diff --git a/pkg/etcd/etcd.go b/pkg/etcd/etcd.go
index cb9d40d5cdd..b967011b098 100644
--- a/pkg/etcd/etcd.go
+++ b/pkg/etcd/etcd.go
@@ -1251,19 +1251,22 @@ func (e *ETCD) Snapshot(ctx context.Context, config *config.Control) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	logrus.Debugf("Attempting to retrieve extra metadata from %s ConfigMap", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName)
+	// make sure the core.Factory is initialized before attempting to add snapshot metadata
 	var extraMetadata string
-	if snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMap, err := e.config.Runtime.Core.Core().V1().ConfigMap().Get(metav1.NamespaceSystem, snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName, metav1.GetOptions{}); err != nil {
-		logrus.Debugf("Error encountered attempting to retrieve extra metadata from %s ConfigMap, error: %v", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName, err)
-		extraMetadata = ""
+	if e.config.Runtime.Core == nil {
+		logrus.Debugf("Cannot retrieve extra metadata from %s ConfigMap: runtime core not ready", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName)
 	} else {
-		if m, err := json.Marshal(snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMap.Data); err != nil {
-			logrus.Debugf("Error attempting to marshal extra metadata contained in %s ConfigMap, error: %v", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName, err)
-			extraMetadata = ""
+		logrus.Debugf("Attempting to retrieve extra metadata from %s ConfigMap", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName)
+		if snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMap, err := e.config.Runtime.Core.Core().V1().ConfigMap().Get(metav1.NamespaceSystem, snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName, metav1.GetOptions{}); err != nil {
+			logrus.Debugf("Error encountered attempting to retrieve extra metadata from %s ConfigMap, error: %v", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName, err)
 		} else {
-			logrus.Debugf("Setting extra metadata from %s ConfigMap", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName)
-			logrus.Tracef("Marshalled extra metadata in %s ConfigMap was: %s", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName, string(m))
-			extraMetadata = base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(m)
+			if m, err := json.Marshal(snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMap.Data); err != nil {
+				logrus.Debugf("Error attempting to marshal extra metadata contained in %s ConfigMap, error: %v", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName, err)
+			} else {
+				logrus.Debugf("Setting extra metadata from %s ConfigMap", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName)
+				logrus.Tracef("Marshalled extra metadata in %s ConfigMap was: %s", snapshotExtraMetadataConfigMapName, string(m))
+				extraMetadata = base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(m)
+			}
 		}
 	}