diff --git a/cluster-resources/policies/deployment-verifier.yaml b/cluster-resources/policies/deployment-verifier.yaml
index 421faa2..f3fc96b 100644
--- a/cluster-resources/policies/deployment-verifier.yaml
+++ b/cluster-resources/policies/deployment-verifier.yaml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ spec:
         jmesPath: "@"
     preconditions:
       all:
-      - key: "{{request.object.metadata.ownerReferences[?kind=='ReplicaSet'] | length(@)}}"
+      - key: "{{ request.object.metadata.ownerReferences || `[]` | [?kind=='ReplicaSet'] | length(@) }}"
         operator: GreaterThanOrEquals
         value: 1
     validate: