diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
index b823cfd54..78bc666cf 100644
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
@@ -103,16 +103,6 @@ def job_client(self):
             )
         return self._job_submission_client
 
-    def validate_image_config(self):
-        """
-        Validates that the image configuration is not empty.
-
-        :param image: The image string to validate
-        :raises ValueError: If the image is not specified
-        """
-        if self.config.image == "" or self.config.image == None:
-            raise ValueError("Image must be specified in the ClusterConfiguration")
-
     def create_app_wrapper(self):
         """
         Called upon cluster object creation, creates an AppWrapper yaml based on
@@ -128,9 +118,6 @@ def create_app_wrapper(self):
                     f"Namespace {self.config.namespace} is of type {type(self.config.namespace)}. Check your Kubernetes Authentication."
                 )
 
-        # Validate image configuration
-        self.validate_image_config()
-
         # Before attempting to create the cluster AW, let's evaluate the ClusterConfig
 
         name = self.config.name
diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/generate_yaml.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/generate_yaml.py
index 3e692480e..cde49ed32 100755
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/generate_yaml.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/generate_yaml.py
@@ -86,8 +86,9 @@ def update_names(cluster_yaml, cluster_name, namespace):
 
 def update_image(spec, image):
     containers = spec.get("containers")
-    for container in containers:
-        container["image"] = image
+    if image != "":
+        for container in containers:
+            container["image"] = image
 
 
 def update_image_pull_secrets(spec, image_pull_secrets):
diff --git a/tests/unit_test.py b/tests/unit_test.py
index ca6cb9584..3daba3a19 100644
--- a/tests/unit_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit_test.py
@@ -307,19 +307,6 @@ def test_cluster_no_kueue_no_aw(mocker):
     )
 
 
-def test_create_app_wrapper_raises_error_with_no_image():
-    config = createClusterConfig()
-    config.image = ""  # Clear the image to test error handling
-    try:
-        cluster = Cluster(config)
-        cluster.create_app_wrapper()
-        assert False, "Expected ValueError when 'image' is not specified."
-    except ValueError as error:
-        assert (
-            str(error) == "Image must be specified in the ClusterConfiguration"
-        ), "Error message did not match expected output."
-
-
 def get_local_queue(group, version, namespace, plural):
     assert group == "kueue.x-k8s.io"
     assert version == "v1beta1"