diff --git a/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/apply_cluster.go b/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/apply_cluster.go
index 6fd257cb09f6c..b0bfd85d88e6e 100644
--- a/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/apply_cluster.go
+++ b/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/apply_cluster.go
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func (c *ApplyClusterCmd) Run() error {
 	}
 
 	if err := c.applyFileAssets(assetBuilder); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("error getting assets: %v", err)
 	}
 
 	checkExisting := true
@@ -938,18 +938,12 @@ func (c *ApplyClusterCmd) applyFileAssets(assetBuilder *assets.AssetBuilder) err
 		c.Cluster.Spec.KubernetesVersion = versionWithoutV
 	}
 
-	var baseURL *url.URL
+	var baseURL string
 	var err error
 	if components.IsBaseURL(c.Cluster.Spec.KubernetesVersion) {
-		baseURL, err = url.Parse(c.Cluster.Spec.KubernetesVersion)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		baseURL = c.Cluster.Spec.KubernetesVersion
 	} else {
-		baseURL, err = url.Parse("https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/v" + c.Cluster.Spec.KubernetesVersion)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		baseURL = "https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/v" + c.Cluster.Spec.KubernetesVersion
 	}
 
 	k8sAssetsNames := []string{
@@ -961,8 +955,12 @@ func (c *ApplyClusterCmd) applyFileAssets(assetBuilder *assets.AssetBuilder) err
 	}
 
 	for _, a := range k8sAssetsNames {
-		k := &url.URL { }
-		k.Path = path.Join(baseURL.Path, a)
+		// TODO how do I parse this URL once?
+		k, err := url.Parse(baseURL)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		k.Path = path.Join(k.Path, a)
 		u := k.String()
 		sha := fmt.Sprintf("%s.sha", u)