diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/exceptions/RestApiErrorMessages.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/exceptions/RestApiErrorMessages.java
index f10d884e4ee..8f831ee5a70 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/exceptions/RestApiErrorMessages.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/exceptions/RestApiErrorMessages.java
@@ -125,4 +125,8 @@ public interface RestApiErrorMessages {
 
   String ERROR_COMP_DOES_NOT_NEED_UPGRADE = "The component (%s) does not need" +
       " an upgrade.";
+  String ERROR_KERBEROS_PRINCIPAL_NAME_FORMAT = "Kerberos principal (%s) does " +
+      " not contain a hostname.";
+  String ERROR_KERBEROS_PRINCIPAL_MISSING = "Kerberos principal or keytab is" +
+      " missing.";
 }
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/ServiceApiUtil.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/ServiceApiUtil.java
index a646f06aa05..997631d1170 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/ServiceApiUtil.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/utils/ServiceApiUtil.java
@@ -234,6 +234,16 @@ public class ServiceApiUtil {
 
   public static void validateKerberosPrincipal(
       KerberosPrincipal kerberosPrincipal) throws IOException {
+    try {
+      if (!kerberosPrincipal.getPrincipalName().contains("/")) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format(
+            RestApiErrorMessages.ERROR_KERBEROS_PRINCIPAL_NAME_FORMAT,
+            kerberosPrincipal.getPrincipalName()));
+      }
+    } catch (NullPointerException e) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+          RestApiErrorMessages.ERROR_KERBEROS_PRINCIPAL_MISSING);
+    }
     if (!StringUtils.isEmpty(kerberosPrincipal.getKeytab())) {
       try {
         // validate URI format
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/TestServiceApiUtil.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/TestServiceApiUtil.java
index 47b2803eb36..c2a80e7fa78 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/TestServiceApiUtil.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-applications/hadoop-yarn-services/hadoop-yarn-services-core/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/service/TestServiceApiUtil.java
@@ -625,4 +625,29 @@ public class TestServiceApiUtil {
       Assert.fail(NO_EXCEPTION_PREFIX + e.getMessage());
     }
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testKerberosPrincipalNameFormat() throws IOException {
+    Service app = createValidApplication("comp-a");
+    KerberosPrincipal kp = new KerberosPrincipal();
+    kp.setPrincipalName("user@domain.com");
+    app.setKerberosPrincipal(kp);
+
+    try {
+      ServiceApiUtil.validateKerberosPrincipal(app.getKerberosPrincipal());
+      Assert.fail(EXCEPTION_PREFIX + "service with invalid principal name format.");
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+      assertEquals(
+          String.format(RestApiErrorMessages.ERROR_KERBEROS_PRINCIPAL_NAME_FORMAT,
+              kp.getPrincipalName()),
+          e.getMessage());
+    }
+
+    kp.setPrincipalName("user/_HOST@domain.com");
+    try {
+      ServiceApiUtil.validateKerberosPrincipal(app.getKerberosPrincipal());
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+      Assert.fail(NO_EXCEPTION_PREFIX + e.getMessage());
+    }
+  }
 }