diff --git a/tracker/enqueue.go b/tracker/enqueue.go
index 928a61c5aa..a4621da59c 100644
--- a/tracker/enqueue.go
+++ b/tracker/enqueue.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package tracker
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -61,6 +62,24 @@ type set map[string]time.Time
 
 // Track implements Interface.
 func (i *impl) Track(ref corev1.ObjectReference, obj interface{}) error {
+	var missingFields []string
+	if ref.APIVersion == "" {
+		missingFields = append(missingFields, "APIVersion")
+	}
+	if ref.Kind == "" {
+		missingFields = append(missingFields, "Kind")
+	}
+	if ref.Namespace == "" {
+		missingFields = append(missingFields, "Namespace")
+	}
+	if ref.Name == "" {
+		missingFields = append(missingFields, "Name")
+	}
+	if len(missingFields) > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("expected ObjectReference to specify the following missing fields: %v",
+			missingFields)
+	}
+
 	key, err := cache.DeletionHandlingMetaNamespaceKeyFunc(obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/tracker/enqueue_test.go b/tracker/enqueue_test.go
index 8f17528666..851a9d66a9 100644
--- a/tracker/enqueue_test.go
+++ b/tracker/enqueue_test.go
@@ -17,9 +17,11 @@ limitations under the License.
 package tracker
 
 import (
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 
 	. "github.com/knative/pkg/testing"
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ import (
 // Ensure our resource satisfies the interface.
 var _ accessor = (*Resource)(nil)
 
-func TestFoo(t *testing.T) {
+func TestHappyPaths(t *testing.T) {
 	calls := 0
 	f := func(key string) {
 		calls = calls + 1
@@ -123,3 +125,78 @@ func TestFoo(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 }
+
+func TestBadObjectReferences(t *testing.T) {
+	trk := New(func(key string) {}, 10*time.Millisecond)
+	thing1 := &Resource{
+		TypeMeta: metav1.TypeMeta{
+			APIVersion: "ref.knative.dev/v1alpha1",
+			Kind:       "Thing1",
+		},
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+			Namespace: "ns",
+			Name:      "foo",
+		},
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		objRef    corev1.ObjectReference
+		substring string
+	}{{
+		name: "Missing APIVersion",
+		objRef: corev1.ObjectReference{
+			// APIVersion: "build.knative.dev/v1alpha1",
+			Kind:      "Build",
+			Namespace: "default",
+			Name:      "kaniko",
+		},
+		substring: "APIVersion",
+	}, {
+		name: "Missing Kind",
+		objRef: corev1.ObjectReference{
+			APIVersion: "build.knative.dev/v1alpha1",
+			// Kind:      "Build",
+			Namespace: "default",
+			Name:      "kaniko",
+		},
+		substring: "Kind",
+	}, {
+		name: "Missing Namespace",
+		objRef: corev1.ObjectReference{
+			APIVersion: "build.knative.dev/v1alpha1",
+			Kind:       "Build",
+			// Namespace: "default",
+			Name: "kaniko",
+		},
+		substring: "Namespace",
+	}, {
+		name: "Missing Name",
+		objRef: corev1.ObjectReference{
+			APIVersion: "build.knative.dev/v1alpha1",
+			Kind:       "Build",
+			Namespace:  "default",
+			// Name:      "kaniko",
+		},
+		substring: "Name",
+	}, {
+		name:   "Missing All",
+		objRef: corev1.ObjectReference{
+			// APIVersion: "build.knative.dev/v1alpha1",
+			// Kind:       "Build",
+			// Namespace:  "default",
+			// Name:      "kaniko",
+		},
+		substring: "APIVersion Kind Namespace Name",
+	}}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if err := trk.Track(test.objRef, thing1); err == nil {
+				t.Error("Track() = nil, wanted error")
+			} else if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), test.substring) {
+				t.Errorf("Track() = %v, wanted substring: %s", err, test.substring)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}