diff --git a/controller/config/config.go b/controller/config/config.go
index 78a6aef9c..bb36b8869 100644
--- a/controller/config/config.go
+++ b/controller/config/config.go
@@ -393,8 +393,10 @@ func LoadConfig(path string) (*Config, error) {
 		panic("unable to determine trust domain from SPIFFE id: hostname was empty")
 	}
 
-	if err = ValidateSpiffeId(controllerConfig.Id, spiffeId); err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+	if controllerConfig.Raft != nil {
+		if err = ValidateSpiffeId(controllerConfig.Id, spiffeId); err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	//only preserve trust domain