diff --git a/pkg/controller/installation/core_controller.go b/pkg/controller/installation/core_controller.go
index c68e4db730..6ffba43b19 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/installation/core_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/installation/core_controller.go
@@ -2068,6 +2068,10 @@ func setClusterRoutingOnFelixConfiguration(
 	fc *v3.FelixConfiguration,
 	reqLogger logr.Logger,
 ) (bool, error) {
+	if install.Spec.CalicoNetwork == nil || install.Spec.CalicoNetwork.ClusterRoutingMode == nil {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
 	updated := false
 	desiredValue := "Disabled"
 	if felixProgramsClusterRoutes(install) {
@@ -2090,9 +2094,12 @@ func setClusterRoutingOnBGPConfiguration(
 	bgpConfig *v3.BGPConfiguration,
 	reqLogger logr.Logger,
 ) (bool, error) {
+	if install.Spec.CalicoNetwork == nil || install.Spec.CalicoNetwork.ClusterRoutingMode == nil {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
 	updated := false
 	desiredValue := "Enabled"
-
 	if felixProgramsClusterRoutes(install) {
 		desiredValue = "Disabled"
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/installation/core_controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/installation/core_controller_test.go
index 9d77762fc4..b730adbfd3 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/installation/core_controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/installation/core_controller_test.go
@@ -1430,7 +1430,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Testing core-controller installation", func() {
 			Expect(pullSecret.Kind).To(Equal("Installation"))
 		})
 
-		It("should correctly patch FelixConfig and BGPConfig with ClusterRouteMode not set", func() {
+		It("should not patch FelixConfig and BGPConfig when ClusterRouteMode not set", func() {
 			cr.Spec.CalicoNetwork = &operator.CalicoNetworkSpec{}
 			Expect(c.Create(ctx, cr)).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 			_, err := r.Reconcile(ctx, reconcile.Request{})
@@ -1439,14 +1439,11 @@ var _ = Describe("Testing core-controller installation", func() {
 			fc := &v3.FelixConfiguration{}
 			err = c.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: "default"}, fc)
 			Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(fc.Spec.ProgramClusterRoutes).NotTo(BeNil())
-			Expect(*fc.Spec.ProgramClusterRoutes).To(Equal("Disabled"))
+			Expect(fc.Spec.ProgramClusterRoutes).To(BeNil())
 
 			bgpConfig := &v3.BGPConfiguration{}
 			err = c.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: "default"}, bgpConfig)
-			Expect(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(bgpConfig.Spec.ProgramClusterRoutes).NotTo(BeNil())
-			Expect(*bgpConfig.Spec.ProgramClusterRoutes).To(Equal("Enabled"))
+			Expect(err).Should(HaveOccurred())
 		})
 
 		It("should correctly patch FelixConfig and BGPConfig with ClusterRouteMode set to BIRD", func() {