diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/annotate_test.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/annotate_test.go
index 7f8a2e24538..e1b6ca7d6dd 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/annotate_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/annotate_test.go
@@ -156,6 +156,18 @@ func TestParseAnnotations(t *testing.T) {
 			scenario:    "incorrect annotation input (missing =value)",
 			expectErr:   true,
 		},
+		{
+			annotations: []string{"-"},
+			expectedErr: "invalid annotation format: -",
+			scenario:    "incorrect annotation input (missing key)",
+			expectErr:   true,
+		},
+		{
+			annotations: []string{"=bar"},
+			expectedErr: "invalid annotation format: =bar",
+			scenario:    "incorrect annotation input (missing key)",
+			expectErr:   true,
+		},
 	}
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		annotations, remove, err := parseAnnotations(test.annotations)
@@ -380,6 +392,18 @@ func TestAnnotateErrors(t *testing.T) {
 				return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "at least one annotation update is required")
 			},
 		},
+		"wrong annotations": {
+			args: []string{"pods", "-"},
+			errFn: func(err error) bool {
+				return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "at least one annotation update is required")
+			},
+		},
+		"wrong annotations 2": {
+			args: []string{"pods", "=bar"},
+			errFn: func(err error) bool {
+				return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "at least one annotation update is required")
+			},
+		},
 		"no resources remove annotations": {
 			args:  []string{"pods-"},
 			errFn: func(err error) bool { return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "one or more resources must be specified") },
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label_test.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label_test.go
index e92dda131bd..5140ca2bcf2 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label_test.go
@@ -289,6 +289,14 @@ func TestLabelErrors(t *testing.T) {
 			args:  []string{"pods"},
 			errFn: func(err error) bool { return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "at least one label update is required") },
 		},
+		"wrong labels": {
+			args:  []string{"pods", "-"},
+			errFn: func(err error) bool { return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "at least one label update is required") },
+		},
+		"wrong labels 2": {
+			args:  []string{"pods", "=bar"},
+			errFn: func(err error) bool { return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "at least one label update is required") },
+		},
 		"no resources": {
 			args:  []string{"pods-"},
 			errFn: func(err error) bool { return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "one or more resources must be specified") },
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers.go
index 885cd8754d7..bf322293beb 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/helpers.go
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ func AddInclude3rdPartyVarFlags(cmd *cobra.Command, include3rdParty *bool) {
 func GetResourcesAndPairs(args []string, pairType string) (resources []string, pairArgs []string, err error) {
 	foundPair := false
 	for _, s := range args {
-		nonResource := strings.Contains(s, "=") || strings.HasSuffix(s, "-")
+		nonResource := (strings.Contains(s, "=") && s[0] != '=') || (strings.HasSuffix(s, "-") && s != "-")
 		switch {
 		case !foundPair && nonResource:
 			foundPair = true
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ func ParsePairs(pairArgs []string, pairType string, supportRemove bool) (newPair
 	var invalidBuf bytes.Buffer
 	var invalidBufNonEmpty bool
 	for _, pairArg := range pairArgs {
-		if strings.Contains(pairArg, "=") {
+		if strings.Contains(pairArg, "=") && pairArg[0] != '=' {
 			parts := strings.SplitN(pairArg, "=", 2)
 			if len(parts) != 2 {
 				if invalidBufNonEmpty {
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ func ParsePairs(pairArgs []string, pairType string, supportRemove bool) (newPair
 			} else {
 				newPairs[parts[0]] = parts[1]
 			}
-		} else if supportRemove && strings.HasSuffix(pairArg, "-") {
+		} else if supportRemove && strings.HasSuffix(pairArg, "-") && pairArg != "-" {
 			removePairs = append(removePairs, pairArg[:len(pairArg)-1])
 		} else {
 			if invalidBufNonEmpty {