diff --git a/internal/controller/validator.go b/internal/controller/validator.go
index 482130daa3b..1a8a47a95ed 100644
--- a/internal/controller/validator.go
+++ b/internal/controller/validator.go
@@ -70,8 +70,10 @@ func (r *DataProtectionApplicationReconciler) ValidateDataProtectionCR(log logr.
 
 	// Ensure DPA spec.configuration.nodeAgent.PodConfig is not different from spec.configuration.nodeAgent.LoadAffinityConfig
 	// If LoadAffinityConfig is set, it will be used instead of PodConfig; however, if both are set, they must be identical.
+	// Only validate when podConfig.nodeSelector is explicitly set; an empty podConfig (e.g. only resourceAllocations) is valid alongside loadAffinity.
 	if r.dpa.Spec.Configuration.NodeAgent != nil &&
 		r.dpa.Spec.Configuration.NodeAgent.PodConfig != nil &&
+		len(r.dpa.Spec.Configuration.NodeAgent.PodConfig.NodeSelector) > 0 &&
 		r.dpa.Spec.Configuration.NodeAgent.LoadAffinityConfig != nil {
 
 		if len(r.dpa.Spec.Configuration.NodeAgent.LoadAffinityConfig) > 1 {
diff --git a/internal/controller/validator_test.go b/internal/controller/validator_test.go
index 063cb69b695..02e5ef2df7b 100644
--- a/internal/controller/validator_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/validator_test.go
@@ -2466,6 +2466,48 @@ func TestDPAReconciler_ValidateDataProtectionCR(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			wantErr: false,
 		},
+		{
+			// OADP-7017: podConfig with resourceAllocations but no nodeSelector alongside loadAffinity using matchExpressions should be valid
+			name: "[valid] PodConfig with resourceAllocations but no nodeSelector and LoadAffinityConfig with matchExpressions only",
+			dpa: &oadpv1alpha1.DataProtectionApplication{
+				Spec: oadpv1alpha1.DataProtectionApplicationSpec{
+					BackupImages: ptr.To(false),
+					Configuration: &oadpv1alpha1.ApplicationConfig{
+						Velero: &oadpv1alpha1.VeleroConfig{
+							NoDefaultBackupLocation: true,
+						},
+						NodeAgent: &oadpv1alpha1.NodeAgentConfig{
+							NodeAgentCommonFields: oadpv1alpha1.NodeAgentCommonFields{
+								PodConfig: &oadpv1alpha1.PodConfig{
+									ResourceAllocations: corev1.ResourceRequirements{
+										Requests: corev1.ResourceList{
+											corev1.ResourceCPU:    resource.MustParse("500m"),
+											corev1.ResourceMemory: resource.MustParse("128Mi"),
+										},
+									},
+								},
+							},
+							NodeAgentConfigMapSettings: oadpv1alpha1.NodeAgentConfigMapSettings{
+								LoadAffinityConfig: []*oadpv1alpha1.LoadAffinity{
+									{
+										NodeSelector: metav1.LabelSelector{
+											MatchExpressions: []metav1.LabelSelectorRequirement{
+												{
+													Key:      "foo",
+													Operator: metav1.LabelSelectorOpIn,
+													Values:   []string{"bar"},
+												},
+											},
+										},
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantErr: false,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "[valid] Only LoadAffinityConfig is set with MatchExpressions",
 			dpa: &oadpv1alpha1.DataProtectionApplication{