diff --git a/pkg/kfconfig/loaders/v1.go b/pkg/kfconfig/loaders/v1.go
index 8d162650..77ad05b2 100644
--- a/pkg/kfconfig/loaders/v1.go
+++ b/pkg/kfconfig/loaders/v1.go
@@ -45,7 +45,13 @@ func (v V1) LoadKfConfig(def interface{}) (*kfconfig.KfConfig, error) {
 	config.Annotations = kfdef.Annotations
 	config.ClusterName = kfdef.ClusterName
 	config.Spec.Version = kfdef.Spec.Version
-	for _, app := range kfdef.Spec.Applications {
+	for i, app := range kfdef.Spec.Applications {
+		if app.Name == "" {
+			return nil, &kfapis.KfError{
+				Code:    int(kfapis.INVALID_ARGUMENT),
+				Message: fmt.Sprintf("must have name for application. missing application name on application[%d] in kfdef", i),
+			}
+		}
 		application := kfconfig.Application{
 			Name: app.Name,
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/kfconfig/types.go b/pkg/kfconfig/types.go
index ed7e2acf..17336353 100644
--- a/pkg/kfconfig/types.go
+++ b/pkg/kfconfig/types.go
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ func (c *KfConfig) SetApplicationParameter(appName string, paramName string, val
 			"profiles":         KfAppsStackName,
 			"dex":              "dex",
 			// Spartakus is its own application because we want kfctl to be able to remove it.
-			"spartakus":                  "spartakus",
+			"spartakus": "spartakus",
 			// AWS Specific
 			"aws-alb-ingress-controller": KfAppsStackName,
 			"istio-ingress":              "istio-ingress",