diff --git a/pkg/devfile/parser/reader.go b/pkg/devfile/parser/reader.go
index a97e775c..6cd4da10 100644
--- a/pkg/devfile/parser/reader.go
+++ b/pkg/devfile/parser/reader.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package parser
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
 	"github.com/devfile/library/pkg/util"
@@ -53,8 +54,9 @@ type KubernetesResources struct {
 // ReadKubernetesYaml reads a yaml Kubernetes file from either the Path, URL or Data provided.
 // It returns all the parsed Kubernetes objects as an array of interface.
 // Consumers interested in the Kubernetes resources are expected to Unmarshal
-// it to the struct of the respective Kubernetes resource.
-func ReadKubernetesYaml(src YamlSrc, fs afero.Afero) ([]interface{}, error) {
+// it to the struct of the respective Kubernetes resource. If a Path is being passed,
+// provide a filesystem, otherwise nil can be passed in
+func ReadKubernetesYaml(src YamlSrc, fs *afero.Afero) ([]interface{}, error) {
 
 	var data []byte
 	var err error
@@ -65,6 +67,9 @@ func ReadKubernetesYaml(src YamlSrc, fs afero.Afero) ([]interface{}, error) {
 			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to download file %q", src.URL)
 		}
 	} else if src.Path != "" {
+		if fs == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot read from %s because fs passed in was nil", src.Path)
+		}
 		data, err = fs.ReadFile(src.Path)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to read yaml from path %q", src.Path)
diff --git a/pkg/devfile/parser/reader_test.go b/pkg/devfile/parser/reader_test.go
index 897d3a13..05c09456 100644
--- a/pkg/devfile/parser/reader_test.go
+++ b/pkg/devfile/parser/reader_test.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func TestReadAndParseKubernetesYaml(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name                string
 		src                 YamlSrc
-		fs                  afero.Afero
+		fs                  *afero.Afero
 		wantErr             bool
 		wantDeploymentNames []string
 		wantServiceNames    []string
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func TestReadAndParseKubernetesYaml(t *testing.T) {
 			src: YamlSrc{
 				URL: "http://" + serverIP,
 			},
-			fs:                  fs,
+			fs:                  nil,
 			wantDeploymentNames: []string{"deploy-sample", "deploy-sample-2"},
 			wantServiceNames:    []string{"service-sample", "service-sample-2"},
 			wantRouteNames:      []string{"route-sample", "route-sample-2"},
@@ -96,19 +96,27 @@ func TestReadAndParseKubernetesYaml(t *testing.T) {
 			src: YamlSrc{
 				Path: "../../../tests/yamls/resources.yaml",
 			},
-			fs:                  fs,
+			fs:                  &fs,
 			wantDeploymentNames: []string{"deploy-sample", "deploy-sample-2"},
 			wantServiceNames:    []string{"service-sample", "service-sample-2"},
 			wantRouteNames:      []string{"route-sample", "route-sample-2"},
 			wantIngressNames:    []string{"ingress-sample", "ingress-sample-2"},
 			wantOtherNames:      []string{"pvc-sample", "pvc-sample-2"},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "Read the YAML from the Path with no fs passed",
+			src: YamlSrc{
+				Path: "../../../tests/yamls/resources.yaml",
+			},
+			fs:      nil,
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "Read the YAML from the Data",
 			src: YamlSrc{
 				Data: data,
 			},
-			fs:                  fs,
+			fs:                  nil,
 			wantDeploymentNames: []string{"deploy-sample", "deploy-sample-2"},
 			wantServiceNames:    []string{"service-sample", "service-sample-2"},
 			wantRouteNames:      []string{"route-sample", "route-sample-2"},
@@ -120,7 +128,7 @@ func TestReadAndParseKubernetesYaml(t *testing.T) {
 			src: YamlSrc{
 				URL: "http://badurl",
 			},
-			fs:      fs,
+			fs:      nil,
 			wantErr: true,
 		},
 		{
@@ -128,7 +136,7 @@ func TestReadAndParseKubernetesYaml(t *testing.T) {
 			src: YamlSrc{
 				Path: "$%^&",
 			},
-			fs:      fs,
+			fs:      &fs,
 			wantErr: true,
 		},
 		{
@@ -136,7 +144,7 @@ func TestReadAndParseKubernetesYaml(t *testing.T) {
 			src: YamlSrc{
 				Data: badData,
 			},
-			fs:      fs,
+			fs:      nil,
 			wantErr: true,
 		},
 	}