diff --git a/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1/pipeline_validation.go b/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1/pipeline_validation.go
index 0c60fae33bd..ecb5e874d92 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1/pipeline_validation.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1/pipeline_validation.go
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ func (l PipelineTaskList) Validate(ctx context.Context, taskNames sets.String, p
 		taskNames.Insert(t.Name)
 		// validate custom task, dag, or final task
 		errs = errs.Also(t.Validate(ctx).ViaFieldIndex(path, i))
+		// validate taskref to prevent creating invalid data
+		errs = errs.Also(t.TaskRef.Validate(ctx))
 	}
 	return errs
 }
diff --git a/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/pipeline_validation.go b/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/pipeline_validation.go
index c170e85a3b9..0135b42a87a 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/pipeline_validation.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/pipeline_validation.go
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ func (l PipelineTaskList) Validate(ctx context.Context, taskNames sets.String, p
 		taskNames.Insert(t.Name)
 		// validate custom task, bundle, dag, or final task
 		errs = errs.Also(t.Validate(ctx).ViaFieldIndex(path, i))
+		// validate taskref to prevent creating invalid data
+		errs = errs.Also(t.TaskRef.Validate(ctx))
 	}
 	return errs
 }