diff --git a/.changeset/grumpy-eels-swim.md b/.changeset/grumpy-eels-swim.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bbf5b1ca79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/grumpy-eels-swim.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-kubernetes-backend': patch
+---
+
+Allow missing kubernetes config in development env
diff --git a/plugins/kubernetes-backend/src/service/KubernetesBuilder.ts b/plugins/kubernetes-backend/src/service/KubernetesBuilder.ts
index 3333f7a0fc..da6c6c37c8 100644
--- a/plugins/kubernetes-backend/src/service/KubernetesBuilder.ts
+++ b/plugins/kubernetes-backend/src/service/KubernetesBuilder.ts
@@ -57,9 +57,21 @@ export class KubernetesBuilder {
 
   public async build() {
     const logger = this.env.logger;
+    const config = this.env.config;
 
     logger.info('Initializing Kubernetes backend');
 
+    if (!config.has('kubernetes')) {
+      if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'development') {
+        throw new Error('Kubernetes configuration is missing');
+      }
+      logger.warn(
+        'Failed to initialize kubernetes backend: kubernetes config is missing',
+      );
+      return {
+        router: Router(),
+      };
+    }
     const customResources = this.buildCustomResources();
 
     const fetcher = this.fetcher ?? this.buildFetcher();