diff --git a/pkg/runtime/helper.go b/pkg/runtime/helper.go
index b087d79464..8681912a86 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/helper.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/helper.go
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ func GetItemsPtr(list Object) (interface{}, error) {
 	}
 	switch items.Kind() {
 	case reflect.Interface, reflect.Ptr:
+		target := reflect.TypeOf(items.Interface()).Elem()
+		if target.Kind() != reflect.Slice {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("items: Expected slice, got %s", target.Kind())
+		}
 		return items.Interface(), nil
 	case reflect.Slice:
 		return items.Addr().Interface(), nil
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/helper_test.go b/pkg/runtime/helper_test.go
index f194b133af..62984c3413 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/helper_test.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/helper_test.go
@@ -86,14 +86,14 @@ func TestExtractListGeneric(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 type fakePtrInterfaceList struct {
-	Items []*runtime.Object
+	Items *[]runtime.Object
 }
 
 func (f fakePtrInterfaceList) IsAnAPIObject() {}
 
 func TestExtractListOfInterfacePtrs(t *testing.T) {
 	pl := &fakePtrInterfaceList{
-		Items: []*runtime.Object{},
+		Items: &[]runtime.Object{},
 	}
 	list, err := runtime.ExtractList(pl)
 	if err != nil {