diff --git a/zebra/zebra_dplane.c b/zebra/zebra_dplane.c
index 6e8d35aa77..cafcebfbc6 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_dplane.c
+++ b/zebra/zebra_dplane.c
@@ -1911,10 +1911,11 @@ int dplane_ctx_route_init(struct zebra_dplane_ctx *ctx, enum dplane_op_e op,
 		 * If its a delete we only use the prefix anyway, so this only
 		 * matters for INSTALL/UPDATE.
 		 */
-		if (((op == DPLANE_OP_ROUTE_INSTALL)
-		     || (op == DPLANE_OP_ROUTE_UPDATE))
-		    && !CHECK_FLAG(nhe->flags, NEXTHOP_GROUP_INSTALLED)
-		    && !CHECK_FLAG(nhe->flags, NEXTHOP_GROUP_QUEUED)) {
+		if (zebra_nhg_kernel_nexthops_enabled()
+		    && (((op == DPLANE_OP_ROUTE_INSTALL)
+			 || (op == DPLANE_OP_ROUTE_UPDATE))
+			&& !CHECK_FLAG(nhe->flags, NEXTHOP_GROUP_INSTALLED)
+			&& !CHECK_FLAG(nhe->flags, NEXTHOP_GROUP_QUEUED))) {
 			ret = ENOENT;
 			goto done;
 		}