diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c403ba7c..39d3dd1a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -563,5 +563,5 @@ builder-image-push: ## Build $(CONTROLLER_SHORT)-builder to a new version. For m
 # test: test-unit test-integration ## Runs all unit and integration tests.
 
 .PHONY: tilt-up
-tilt-up:  $(ENVSUBST) $(KUBECTL) $(KUSTOMIZE) $(TILT) cluster  ## Start a mgt-cluster & Tilt. Installs the CRDs and deploys the controllers
+tilt-up: env-vars-for-wl-cluster $(ENVSUBST) $(KUBECTL) $(KUSTOMIZE) $(TILT) cluster  ## Start a mgt-cluster & Tilt. Installs the CRDs and deploys the controllers
 	EXP_CLUSTER_RESOURCE_SET=true $(TILT) up --port=10351
diff --git a/hack/ensure-env-variables.sh b/hack/ensure-env-variables.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..8dc027e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hack/ensure-env-variables.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Copyright 2023 The Kubernetes Authors.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+if [ "$#" -lt 1 ]; then
+  echo "Usage: $0 VAR1 VAR2 ..."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+missing_vars=()
+for varname in "$@"; do
+  eval varvalue="\$$varname"
+  if [ -z "$varvalue" ]; then
+    missing_vars+=("$varname")
+  fi
+done
+
+if [ ${#missing_vars[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+  echo "Missing or empty environment variables: ${missing_vars[*]}"
+  exit 1
+fi