diff --git a/pkg/corerp/backend/deployment/deploymentprocessor.go b/pkg/corerp/backend/deployment/deploymentprocessor.go
index aeb57dc6ed..1e4de863c2 100644
--- a/pkg/corerp/backend/deployment/deploymentprocessor.go
+++ b/pkg/corerp/backend/deployment/deploymentprocessor.go
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func (dp *deploymentProcessor) Render(ctx context.Context, resourceID resources.
 
 	c := app.Properties.Status.Compute
 	// Override environment-scope namespace with application-scope kubernetes namespace.
-	if c.Kind == rpv1.KubernetesComputeKind {
+	if c != nil && c.Kind == rpv1.KubernetesComputeKind {
 		envOptions.Namespace = c.KubernetesCompute.Namespace
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/portableresources/backend/controller/createorupdateresource_test.go b/pkg/portableresources/backend/controller/createorupdateresource_test.go
index 533724b41f..e7267f8b7c 100644
--- a/pkg/portableresources/backend/controller/createorupdateresource_test.go
+++ b/pkg/portableresources/backend/controller/createorupdateresource_test.go
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ func (t *TestResource) GetRecipe() *portableresources.ResourceRecipe {
 	return &t.Properties.Recipe
 }
 
+// SetRecipe allows updating the recipe in the resource.
+func (t *TestResource) SetRecipe(r *portableresources.ResourceRecipe) {
+	t.Properties.Recipe = *r
+}
+
 type TestResourceProperties struct {
 	rpv1.BasicResourceProperties
 	IsProcessed bool                             `json:"isProcessed"`
@@ -207,6 +212,7 @@ func TestCreateOrUpdateResource_Run(t *testing.T) {
 			nil,
 			fmt.Errorf("could not find recipe %q in environment %q", "test-recipe", TestEnvironmentID),
 		},
+
 		{
 			"runtime-configuration-err",
 			func(recipeCfg *controllerconfig.RecipeControllerConfig, options ctrl.Options) (ctrl.Controller, error) {