diff --git a/sky/backends/backend_utils.py b/sky/backends/backend_utils.py
index a3651bdba9a..95c2296b0b9 100644
--- a/sky/backends/backend_utils.py
+++ b/sky/backends/backend_utils.py
@@ -916,6 +916,10 @@ def write_cluster_config(
             tmp_yaml_path,
             cluster_config_overrides=to_provision.cluster_config_overrides)
         kubernetes_utils.combine_metadata_fields(tmp_yaml_path)
+        valid, message = kubernetes_utils.check_pod_config(tmp_yaml_path)
+        if not valid:
+            raise exceptions.InvalidCloudConfigs(
+                f'There are invalid config in pod_config, deatil: {message}')
 
     if dryrun:
         # If dryrun, return the unfinished tmp yaml path.
diff --git a/sky/provision/kubernetes/utils.py b/sky/provision/kubernetes/utils.py
index 2c062ad987f..11101c2ac95 100644
--- a/sky/provision/kubernetes/utils.py
+++ b/sky/provision/kubernetes/utils.py
@@ -866,15 +866,6 @@ def check_credentials(context: Optional[str],
 
     _, exec_msg = is_kubeconfig_exec_auth(context)
 
-    # Check whether pod_config is valid
-    pod_config = skypilot_config.get_nested(('kubernetes', 'pod_config'),
-                                            default_value={},
-                                            override_configs={})
-    if pod_config:
-        _, pod_msg = _check_pod_config(context, pod_config)
-        if pod_msg:
-            return False, pod_msg
-
     # We now check if GPUs are available and labels are set correctly on the
     # cluster, and if not we return hints that may help debug any issues.
     # This early check avoids later surprises for user when they try to run
@@ -900,9 +891,8 @@ def check_credentials(context: Optional[str],
     else:
         return True, None
 
-def _check_pod_config(
-        context: Optional[str] = None, pod_config: Optional[Any] = None) \
-        -> Tuple[bool, Optional[str]]:
+
+def check_pod_config(cluster_yaml_path: str) -> Tuple[bool, Optional[str]]:
     """Check if the pod_config is a valid pod config
 
     Using create_namespaced_pod api with dry_run to check the pod_config
@@ -912,13 +902,19 @@ def _check_pod_config(
         bool: True if pod_config is valid.
         str: Error message about why the pod_config is invalid, None otherwise.
     """
+    with open(cluster_yaml_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
+        yaml_content = f.read()
+    yaml_obj = yaml.safe_load(yaml_content)
+    pod_config = \
+        yaml_obj['available_node_types']['ray_head_default']['node_config']
     try:
-        namespace = get_kube_config_context_namespace(context)
-        kubernetes.core_api(context).create_namespaced_pod(
+        # This ok to use None context here as we only test the pod is valid
+        # won't do any change in the cluster
+        namespace = get_kube_config_context_namespace(None)
+        kubernetes.core_api().create_namespaced_pod(
             namespace,
             body=pod_config,
             dry_run='All',
-            field_validation='Strict',
             _request_timeout=kubernetes.API_TIMEOUT)
     except kubernetes.api_exception() as e:
         error_msg = ''
@@ -928,7 +924,7 @@ def _check_pod_config(
             error_msg = exception_body.get('message')
         else:
             error_msg = str(e)
-        return False, f'Invalid pod_config: {error_msg}'
+        return False, error_msg
     except Exception as e:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
         return False, ('An error occurred: '
                        f'{common_utils.format_exception(e, use_bracket=True)}')