diff --git a/cli/azd/pkg/project/importer.go b/cli/azd/pkg/project/importer.go
index ac79ec76f2c..f684ae7881c 100644
--- a/cli/azd/pkg/project/importer.go
+++ b/cli/azd/pkg/project/importer.go
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ func (im *ImportManager) ServiceStable(ctx context.Context, projectConfig *Proje
 	allServices := make(map[string]*ServiceConfig)
 
 	for name, svcConfig := range projectConfig.Services {
+		if svcConfig == nil {
+			continue
+		}
 		if svcConfig.Language == ServiceLanguageDotNet {
 			if canImport, err := im.dotNetImporter.CanImport(ctx, svcConfig.Path()); canImport {
 				if len(projectConfig.Services) != 1 {
@@ -267,6 +270,9 @@ func (im *ImportManager) validateServiceDependencies(services []*ServiceConfig,
 // HasAppHost returns true when there is one AppHost (Aspire) in the project.
 func (im *ImportManager) HasAppHost(ctx context.Context, projectConfig *ProjectConfig) bool {
 	for _, svcConfig := range projectConfig.Services {
+		if svcConfig == nil {
+			continue
+		}
 		if svcConfig.Language == ServiceLanguageDotNet {
 			if canImport, err := im.dotNetImporter.CanImport(ctx, svcConfig.Path()); canImport {
 				return true
@@ -329,6 +335,9 @@ func (im *ImportManager) ProjectInfrastructure(ctx context.Context, projectConfi
 
 	// Temp infra from AppHost
 	for _, svcConfig := range projectConfig.Services {
+		if svcConfig == nil {
+			continue
+		}
 		if svcConfig.Language == ServiceLanguageDotNet {
 			if canImport, err := im.dotNetImporter.CanImport(ctx, svcConfig.Path()); canImport {
 				if len(projectConfig.Services) != 1 {
@@ -425,6 +434,9 @@ func pathHasModule(path, module string) (bool, error) {
 // rooted at the project directory.
 func (im *ImportManager) GenerateAllInfrastructure(ctx context.Context, projectConfig *ProjectConfig) (fs.FS, error) {
 	for _, svcConfig := range projectConfig.Services {
+		if svcConfig == nil {
+			continue
+		}
 		if svcConfig.Language == ServiceLanguageDotNet {
 			if canImport, err := im.dotNetImporter.CanImport(ctx, svcConfig.Path()); canImport {
 				if len(projectConfig.Services) != 1 {
diff --git a/cli/azd/pkg/project/project.go b/cli/azd/pkg/project/project.go
index a4b94cc3e8a..490e341d23f 100644
--- a/cli/azd/pkg/project/project.go
+++ b/cli/azd/pkg/project/project.go
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@ func Parse(ctx context.Context, yamlContent string) (*ProjectConfig, error) {
 	projectConfig.Infra.Path = filepath.FromSlash(projectConfig.Infra.Path)
 
 	for key, svc := range projectConfig.Services {
+		if svc == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+				"service '%s' has empty configuration, must specify at least 'host' and either 'language' or 'image'",
+				key,
+			)
+		}
 		svc.Name = key
 		svc.Project = &projectConfig
 		svc.EventDispatcher = ext.NewEventDispatcher[ServiceLifecycleEventArgs]()
diff --git a/cli/azd/pkg/project/project_config_test.go b/cli/azd/pkg/project/project_config_test.go
index ca6688abf9d..4615befeaa9 100644
--- a/cli/azd/pkg/project/project_config_test.go
+++ b/cli/azd/pkg/project/project_config_test.go
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ func TestProjectConfigParse_Invalid(t *testing.T) {
 					azd: notarange
 			`),
 		},
+		{
+			name:          "EmptyServiceDefinition",
+			projectConfig: "name: test-empty-service\nservices:\n  web:\n",
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -65,6 +69,15 @@ func TestProjectConfigParse_Invalid(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestProjectConfigParse_EmptyServiceReturnsError(t *testing.T) {
+	yaml := "name: test-empty-service\nservices:\n  web:\n"
+	ctx := t.Context()
+	_, err := Parse(ctx, yaml)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "web")
+	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), "empty configuration")
+}
+
 func TestProjectConfigDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	const testProj = `
 name: test-proj