diff --git a/pkg/engine/variables/vars.go b/pkg/engine/variables/vars.go
index 3f519a9a73..b57bfbfd7b 100644
--- a/pkg/engine/variables/vars.go
+++ b/pkg/engine/variables/vars.go
@@ -70,6 +70,15 @@ func subArray(log logr.Logger, ctx context.EvalInterface, patternList []interfac
 	return patternList, nil
 }
 
+type NotFoundVariableErr struct {
+	variable string
+	path     string
+}
+
+func (n NotFoundVariableErr) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("could not find variable %v at path %v", n.variable, n.path)
+}
+
 // subValR resolves the variables if defined
 func subValR(ctx context.EvalInterface, valuePattern string, path string) (interface{}, error) {
 	originalPattern := valuePattern
@@ -92,7 +101,10 @@ func subValR(ctx context.EvalInterface, valuePattern string, path string) (inter
 						}
 						return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to resolve %v at path %s", underlyingVariable, path)
 					}
-					return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find variable %v at path %v", underlyingVariable, path)
+					return nil, NotFoundVariableErr{
+						variable: underlyingVariable,
+						path:     path,
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		} else {
diff --git a/pkg/policy/background.go b/pkg/policy/background.go
index 639281f075..a495cfaa60 100644
--- a/pkg/policy/background.go
+++ b/pkg/policy/background.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package policy
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"strings"
 
 	kyverno "github.com/nirmata/kyverno/pkg/api/kyverno/v1"
 	"github.com/nirmata/kyverno/pkg/engine/context"
@@ -69,12 +68,14 @@ func ContainsVariablesOtherThanObject(policy kyverno.ClusterPolicy) error {
 
 func checkNotFoundErr(err error) bool {
 	if err != nil {
-		if strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "could not find variable") {
+		switch err.(type) {
+		case variables.NotFoundVariableErr:
 			return true
-		} else {
+		default:
 			return false
 		}
 	}
+
 	return true
 }