diff --git a/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/executor.go b/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/executor.go
index 7b6fd5bdd03..254e0b219e5 100644
--- a/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/executor.go
+++ b/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/executor.go
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	ExitFunc             func(int)
 	PodStatusFunc        func(KubeletInterface, *api.Pod) (*api.PodStatus, error)
 	StaticPodsConfigPath string
-	PodLW                cache.ListerWatcher
+	PodLW                cache.ListerWatcher // mandatory, otherwise initialiation will panic
 	LaunchGracePeriod    time.Duration
 }
 
@@ -172,6 +172,10 @@ func New(config Config) *KubernetesExecutor {
 	}
 
 	// watch pods from the given pod ListWatch
+	if config.PodLW == nil {
+		// fail early to make debugging easier
+		panic("cannot create executor with nil PodLW")
+	}
 	_, k.podController = framework.NewInformer(config.PodLW, &api.Pod{}, podRelistPeriod, &framework.ResourceEventHandlerFuncs{
 		AddFunc: func(obj interface{}) {
 			pod := obj.(*api.Pod)
diff --git a/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/executor_test.go b/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/executor_test.go
index 1e127977bf2..eb942e5d5a9 100644
--- a/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/executor_test.go
+++ b/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/executor_test.go
@@ -57,12 +57,7 @@ import (
 // after Register is called.
 func TestExecutorRegister(t *testing.T) {
 	mockDriver := &MockExecutorDriver{}
-	updates := make(chan interface{}, 1024)
-	executor := New(Config{
-		Docker:     dockertools.ConnectToDockerOrDie("fake://"),
-		Updates:    updates,
-		SourceName: "executor_test",
-	})
+	executor, updates := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
 
 	executor.Init(mockDriver)
 	executor.Registered(mockDriver, nil, nil, nil)
@@ -95,7 +90,7 @@ func TestExecutorRegister(t *testing.T) {
 // connected after a call to Disconnected has occurred.
 func TestExecutorDisconnect(t *testing.T) {
 	mockDriver := &MockExecutorDriver{}
-	executor := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
+	executor, _ := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
 
 	executor.Init(mockDriver)
 	executor.Registered(mockDriver, nil, nil, nil)
@@ -110,7 +105,7 @@ func TestExecutorDisconnect(t *testing.T) {
 // after a connection problem happens, followed by a call to Reregistered.
 func TestExecutorReregister(t *testing.T) {
 	mockDriver := &MockExecutorDriver{}
-	executor := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
+	executor, _ := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
 
 	executor.Init(mockDriver)
 	executor.Registered(mockDriver, nil, nil, nil)
@@ -166,6 +161,7 @@ func TestExecutorLaunchAndKillTask(t *testing.T) {
 				Phase: api.PodRunning,
 			}, nil
 		},
+		PodLW: &NewMockPodsListWatch(api.PodList{}).ListWatch,
 	}
 	executor := New(config)
 
@@ -330,6 +326,7 @@ func TestExecutorStaticPods(t *testing.T) {
 			}, nil
 		},
 		StaticPodsConfigPath: staticPodsConfigPath,
+		PodLW:                &NewMockPodsListWatch(api.PodList{}).ListWatch,
 	}
 	executor := New(config)
 	hostname := "h1"
@@ -417,6 +414,7 @@ func TestExecutorFrameworkMessage(t *testing.T) {
 			close(kubeletFinished)
 		},
 		KubeletFinished: kubeletFinished,
+		PodLW:           &NewMockPodsListWatch(api.PodList{}).ListWatch,
 	}
 	executor := New(config)
 
@@ -579,6 +577,7 @@ func TestExecutorShutdown(t *testing.T) {
 		ExitFunc: func(_ int) {
 			atomic.AddInt32(&exitCalled, 1)
 		},
+		PodLW: &NewMockPodsListWatch(api.PodList{}).ListWatch,
 	}
 	executor := New(config)
 
@@ -608,7 +607,7 @@ func TestExecutorShutdown(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestExecutorsendFrameworkMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	mockDriver := &MockExecutorDriver{}
-	executor := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
+	executor, _ := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
 
 	executor.Init(mockDriver)
 	executor.Registered(mockDriver, nil, nil, nil)
diff --git a/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/mock_test.go b/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/mock_test.go
index be4951eab58..727a66336bb 100644
--- a/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/mock_test.go
+++ b/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/mock_test.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mesos/mesos-go/mesosproto"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/mock"
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/api"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/dockertools"
 )
 
@@ -64,16 +65,19 @@ func (m *MockExecutorDriver) SendFrameworkMessage(msg string) (mesosproto.Status
 	return args.Get(0).(mesosproto.Status), args.Error(1)
 }
 
-func NewTestKubernetesExecutor() *KubernetesExecutor {
+func NewTestKubernetesExecutor() (*KubernetesExecutor, chan interface{}) {
+	updates := make(chan interface{}, 1024)
 	return New(Config{
-		Docker:  dockertools.ConnectToDockerOrDie("fake://"),
-		Updates: make(chan interface{}, 1024),
-	})
+		Docker:     dockertools.ConnectToDockerOrDie("fake://"),
+		Updates:    updates,
+		PodLW:      &NewMockPodsListWatch(api.PodList{}).ListWatch,
+		SourceName: "executor_test",
+	}), updates
 }
 
 func TestExecutorNew(t *testing.T) {
 	mockDriver := &MockExecutorDriver{}
-	executor := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
+	executor, _ := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
 	executor.Init(mockDriver)
 
 	assert.Equal(t, executor.isDone(), false, "executor should not be in Done state on initialization")
diff --git a/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/suicide_test.go b/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/suicide_test.go
index 706ad2876e2..5426433f671 100644
--- a/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/suicide_test.go
+++ b/contrib/mesos/pkg/executor/suicide_test.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func (t *suicideTracker) makeJumper(_ jumper) jumper {
 func TestSuicide_zeroTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	defer glog.Flush()
 
-	k := New(Config{})
+	k, _ := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
 	tracker := &suicideTracker{suicideWatcher: k.suicideWatch}
 	k.suicideWatch = tracker
 
@@ -92,9 +92,8 @@ func TestSuicide_zeroTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 func TestSuicide_WithTasks(t *testing.T) {
 	defer glog.Flush()
 
-	k := New(Config{
-		SuicideTimeout: 50 * time.Millisecond,
-	})
+	k, _ := NewTestKubernetesExecutor()
+	k.suicideTimeout = 50 * time.Millisecond
 
 	jumps := uint32(0)
 	tracker := &suicideTracker{suicideWatcher: k.suicideWatch, jumps: &jumps}