diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/managedfields/internal/structuredmerge.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/managedfields/internal/structuredmerge.go
index eb5598ac3bf..2112c9ab7e9 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/managedfields/internal/structuredmerge.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/managedfields/internal/structuredmerge.go
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ var _ Manager = &structuredMergeManager{}
 // NewStructuredMergeManager creates a new Manager that merges apply requests
 // and update managed fields for other types of requests.
 func NewStructuredMergeManager(typeConverter TypeConverter, objectConverter runtime.ObjectConvertor, objectDefaulter runtime.ObjectDefaulter, gv schema.GroupVersion, hub schema.GroupVersion, resetFields map[fieldpath.APIVersion]*fieldpath.Set) (Manager, error) {
+	if typeConverter == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("typeconverter must not be nil")
+	}
 	return &structuredMergeManager{
 		typeConverter:   typeConverter,
 		objectConverter: objectConverter,