diff --git a/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/files.go b/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/files.go
index ec69f13b78d..86672a9d206 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/files.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/files.go
@@ -158,6 +158,15 @@ func (s *filesConnector) doRead(ctx context.Context, logger *slog.Logger, repo r
 		return 0, nil, err
 	}
 
+	// GVR will exist for anything we can actually save (dashboard/playlist for now)
+	if parsed.gvr == nil {
+		if parsed.gvk != nil {
+			parsed.errors = append(parsed.errors, fmt.Errorf("unknown resource for Kind: "+parsed.gvk.Kind))
+		} else {
+			parsed.errors = append(parsed.errors, fmt.Errorf("unknown resource"))
+		}
+	}
+
 	code := http.StatusOK
 	if len(parsed.errors) > 0 {
 		code = http.StatusNotAcceptable
@@ -198,6 +207,11 @@ func (s *filesConnector) doWrite(ctx context.Context, logger *slog.Logger, updat
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// GVR will exist for anything we can actually save (dashboard/playlist for now)
+	if parsed.gvr == nil {
+		return nil, apierrors.NewBadRequest("The payload does not map to a known resource")
+	}
+
 	data, err = parsed.ToSaveBytes()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err