diff --git a/pkg/engine/handlers/validation/validate_resource.go b/pkg/engine/handlers/validation/validate_resource.go
index 8da0c55659..8164d5ca3e 100644
--- a/pkg/engine/handlers/validation/validate_resource.go
+++ b/pkg/engine/handlers/validation/validate_resource.go
@@ -164,7 +164,8 @@ func (v *validator) validate(ctx context.Context) *engineapi.RuleResponse {
 			}
 
 			// when an existing resource violates, and the updated resource also violates, then skip
-			if ruleResponse.Status() == engineapi.RuleStatusFail && priorResp.Status() == engineapi.RuleStatusFail { //
+			if ruleResponse.Status() == engineapi.RuleStatusFail &&
+				(priorResp != nil && priorResp.Status() == engineapi.RuleStatusFail) { //
 				v.log.V(2).Info("warning: skipping the rule evaluation as pre-existing violations are allowed", "ruleResponse", ruleResponse, "priorResp", priorResp)
 				return engineapi.RuleSkip(v.rule.Name, engineapi.Validation, "skipping the rule evaluation as pre-existing violations are allowed", v.rule.ReportProperties)
 			}