diff --git a/awx/main/tasks/jobs.py b/awx/main/tasks/jobs.py
index 733475e0eb..369e045e6f 100644
--- a/awx/main/tasks/jobs.py
+++ b/awx/main/tasks/jobs.py
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ class BaseTask(object):
         env['AWX_PRIVATE_DATA_DIR'] = private_data_dir
 
         if self.instance.execution_environment is None:
-            raise RuntimeError('The project could not sync because there is no Execution Environment.')
+            raise RuntimeError(f'The {self.model.__name__} could not run because there is no Execution Environment.')
 
         return env
 
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/unit/test_tasks.py b/awx/main/tests/unit/test_tasks.py
index bfec59b616..d9880be834 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/unit/test_tasks.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/unit/test_tasks.py
@@ -2008,7 +2008,7 @@ def test_project_update_no_ee(mock_me):
     with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as e:
         task.build_env(job, {})
 
-    assert 'The project could not sync because there is no Execution Environment' in str(e.value)
+    assert 'The ProjectUpdate could not run because there is no Execution Environment' in str(e.value)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
diff --git a/awx/main/utils/execution_environments.py b/awx/main/utils/execution_environments.py
index 02e6a8b701..7b197287b3 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils/execution_environments.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils/execution_environments.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import os
+import logging
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -6,8 +7,15 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from awx.main.models.execution_environments import ExecutionEnvironment
 
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
 def get_control_plane_execution_environment():
-    return ExecutionEnvironment.objects.filter(organization=None, managed=True).first()
+    ee = ExecutionEnvironment.objects.filter(organization=None, managed=True).first()
+    if ee == None:
+        logger.error('Failed to find control plane ee, there are no managed EEs without organizations')
+        raise RuntimeError("Failed to find default control plane EE")
+    return ee
 
 
 def get_default_execution_environment():