 @@ func (o *DrainOptions) SetupDrain(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		if info.Mapping.Resource != "nodes" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error: expected resource of type node, got %q", info.Mapping.Resource)
+		}
+
 		o.nodeInfos = append(o.nodeInfos, info)
 		return nil
 	})