diff --git a/testsuite/gateway/gateway_api/hostname.py b/testsuite/gateway/gateway_api/hostname.py
index f4c9cb71..af072b19 100644
--- a/testsuite/gateway/gateway_api/hostname.py
+++ b/testsuite/gateway/gateway_api/hostname.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 from functools import cached_property
 from typing import Callable
 
-from openshift_client import selector
+from openshift_client import selector, OpenShiftPythonException
 
 from testsuite.certificates import Certificate
 from testsuite.config import settings
@@ -43,7 +43,12 @@ class DNSPolicyExposer(Exposer):
     @cached_property
     def base_domain(self) -> str:
         mz_name = settings["control_plane"]["managedzone"]
-        zone = selector(f"managedzone/{mz_name}", static_context=self.openshift.context).object()
+        try:
+            zone = selector(f"managedzone/{mz_name}", static_context=self.openshift.context).object()
+        except OpenShiftPythonException as exc:
+            raise OpenShiftPythonException(
+                f"Unable to find managedzone/{mz_name} in namespace {self.openshift.project}"
+            ) from exc
         return f'{generate_tail(5)}.{zone.model["spec"]["domainName"]}'
 
     def expose_hostname(self, name, gateway: Gateway) -> Hostname: