diff --git a/troubleshoot/proxy/certs.go b/troubleshoot/proxy/certs.go
index 000258789..4ab9c739e 100644
--- a/troubleshoot/proxy/certs.go
+++ b/troubleshoot/proxy/certs.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package troubleshoot
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
@@ -15,6 +16,14 @@ func (t *Troubleshoot) validateCerts(certs *envoy_admin_v3.Certificates) error {
 	var resultErr error
 	now := time.Now()
 
+	if certs == nil {
+		return errors.New("certs object is nil")
+	}
+
+	if len(certs.GetCertificates()) == 0 {
+		return errors.New("no certificates provided")
+	}
+
 	for _, cert := range certs.GetCertificates() {
 		for _, cacert := range cert.GetCaCert() {
 			if now.After(cacert.GetExpirationTime().AsTime()) {
diff --git a/troubleshoot/proxy/certs_test.go b/troubleshoot/proxy/certs_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..55bf006c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/troubleshoot/proxy/certs_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+package troubleshoot
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	envoy_admin_v3 "github.com/envoyproxy/go-control-plane/envoy/admin/v3"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/timestamppb"
+)
+
+func TestValidateCerts(t *testing.T) {
+
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	anHourAgo := timestamppb.New(time.Now().Add(-1 * time.Hour))
+
+	x := []struct {
+		certs         *envoy_admin_v3.Certificates
+		expectedError string
+	}{
+		{
+			certs:         nil,
+			expectedError: "certs object is nil",
+		},
+		{
+			certs: &envoy_admin_v3.Certificates{
+				Certificates: []*envoy_admin_v3.Certificate{},
+			},
+			expectedError: "no certificates provided",
+		},
+		{
+			certs: &envoy_admin_v3.Certificates{
+				Certificates: []*envoy_admin_v3.Certificate{
+					{
+						CaCert: []*envoy_admin_v3.CertificateDetails{
+							{
+								ExpirationTime: anHourAgo,
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			expectedError: "Ca cert is expired",
+		},
+		{
+			certs: &envoy_admin_v3.Certificates{
+				Certificates: []*envoy_admin_v3.Certificate{
+					{
+						CertChain: []*envoy_admin_v3.CertificateDetails{
+							{
+								ExpirationTime: anHourAgo,
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			expectedError: "cert chain is expired",
+		},
+	}
+
+	ts := Troubleshoot{}
+	for _, tc := range x {
+		err := ts.validateCerts(tc.certs)
+		if tc.expectedError != "" {
+			require.Error(t, err)
+			require.Contains(t, err.Error(), tc.expectedError)
+		}
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/troubleshoot/proxy/troubleshoot_proxy.go b/troubleshoot/proxy/troubleshoot_proxy.go
index 365ecbf76..cbb83deb0 100644
--- a/troubleshoot/proxy/troubleshoot_proxy.go
+++ b/troubleshoot/proxy/troubleshoot_proxy.go
@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@ func NewTroubleshoot(envoyIP *net.IPAddr, envoyPort string) (*Troubleshoot, erro
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	if envoyIP == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("envoy address is empty")
+	}
+
 	return &Troubleshoot{
 		client:         c,
 		envoyAddr:      *envoyIP,