diff --git a/conformance/utils/kubernetes/helpers.go b/conformance/utils/kubernetes/helpers.go
index f0294663f9..093cc7dbda 100644
--- a/conformance/utils/kubernetes/helpers.go
+++ b/conformance/utils/kubernetes/helpers.go
@@ -147,13 +147,14 @@ func ConditionsHaveLatestObservedGeneration(obj metav1.Object, conditions []meta
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	wantGeneration := obj.GetGeneration()
 	var b strings.Builder
-	fmt.Fprint(&b, "expected observedGeneration to be updated for all conditions")
+	fmt.Fprintf(&b, "expected observedGeneration to be updated to %d for all conditions", wantGeneration)
 	fmt.Fprintf(&b, ", only %d/%d were updated.", len(conditions)-len(staleConditions), len(conditions))
 	fmt.Fprintf(&b, " stale conditions are: ")
 
 	for i, c := range staleConditions {
-		fmt.Fprintf(&b, c.Type)
+		fmt.Fprintf(&b, "%s (generation %d)", c.Type, c.ObservedGeneration)
 		if i != len(staleConditions)-1 {
 			fmt.Fprintf(&b, ", ")
 		}
diff --git a/conformance/utils/kubernetes/helpers_test.go b/conformance/utils/kubernetes/helpers_test.go
index dc7812b265..3e1158db89 100644
--- a/conformance/utils/kubernetes/helpers_test.go
+++ b/conformance/utils/kubernetes/helpers_test.go
@@ -17,14 +17,126 @@ limitations under the License.
 package kubernetes
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 
 	"sigs.k8s.io/gateway-api/apis/v1alpha2"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/gateway-api/apis/v1beta1"
 )
 
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Test - Public Functions
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func TestNewGatewayRef(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name          string
+		nsn           types.NamespacedName
+		listenerNames []string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "verifying the contents of a GatewayRef with no provided listeners",
+			nsn:  types.NamespacedName{Namespace: corev1.NamespaceDefault, Name: "fake-gateway"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "verifying the contents of a GatewayRef listeners with one listener provided",
+			nsn:           types.NamespacedName{Namespace: corev1.NamespaceDefault, Name: "fake-gateway"},
+			listenerNames: []string{"fake-listener-1"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "verifying the contents of a GatewayRef listeners with multiple listeners provided",
+			nsn:  types.NamespacedName{Namespace: corev1.NamespaceDefault, Name: "fake-gateway"},
+			listenerNames: []string{
+				"fake-listener-1",
+				"fake-listener-2",
+				"fake-listener-3",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < len(tests); i++ {
+		test := tests[i]
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			ref := NewGatewayRef(test.nsn, test.listenerNames...)
+			require.IsType(t, GatewayRef{}, ref)
+			if test.listenerNames == nil {
+				require.Len(t, ref.listenerNames, 1)
+				assert.Equal(t, "", string(*ref.listenerNames[0]))
+			} else {
+				require.Len(t, ref.listenerNames, len(test.listenerNames))
+				for i := 0; i < len(ref.listenerNames); i++ {
+					assert.Equal(t, test.listenerNames[i], string(*ref.listenerNames[i]))
+				}
+			}
+			assert.Equal(t, test.nsn, ref.NamespacedName)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestVerifyConditionsMatchGeneration(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		obj        metav1.Object
+		conditions []metav1.Condition
+		expected   error
+	}{
+		{},
+		{
+			name: "if no conditions are provided this technically passes verification",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "conditions where all match the generation pass verification",
+			obj:  &v1beta1.Gateway{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "fake-gateway", Generation: 20}},
+			conditions: []metav1.Condition{
+				{Type: "FakeCondition1", ObservedGeneration: 20},
+				{Type: "FakeCondition2", ObservedGeneration: 20},
+				{Type: "FakeCondition3", ObservedGeneration: 20},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "conditions where one does not match the generation fail verification",
+			obj:  &v1beta1.Gateway{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "fake-gateway", Generation: 20}},
+			conditions: []metav1.Condition{
+				{Type: "FakeCondition1", ObservedGeneration: 20},
+				{Type: "FakeCondition2", ObservedGeneration: 19},
+				{Type: "FakeCondition3", ObservedGeneration: 20},
+			},
+			expected: fmt.Errorf("expected observedGeneration to be updated to 20 for all conditions, only 2/3 were updated. stale conditions are: FakeCondition2 (generation 19)"),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "conditions where most do not match the generation fail verification",
+			obj:  &v1beta1.Gateway{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "fake-gateway", Generation: 20}},
+			conditions: []metav1.Condition{
+				{Type: "FakeCondition1", ObservedGeneration: 18},
+				{Type: "FakeCondition2", ObservedGeneration: 18},
+				{Type: "FakeCondition3", ObservedGeneration: 14},
+				{Type: "FakeCondition4", ObservedGeneration: 20},
+				{Type: "FakeCondition5", ObservedGeneration: 16},
+				{Type: "FakeCondition6", ObservedGeneration: 15},
+			},
+			expected: fmt.Errorf("expected observedGeneration to be updated to 20 for all conditions, only 1/6 were updated. stale conditions are: FakeCondition1 (generation 18), FakeCondition2 (generation 18), FakeCondition3 (generation 14), FakeCondition5 (generation 16), FakeCondition6 (generation 15)"),
+		},
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < len(tests); i++ {
+		test := tests[i]
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			err := ConditionsHaveLatestObservedGeneration(test.obj, test.conditions)
+			assert.Equal(t, test.expected, err)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Test - Private Functions
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 func Test_listenersMatch(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name     string