diff --git a/jenkins/opensearch-dashboards/bwc-test.jenkinsfile b/jenkins/opensearch-dashboards/bwc-test.jenkinsfile
index dc407267c2..2e795bc70b 100644
--- a/jenkins/opensearch-dashboards/bwc-test.jenkinsfile
+++ b/jenkins/opensearch-dashboards/bwc-test.jenkinsfile
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ pipeline {
                         currentBuild.result = 'ABORTED'
                         error("BWC Tests failed to start. Missing parameter: AGENT_LABEL.")
                     }
-                    if (!fileExists("manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}")) {
+                    if (TEST_MANIFEST == '' || !fileExists("manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}")) {
                         currentBuild.result = 'ABORTED'
-                        error("BWC Tests failed to start. Test manifest not found in manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}.")
+                        error("BWC Tests failed to start. Test manifest was not provided or not found in manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}.")
                     }
                     /*
                     Rebuilding of this job will result in considering the upstream build as self($JOB_NAME) See https://issues.jenkins.io/browse/JENKINS-61590 for bug
diff --git a/jenkins/opensearch-dashboards/integ-test.jenkinsfile b/jenkins/opensearch-dashboards/integ-test.jenkinsfile
index 7924430b98..aa2478611a 100644
--- a/jenkins/opensearch-dashboards/integ-test.jenkinsfile
+++ b/jenkins/opensearch-dashboards/integ-test.jenkinsfile
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ pipeline {
                         currentBuild.result = 'ABORTED'
                         error("Integration Tests failed to start. Missing parameter: AGENT_LABEL.")
                     }
-                    if (!fileExists("manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}")) {
+                    if (TEST_MANIFEST == '' || !fileExists("manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}")) {
                         currentBuild.result = 'ABORTED'
-                        error("Integration Tests failed to start. Test manifest not found in manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}.")
+                        error("Integration Tests failed to start. Test manifest was not provided or not found in manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}.")
                     }
                     /*
                     Rebuilding of this job will result in considering upstream build as self($JOB_NAME) See https://issues.jenkins.io/browse/JENKINS-61590 for bug
diff --git a/jenkins/opensearch/bwc-test.jenkinsfile b/jenkins/opensearch/bwc-test.jenkinsfile
index 4bd0d2c4bf..922b2c950f 100644
--- a/jenkins/opensearch/bwc-test.jenkinsfile
+++ b/jenkins/opensearch/bwc-test.jenkinsfile
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ pipeline {
                         currentBuild.result = 'ABORTED'
                         error("BWC Tests failed to start. Missing parameter: AGENT_LABEL.")
                     }
-                    if (!fileExists("manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}")) {
+                    if (TEST_MANIFEST == '' || !fileExists("manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}")) {
                         currentBuild.result = 'ABORTED'
-                        error("BWC Tests failed to start. Test manifest not found in manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}.")
+                        error("BWC Tests failed to start. Test manifest not was provided or not found in manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}.")
                     }
                     /*
                     Rebuilding of this job will result in considering upstream build as self($JOB_NAME) See https://issues.jenkins.io/browse/JENKINS-61590 for bug
diff --git a/jenkins/opensearch/integ-test.jenkinsfile b/jenkins/opensearch/integ-test.jenkinsfile
index 986cd7b8e1..b3834431ce 100644
--- a/jenkins/opensearch/integ-test.jenkinsfile
+++ b/jenkins/opensearch/integ-test.jenkinsfile
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ pipeline {
                         currentBuild.result = 'ABORTED'
                         error("Integration Tests failed to start. Missing parameter: AGENT_LABEL.")
                     }
-                    if (!fileExists("manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}")) {
+                    if (TEST_MANIFEST == '' || !fileExists("manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}")) {
                         currentBuild.result = 'ABORTED'
-                        error("Integration Tests failed to start. Test manifest not found in manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}.")
+                        error("Integration Tests failed to start. Test manifest was not provided or not found in manifests/${TEST_MANIFEST}.")
                     }
                     /*
                     Rebuilding of this job will result in considering upstream build as self($JOB_NAME) See https://issues.jenkins.io/browse/JENKINS-61590 for bug