diff --git a/api/internal/target/kusttarget.go b/api/internal/target/kusttarget.go
index 098a624a8..36501a976 100644
--- a/api/internal/target/kusttarget.go
+++ b/api/internal/target/kusttarget.go
@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@ func (kt *KustTarget) Load() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Kustomization returns a copy of the immutable, internal kustomization object.
+func (kt *KustTarget) Kustomization() types.Kustomization {
+	var result types.Kustomization
+	b, _ := json.Marshal(*kt.kustomization)
+	json.Unmarshal(b, &result)
+	return result
+}
+
 func loadKustFile(ldr ifc.Loader) ([]byte, error) {
 	var content []byte
 	match := 0
diff --git a/api/internal/target/kusttarget_test.go b/api/internal/target/kusttarget_test.go
index fc903f484..c739d7010 100644
--- a/api/internal/target/kusttarget_test.go
+++ b/api/internal/target/kusttarget_test.go
@@ -37,6 +37,16 @@ incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
 Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
 exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut
 aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
+`,
+		},
+		"commented": {
+			content: `
+# Licensed to the Blah Blah Software Foundation
+# ...
+# yada yada yada.
+
+commonLabels:
+  app: nginx
 `,
 		},
 		"implicitHeader": {
@@ -60,9 +70,6 @@ commonLabels:
 		resource.NewFactory(kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()))
 
 	for tn, tc := range testCases {
-		if tn != "nonsenseLatin" {
-			continue
-		}
 		t.Run(tn, func(t *testing.T) {
 			if tc.content != "" {
 				th.WriteK("/", tc.content)
@@ -73,6 +80,13 @@ commonLabels:
 				require.Contains(t, err.Error(), tc.errContains)
 			} else {
 				require.Nilf(t, err, "got error: %v", err)
+				k := kt.Kustomization()
+				require.Condition(t, func() bool {
+					return len(k.CommonLabels) == 1
+				}, "expecting a labels entry")
+				require.Condition(t, func() bool {
+					return k.CommonLabels["app"] == "nginx"
+				}, "expecting app:nginx")
 			}
 		})
 	}