diff --git a/pkg/api/validation/validation.go b/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
index 580d451cafa..9f4e7942cde 100644
--- a/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
@@ -551,6 +551,9 @@ func ValidateBoundPod(pod *api.BoundPod) (errors []error) {
 // ValidateMinion tests if required fields in the minion are set.
 func ValidateMinion(minion *api.Minion) errs.ValidationErrorList {
 	allErrs := errs.ValidationErrorList{}
+	if len(minion.Namespace) != 0 {
+		allErrs = append(allErrs, errs.NewFieldInvalid("namespace", minion.Namespace))
+	}
 	if len(minion.Name) == 0 {
 		allErrs = append(allErrs, errs.NewFieldRequired("name", minion.Name))
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/resource.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/resource.go
index 8072a47a362..d62f65d94e7 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/resource.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/resource.go
@@ -155,8 +155,10 @@ func ResourceFromFile(filename string, typer runtime.ObjectTyper, mapper meta.RE
 // prevents a user from unintentionally updating the wrong namespace.
 func CompareNamespaceFromFile(cmd *cobra.Command, namespace string) error {
 	defaultNamespace := getKubeNamespace(cmd)
-	if defaultNamespace != namespace {
-		return fmt.Errorf("the namespace from the provided file %q does not match the namespace %q. You must pass '--namespace=%s' to perform this operation.", namespace, defaultNamespace, namespace)
+	if len(namespace) > 0 {
+		if defaultNamespace != namespace {
+			return fmt.Errorf("the namespace from the provided file %q does not match the namespace %q. You must pass '--namespace=%s' to perform this operation.", namespace, defaultNamespace, namespace)
+		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/registry/minion/rest.go b/pkg/registry/minion/rest.go
index c3f8076083c..48fb4bdbc01 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/minion/rest.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/minion/rest.go
@@ -59,10 +59,6 @@ func (rs *REST) Create(ctx api.Context, obj runtime.Object) (<-chan apiserver.RE
 	api.FillObjectMetaSystemFields(ctx, &minion.ObjectMeta)
 
 	return apiserver.MakeAsync(func() (runtime.Object, error) {
-		// TODO: Need to fill in any server-set fields (uid, timestamp, etc) before
-		// returning minion. Can't do it properly at the moment because the registry
-		// healthchecking, which might cause it to not return the minion at all. Fix
-		// this after we move the healthchecking out of the minion registry.
 		err := rs.registry.CreateMinion(ctx, minion)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err