diff --git a/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/cluster_controller.go b/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/cluster_controller.go
index ef5ecc179a87..ef8faedfc244 100644
--- a/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/cluster_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/cluster_controller.go
@@ -94,8 +94,12 @@ type Reconciler struct {
 }
 
 func (r *Reconciler) SetupWithManager(ctx context.Context, mgr ctrl.Manager, options controller.Options) error {
-	if r.Client == nil || r.APIReader == nil || r.ClusterCache == nil || r.RuntimeClient == nil {
-		return errors.New("Client, APIReader, ClusterCache and RuntimeClient must not be nil")
+	if r.Client == nil || r.APIReader == nil || r.ClusterCache == nil {
+		return errors.New("Client, APIReader and ClusterCache must not be nil")
+	}
+
+	if feature.Gates.Enabled(feature.RuntimeSDK) && r.RuntimeClient == nil {
+		return errors.New("RuntimeClient must not be nil")
 	}
 
 	r.predicateLog = ctrl.LoggerFrom(ctx).WithValues("controller", "topology/cluster")