diff --git a/pkg/utils/validator/clusterresourceplacement.go b/pkg/utils/validator/clusterresourceplacement.go
index 461bc4620..3151e7e93 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/validator/clusterresourceplacement.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/validator/clusterresourceplacement.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Licensed under the MIT license.
 package validator
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
@@ -336,5 +337,12 @@ func validateRolloutStrategy(rolloutStrategy placementv1beta1.RolloutStrategy) e
 		}
 	}
 
+	// server-side apply strategy type is only valid for server-side apply strategy type
+	if rolloutStrategy.ApplyStrategy != nil {
+		if rolloutStrategy.ApplyStrategy.Type != placementv1beta1.ApplyStrategyTypeServerSideApply && rolloutStrategy.ApplyStrategy.ServerSideApplyConfig != nil {
+			allErr = append(allErr, errors.New("serverSideApplyConfig is only valid for ServerSideApply strategy type"))
+		}
+	}
+
 	return apiErrors.NewAggregate(allErr)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/utils/validator/clusterresourceplacement_test.go b/pkg/utils/validator/clusterresourceplacement_test.go
index 93f410ece..32f28670c 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/validator/clusterresourceplacement_test.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/validator/clusterresourceplacement_test.go
@@ -349,6 +349,19 @@ func TestValidateClusterResourcePlacement_RolloutStrategy(t *testing.T) {
 			wantErr:    true,
 			wantErrMsg: "maxSurge must be greater than or equal to 0, got `-10`",
 		},
+		"invalid rollout strategy - ServerSideApplyConfig not valid when type is not serversideApply": {
+			strategy: placementv1beta1.RolloutStrategy{
+				Type: placementv1beta1.RollingUpdateRolloutStrategyType,
+				ApplyStrategy: &placementv1beta1.ApplyStrategy{
+					Type: placementv1beta1.ApplyStrategyTypeFailIfExists,
+					ServerSideApplyConfig: &placementv1beta1.ServerSideApplyConfig{
+						ForceConflicts: false,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantErr:    true,
+			wantErrMsg: "serverSideApplyConfig is only valid for ServerSideApply strategy type",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for testName, testCase := range tests {