diff --git a/internal/pkg/variable/parser/parser_v2.go b/internal/pkg/variable/parser/parser_v2.go
index cb9174b2..48c942e6 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/variable/parser/parser_v2.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/variable/parser/parser_v2.go
@@ -42,10 +42,13 @@ type ParserV2 struct {
 }
 
 func NewParserV2(cfg *config.ParserConfig) (*ParserV2, error) {
+	if cfg == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("nil parser configuration")
+	}
 
 	// Ensure the parent name is set, otherwise we can't parse correctly.
-	if cfg.ParentPackID == "" {
-		return nil, errors.New("variable parser config requires ParentName to be set")
+	if cfg.ParentPack == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("nil ParentPack")
 	}
 
 	// Sort the file overrides to ensure variable merging is consistent on
@@ -54,7 +57,7 @@ func NewParserV2(cfg *config.ParserConfig) (*ParserV2, error) {
 	for _, file := range cfg.FileOverrides {
 		_, err := os.Stat(file)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("variable file %q not found", file)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error loading variable file %q: %w", file, err)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/pkg/variable/parser/parser_v2_test.go b/internal/pkg/variable/parser/parser_v2_test.go
index da773fc6..d0b99c59 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/variable/parser/parser_v2_test.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/variable/parser/parser_v2_test.go
@@ -36,6 +36,36 @@ func testpack(p ...string) *pack.Pack {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestParserV2_NewParserV2(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("fails/with nil config set", func(t *testing.T) {
+		p, err := NewParserV2(nil)
+		must.Nil(t, p)
+		must.Error(t, err)
+		must.ErrorContains(t, err, "nil parser configuration")
+	})
+	t.Run("fails/without ParentPack set", func(t *testing.T) {
+		p, err := NewParserV2(&config.ParserConfig{})
+		must.Nil(t, p)
+		must.Error(t, err)
+		must.ErrorContains(t, err, "nil ParentPack")
+	})
+	t.Run("fails/with missing override file", func(t *testing.T) {
+		p, err := NewParserV2(&config.ParserConfig{
+			ParentPack:    testpack("example"),
+			FileOverrides: []string{"/not/a/real/path/foo.hcl"},
+		})
+		must.Nil(t, p)
+		must.Error(t, err)
+		must.ErrorContains(t, err, "error loading variable file")
+	})
+	t.Run("passes", func(t *testing.T) {
+		p, err := NewParserV2(&config.ParserConfig{
+			ParentPack: testpack("example"),
+		})
+		must.NotNil(t, p)
+		must.NoError(t, err)
+	})
+}
 
 func TestParserV2_parseFlagVariable(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {