diff --git a/kustomize/commands/edit/set/setconfigmap_test.go b/kustomize/commands/edit/set/setconfigmap_test.go
index cabe5668a..7f9693380 100644
--- a/kustomize/commands/edit/set/setconfigmap_test.go
+++ b/kustomize/commands/edit/set/setconfigmap_test.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ configMapGenerator:
   name: test-cm
 `,
 			Args:             []string{"test-cm2", "--from-literal=test-key=test-value"},
-			ExpectedErrorMsg: "unable to find ConfigMap with name '\"test-cm2\"'",
+			ExpectedErrorMsg: "unable to find ConfigMap with name \"test-cm2\"",
 		},
 		{
 			Name: "fails validation because no attributes are being changed",
@@ -76,6 +76,16 @@ configMapGenerator:
 			Args:             []string{"test-cm", "--from-literal=value"},
 			ExpectedErrorMsg: "literal values must be specified in the key=value format",
 		},
+		{
+			Name: "fails when the configMapGenerator field has no items",
+			KustomizationFileContent: `
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+configMapGenerator: []
+`,
+			Args:             []string{"test-cm", "--from-literal=value"},
+			ExpectedErrorMsg: "unable to find ConfigMap with name \"test-cm\"",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
diff --git a/kustomize/commands/edit/set/setsecret_test.go b/kustomize/commands/edit/set/setsecret_test.go
index c9207d8ab..bb27c8d17 100644
--- a/kustomize/commands/edit/set/setsecret_test.go
+++ b/kustomize/commands/edit/set/setsecret_test.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ secretGenerator:
   type: Opaque
 `,
 			Args:             []string{"test-secret2", "--from-literal=key3=val2"},
-			ExpectedErrorMsg: "unable to find Secret with name '\"test-secret2\"'",
+			ExpectedErrorMsg: "unable to find Secret with name \"test-secret2\"",
 		},
 		{
 			Name: "fails validation because no attributes are being changed",
@@ -83,6 +83,16 @@ secretGenerator:
 			Args:             []string{"test-secret", "--from-literal=value"},
 			ExpectedErrorMsg: "literal values must be specified in the key=value format",
 		},
+		{
+			Name: "fails when the secretGenerator field has no items",
+			KustomizationFileContent: `
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+secretGenerator: []
+`,
+			Args:             []string{"test-secret", "--from-literal=value"},
+			ExpectedErrorMsg: "unable to find Secret with name \"test-secret\"",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {