diff --git a/bin/generate_circleci_config.py b/bin/generate_circleci_config.py
index bbcd6d4e4..bfaa24192 100755
--- a/bin/generate_circleci_config.py
+++ b/bin/generate_circleci_config.py
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ def list_docker_images():
 
 def main():
     """Render the Jinja2 template file."""
+    for version in kube_versions:
+        maj_min = version.rpartition(".")[0]
+        if not Path(
+            git_root_dir / "bin" / "kind" / f"calico-crds-v{maj_min}.yaml"
+        ).exists():
+            raise SystemExit(
+                f"ERROR: calico-crds-v{maj_min}.yaml is required for for CircleCI to succeed but it does not exist!"
+            )
     config_file_template_path = git_root_dir / ".circleci" / "config.yml.j2"
     config_file_path = git_root_dir / ".circleci" / "config.yml"