diff --git a/library/common-test/tests/workload/validation_test.yaml b/library/common-test/tests/workload/validation_test.yaml
index 9ed20e67e2..727b130df6 100644
--- a/library/common-test/tests/workload/validation_test.yaml
+++ b/library/common-test/tests/workload/validation_test.yaml
@@ -48,6 +48,17 @@ tests:
       - failedTemplate:
           errorMessage: Workload - Expected <type> to be one of [Deployment, StatefulSet, DaemonSet, Job, CronJob], but got [not-valid-type]
 
+  - it: should fail without podSpec
+    set:
+      workload:
+        workload-name:
+          enabled: true
+          primary: true
+          type: Deployment
+    asserts:
+      - failedTemplate:
+          errorMessage: Workload - Expected <podSpec> key to exist
+
   - it: should fail without primary enabled workload
     set:
       workload:
@@ -63,7 +74,7 @@ tests:
           podSpec: {}
     asserts:
       - failedTemplate:
-          errorMessage: Workload - At least one enabled workload must be primary
+          errorMessage: Workload - One enabled workload must be primary
 
   - it: should fail more than one primary enabled workload
     set:
diff --git a/library/common/1.0.0/templates/spawner/_workload.tpl b/library/common/1.0.0/templates/spawner/_workload.tpl
index 444de4167d..a05c0e0dd7 100644
--- a/library/common/1.0.0/templates/spawner/_workload.tpl
+++ b/library/common/1.0.0/templates/spawner/_workload.tpl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
       {{/* Set the podSpec so it doesn't fail on nil pointer */}}
       {{- if not (hasKey $objectData "podSpec") -}}
-        {{ $_ := set $objectData "podSpec" dict }}
+        {{- fail "Workload - Expeced <podSpec> key to exist" -}}
       {{- end -}}
 
       {{/* Call class to create the object */}}