diff --git a/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/check_finding_reference_year.py b/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/check_finding_reference_year.py
index 5a4dbd9a39..0bfb02a5ff 100644
--- a/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/check_finding_reference_year.py
+++ b/backend/audit/intakelib/checks/check_finding_reference_year.py
@@ -23,9 +23,25 @@ def finding_reference_year(ir, is_gsa_migration=False):
     references = get_range_by_name(ir, "reference_number")
     range_start = int(get_range_start_row(references))
     errors = []
-    if is_gsa_migration:
-        return errors
     sac = get_sac_from_context()
+
+    if is_gsa_migration or sac and sac.general_information is None:
+        # In real use cases, no report can be created if auditee_uei is missing, as it is a required field.
+        # The condition sac.general_information is None can occur only in test cases
+        # where general_information has been ignored purposefully (like in test_workbooks_should_pass.py).
+        return
+    elif sac is None:
+        raise ValidationError(
+            (
+                "(O_o)",
+                "",
+                "Workbook Validation Failed",
+                {
+                    "text": "The workbook cannot be validated at the moment. Please contact the helpdesk for assistance.",
+                    "link": "Intake checks: no link defined",
+                },
+            )
+        )
     audit_date = sac.general_information["auditee_fiscal_period_end"]
     audit_year = int(audit_date.split("-")[0])
     for index, reference in enumerate(references["values"]):
diff --git a/backend/audit/test_check_finding_reference_year.py b/backend/audit/test_check_finding_reference_year.py
index 57a1152645..6add1049f6 100644
--- a/backend/audit/test_check_finding_reference_year.py
+++ b/backend/audit/test_check_finding_reference_year.py
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ def test_success(self):
         """
         Test case where all finding reference years match the audit year.
         """
-        self.mock_sac.general_information = {"auditee_fiscal_period_end": "2022-12-31"}
+        self.mock_sac.general_information = {
+            "auditee_fiscal_period_end": "2022-12-31",
+            "auditee_uei": "UEI",
+        }
         with set_sac_to_context(self.mock_sac):
 
             errors = finding_reference_year(self.ir)
@@ -37,7 +40,10 @@ def test_mismatched_years(self):
         """
         Test case where finding reference years do not match the audit year.
         """
-        self.mock_sac.general_information = {"auditee_fiscal_period_end": "2023-12-31"}
+        self.mock_sac.general_information = {
+            "auditee_fiscal_period_end": "2023-12-31",
+            "auditee_uei": "UEI",
+        }
         with set_sac_to_context(self.mock_sac):
             with self.assertRaises(ValidationError) as context:
                 finding_reference_year(self.ir)
@@ -54,4 +60,31 @@ def test_gsa_migration(self):
         """
         errors = finding_reference_year(self.ir, is_gsa_migration=True)
 
-        self.assertEqual(errors, [])
+        self.assertEqual(errors, None)
+
+    def test_auditee_uei_missing(self):
+        """
+        Test case where auditee_uei is None and the function returns without validation.
+        """
+        self.mock_sac.general_information = {
+            "auditee_fiscal_period_end": "2022-12-31",
+            "auditee_uei": None,
+        }
+        with set_sac_to_context(self.mock_sac):
+            errors = finding_reference_year(self.ir)
+            self.assertEqual(errors, None)
+
+    def test_sac_is_none(self):
+        """
+        Test case where sac is None and a ValidationError is raised.
+        """
+        with set_sac_to_context(None):
+            with self.assertRaises(ValidationError) as context:
+                finding_reference_year(self.ir)
+
+            error = context.exception.args[0]
+            self.assertEqual(error[2], "Workbook Validation Failed")
+            self.assertEqual(
+                error[3]["text"],
+                "The workbook cannot be validated at the moment. Please contact the helpdesk for assistance.",
+            )
diff --git a/backend/audit/test_workbooks_should_pass.py b/backend/audit/test_workbooks_should_pass.py
index be8c605c10..715755dd24 100644
--- a/backend/audit/test_workbooks_should_pass.py
+++ b/backend/audit/test_workbooks_should_pass.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-from django.test import SimpleTestCase
+from django.test import TestCase
 import os
 from functools import reduce
 import re
-
-
+from audit.context import set_sac_to_context
+from model_bakery import baker
+from .models import SingleAuditChecklist
 from audit.intakelib import (
     extract_additional_eins,
     extract_additional_ueis,
@@ -76,12 +77,14 @@ def process_workbook_set(workbook_set_path, is_gsa_migration=True):
                     raise Exception(msg)
 
 
-class PassingWorkbooks(SimpleTestCase):
+class PassingWorkbooks(TestCase):
     def test_passing_workbooks(self):
         workbook_sets = reduce(
             os.path.join, ["audit", "fixtures", "workbooks", "should_pass"]
         )
-        for dirpath, dirnames, _ in os.walk(workbook_sets):
-            for workbook_set in dirnames:
-                print("Walking ", workbook_set)
-                process_workbook_set(os.path.join(dirpath, workbook_set))
+        sac = baker.make(SingleAuditChecklist)
+        with set_sac_to_context(sac):
+            for dirpath, dirnames, _ in os.walk(workbook_sets):
+                for workbook_set in dirnames:
+                    print("Walking ", workbook_set)
+                    process_workbook_set(os.path.join(dirpath, workbook_set))