diff --git a/apis/config/handlers/confighandler.go b/apis/config/handlers/confighandler.go
index 6f8266a6..11b2681a 100644
--- a/apis/config/handlers/confighandler.go
+++ b/apis/config/handlers/confighandler.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type ConfigStoreHandler struct {
 }
 
 func (r *ConfigStoreHandler) DryRunCreateFn(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName, obj runtime.Object, dryrun bool) (runtime.Object, error) {
-	c, target, err := r.prepareConfigAndTarget(ctx, key, obj)
+	c, target, err := r.prepareConfigAndTarget(ctx, obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return obj, err
 	}
@@ -47,17 +47,17 @@ func (r *ConfigStoreHandler) DryRunCreateFn(ctx context.Context, key types.Names
 
 	intents := []*sdcpb.TransactionIntent{
 		{
-			Intent:       config.GetGVKNSN(c),
-			Priority:     int32(c.Spec.Priority),
-			Update:       updates,
+			Intent:   config.GetGVKNSN(c),
+			Priority: int32(c.Spec.Priority),
+			Update:   updates,
 			// Dont set not Revertive
 		},
 	}
 
-	return targetmanager.RunDryRunTransaction(ctx, key, c, target, intents, dryrun)
+	return targetmanager.RunDryRunTransaction(ctx, c, target, intents, dryrun)
 }
 func (r *ConfigStoreHandler) DryRunUpdateFn(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName, obj, old runtime.Object, dryrun bool) (runtime.Object, error) {
-	c, target, err := r.prepareConfigAndTarget(ctx, key, obj)
+	c, target, err := r.prepareConfigAndTarget(ctx, obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return obj, err
 	}
@@ -69,17 +69,17 @@ func (r *ConfigStoreHandler) DryRunUpdateFn(ctx context.Context, key types.Names
 
 	intents := []*sdcpb.TransactionIntent{
 		{
-			Intent:       config.GetGVKNSN(c),
-			Priority:     int32(c.Spec.Priority),
-			Update:       updates,
+			Intent:   config.GetGVKNSN(c),
+			Priority: int32(c.Spec.Priority),
+			Update:   updates,
 			// Dont set not Revertive
 		},
 	}
 
-	return targetmanager.RunDryRunTransaction(ctx, key, c, target, intents, dryrun)
+	return targetmanager.RunDryRunTransaction(ctx, c, target, intents, dryrun)
 }
 func (r *ConfigStoreHandler) DryRunDeleteFn(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName, obj runtime.Object, dryrun bool) (runtime.Object, error) {
-	c, target, err := r.prepareConfigAndTarget(ctx, key, obj)
+	c, target, err := r.prepareConfigAndTarget(ctx, obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return obj, err
 	}
@@ -91,37 +91,38 @@ func (r *ConfigStoreHandler) DryRunDeleteFn(ctx context.Context, key types.Names
 		},
 	}
 
-	return targetmanager.RunDryRunTransaction(ctx, key, c, target, intents, dryrun)
+	return targetmanager.RunDryRunTransaction(ctx, c, target, intents, dryrun)
 }
 
-// prepareConfigAndTarget validates labels, casts the object, fetches the Target
-// and ensures it's ready.
+// prepareConfigAndTarget validates labels, resolves the
+// Target reference from the config's labels and fetches that Target, ensuring
+// it's ready.
 func (r *ConfigStoreHandler) prepareConfigAndTarget(
 	ctx context.Context,
-	key types.NamespacedName,
 	obj runtime.Object,
 ) (*config.Config, *configv1alpha1.Target, error) {
+	c, ok := obj.(*config.Config)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("expected *config.Config, got %T", obj)
+	}
+
 	accessor, err := meta.Accessor(obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	if _, err := config.GetTargetKey(accessor.GetLabels()); err != nil {
+	targetKey, err := config.GetTargetKey(accessor.GetLabels())
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	c, ok := obj.(*config.Config)
-	if !ok {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("expected *config.Config, got %T", obj)
-	}
-
 	target := &configv1alpha1.Target{}
-	if err := r.Client.Get(ctx, key, target); err != nil {
+	if err := r.Client.Get(ctx, targetKey, target); err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
 	if !target.IsReady() {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("target not ready %s", key)
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("target not ready %s", targetKey)
 	}
 
 	return c, target, nil
diff --git a/pkg/sdc/target/manager/dryrun.go b/pkg/sdc/target/manager/dryrun.go
index d2deddf0..00e2c138 100644
--- a/pkg/sdc/target/manager/dryrun.go
+++ b/pkg/sdc/target/manager/dryrun.go
@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 
+	"github.com/henderiw/apiserver-store/pkg/storebackend"
 	"github.com/sdcio/config-server/apis/condition"
 	"github.com/sdcio/config-server/apis/config"
 	configv1alpha1 "github.com/sdcio/config-server/apis/config/v1alpha1"
 	dsclient "github.com/sdcio/config-server/pkg/sdc/dataserver/client"
 	sdcpb "github.com/sdcio/sdc-protos/sdcpb"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 )
 
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ import (
 // and updates the Config status/conditions.
 func RunDryRunTransaction(
 	ctx context.Context,
-	key types.NamespacedName,
 	c *config.Config,
 	target *configv1alpha1.Target,
 	intents []*sdcpb.TransactionIntent,
@@ -57,9 +56,11 @@ func RunDryRunTransaction(
 		}
 	}()
 
+	targetKey := storebackend.KeyFromNSN(target.GetNamespacedName())
+
 	req := &sdcpb.TransactionSetRequest{
 		TransactionId: config.GetGVKNSN(c),
-		DatastoreName: key.String(),
+		DatastoreName: targetKey.String(),
 		DryRun:        dryrun,
 		Timeout:       ptr.To(int32(60)),
 		Intents:       intents,