diff --git a/kapitan/validator/kubernetes_validator.py b/kapitan/validator/kubernetes_validator.py
index 1a591f290..8adb49f2a 100644
--- a/kapitan/validator/kubernetes_validator.py
+++ b/kapitan/validator/kubernetes_validator.py
@@ -61,16 +61,18 @@ def _validate_config_block(self, config):
                         continue
 
                     # Evaluating annotation
-                    validation_enabled_annotation = (
-                        validate_instance.get("metadata", {})
-                        .get("annotations", {})
-                        .get(defaults.VALIDATION_ENABLED_ANNOTATION, "true")
-                    )
-                    if validation_enabled_annotation.lower() in ["false", "disabled"]:
-                        exclusions.append(
-                            f"Validation: skipping kind {kind} inside {validate_file} because of ignore annotation"
+                    annotations = validate_instance.get("metadata", {}).get("annotations", {})
+
+                    if annotations:
+                        validation_enabled_annotation = annotations.get(
+                            defaults.VALIDATION_ENABLED_ANNOTATION, "true"
                         )
-                        continue
+
+                        if validation_enabled_annotation.lower() in ["false", "disabled"]:
+                            exclusions.append(
+                                f"Validation: skipping kind {kind} inside {validate_file} because of ignore annotation"
+                            )
+                            continue
 
                     try:
                         validator = validators_kind_cache.setdefault(
diff --git a/tests/test_kubernetes_validator.py b/tests/test_kubernetes_validator.py
index 1355d5d72..31d38e50f 100644
--- a/tests/test_kubernetes_validator.py
+++ b/tests/test_kubernetes_validator.py
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@
                 targetPort: 9376
         """
 
+
 class KubernetesValidatorTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         os.chdir(os.path.join("examples", "kubernetes"))
@@ -112,47 +113,66 @@ def test_validate(self):
         _INVALID_EXCLUDE_PATH = self._get_manifest(INVALID_MANIFEST, "service_manifest_exclude_path.yaml")
         _INVALID_W_ANNOTATION = self._get_manifest(INVALID_WITH_ANNOTATION, "service_manifest_annotated.yaml")
 
-        basic_config = {"target_name": "test_validate", "version": "1.26.0"}
-        validate_objects = list()
-        validate_objects += [{"output_files": [_VALID]} | basic_config]
-        validate_objects += [{"output_files": [_INVALID], "fail_on_error": False} | basic_config]
-        validate_objects += [
-            {"output_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_KIND], "exclude": {"kinds": ["Service"]}} | basic_config
-        ]
-        validate_objects += [
-            {"output_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_PATH], "excluded_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_PATH]}
-            | basic_config
-        ]
-        validate_objects += [{"output_files": [_INVALID_W_ANNOTATION]} | basic_config]
-        self.validator.validate(("1.26.0", validate_objects))
+        objs = list()
+        objs.append({"target_name": "test", "output_files": [_VALID]})
+        objs.append({"target_name": "test", "output_files": [_INVALID], "fail_on_error": False})
+        objs.append(
+            {
+                "target_name": "test",
+                "output_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_KIND],
+                "exclude": {"kinds": ["Service"]},
+            }
+        )
+        objs.append(
+            {
+                "target_name": "test",
+                "output_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_PATH],
+                "excluded_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_PATH],
+            }
+        )
+        objs.append({"target_name": "test", "output_files": [_INVALID_W_ANNOTATION]})
+        self.validator.validate(("1.26.0", objs))
 
     def test_validate_failure(self):
         # None of these should fail
         _INVALID = self._get_manifest(INVALID_MANIFEST, "service_manifest_invalid.yaml")
         _INVALID_EXCLUDE_KIND = self._get_manifest(INVALID_MANIFEST, "service_manifest_exclude_kind.yaml")
         _INVALID_EXCLUDE_PATH = self._get_manifest(INVALID_MANIFEST, "service_manifest_exclude_path.yaml")
-        _INVALID_W_ANNOTATION_TRUE = self._get_manifest(INVALID_WITH_ANNOTATION_TRUE, "service_manifest_annotated.yaml")
-
-        basic_config = {"target_name": "test_validate", "version": "1.26.0"}
+        _INVALID_W_ANNOTATION_TRUE = self._get_manifest(
+            INVALID_WITH_ANNOTATION_TRUE, "service_manifest_annotated.yaml"
+        )
 
-        validate_objects = [{"output_files": [_INVALID]} | basic_config]
-        self.assertRaises(KubernetesManifestValidationError, self.validator.validate, ("1.26.0", validate_objects))
+        validate_objects = [{"target_name": "test", "output_files": [_INVALID]}]
+        self.assertRaises(
+            KubernetesManifestValidationError, self.validator.validate, ("1.26.0", validate_objects)
+        )
 
         validate_objects = [
-            {"output_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_KIND], "exclude": {"kinds": ["Deployment"]}} | basic_config
+            {
+                "target_name": "test",
+                "output_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_KIND],
+                "exclude": {"kinds": ["Deployment"]},
+            }
         ]
-        self.assertRaises(KubernetesManifestValidationError, self.validator.validate, ("1.26.0", validate_objects))
-        
+        self.assertRaises(
+            KubernetesManifestValidationError, self.validator.validate, ("1.26.0", validate_objects)
+        )
+
         validate_objects = [
-            {"output_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_PATH], "excluded_files": ["another_path"]}
-            | basic_config
+            {
+                "target_name": "test",
+                "output_files": [_INVALID_EXCLUDE_PATH],
+                "excluded_files": ["another_path"],
+            }
         ]
-        self.assertRaises(KubernetesManifestValidationError, self.validator.validate, ("1.26.0", validate_objects))
-        
-        validate_objects = [{"output_files": [_INVALID_W_ANNOTATION_TRUE]} | basic_config]
-        self.assertRaises(KubernetesManifestValidationError, self.validator.validate, ("1.26.0", validate_objects))
-        
+        self.assertRaises(
+            KubernetesManifestValidationError, self.validator.validate, ("1.26.0", validate_objects)
+        )
 
+        validate_objects = [{"target_name": "test", "output_files": [_INVALID_W_ANNOTATION_TRUE]}]
+        self.assertRaises(
+            KubernetesManifestValidationError, self.validator.validate, ("1.26.0", validate_objects)
+        )
 
     def test_validate_command_pass(self):
         sys.argv = ["kapitan", "validate", "--schemas-path", self.cache_dir]