diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
index 4f67912e8bf..6bb73a86512 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -1534,10 +1534,14 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) makeEnvironmentVariables(pod *api.Pod, container *api.Contain
 				key := envVar.ValueFrom.ConfigMapKeyRef.Key
 				configMap, ok := configMaps[name]
 				if !ok {
+					if kl.kubeClient == nil {
+						return result, fmt.Errorf("Couldn't get configMap %v/%v, no kubeClient defined", pod.Namespace, name)
+					}
 					configMap, err = kl.kubeClient.Core().ConfigMaps(pod.Namespace).Get(name)
 					if err != nil {
 						return result, err
 					}
+					configMaps[name] = configMap
 				}
 				runtimeVal, ok = configMap.Data[key]
 				if !ok {
@@ -1548,10 +1552,14 @@ func (kl *Kubelet) makeEnvironmentVariables(pod *api.Pod, container *api.Contain
 				key := envVar.ValueFrom.SecretKeyRef.Key
 				secret, ok := secrets[name]
 				if !ok {
+					if kl.kubeClient == nil {
+						return result, fmt.Errorf("Couldn't get secret %v/%v, no kubeClient defined", pod.Namespace, name)
+					}
 					secret, err = kl.kubeClient.Core().Secrets(pod.Namespace).Get(name)
 					if err != nil {
 						return result, err
 					}
+					secrets[name] = secret
 				}
 				runtimeValBytes, ok := secret.Data[key]
 				if !ok {