diff --git a/src/xpk/commands/cluster.py b/src/xpk/commands/cluster.py
index 5ff9ce277..ef2715061 100644
--- a/src/xpk/commands/cluster.py
+++ b/src/xpk/commands/cluster.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 from ..utils.execution_context import is_dry_run
 from ..utils.validation import validate_dependencies_list, SystemDependency, should_validate_dependencies
 from . import cluster_gcluster
-from .common import set_cluster_command
+from .common import set_cluster_command, validate_sub_slicing_system
 from jinja2 import Environment, FileSystemLoader
 from ..utils.templates import TEMPLATE_PATH
 import shutil
@@ -201,6 +201,11 @@ def cluster_adapt(args) -> None:
   xpk_exit(0)
 
 
+def _validate_cluster_create_args(args, system: SystemCharacteristics):
+  if FeatureFlags.SUB_SLICING_ENABLED and args.sub_slicing:
+    validate_sub_slicing_system(system)
+
+
 def cluster_create(args) -> None:
   """Function around cluster creation.
 
@@ -213,12 +218,14 @@ def cluster_create(args) -> None:
         SystemDependency.KJOB,
         SystemDependency.GCLOUD,
     ])
-  system, return_code = get_system_characteristics(args)
 
+  system, return_code = get_system_characteristics(args)
   if return_code > 0 or system is None:
     xpk_print('Fetching system characteristics failed!')
     xpk_exit(return_code)
 
+  _validate_cluster_create_args(args, system)
+
   xpk_print(f'Starting cluster create for cluster {args.cluster}:', flush=True)
   add_zone_and_project(args)
 
diff --git a/src/xpk/commands/cluster_test.py b/src/xpk/commands/cluster_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77010d3d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/xpk/commands/cluster_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+"""
+Copyright 2025 Google LLC
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+"""
+
+from argparse import Namespace
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+import pytest
+
+from xpk.commands.cluster import _validate_cluster_create_args
+from xpk.core.system_characteristics import SystemCharacteristics, UserFacingNameToSystemCharacteristics
+from xpk.utils.feature_flags import FeatureFlags
+
+
+@dataclass
+class _Mocks:
+  common_print_mock: MagicMock
+  common_exit_mock: MagicMock
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_common_print_and_exit(mocker):
+  common_print_mock = mocker.patch(
+      'xpk.commands.common.xpk_print',
+      return_value=None,
+  )
+  common_exit_mock = mocker.patch(
+      'xpk.commands.common.xpk_exit',
+      return_value=None,
+  )
+  return _Mocks(
+      common_print_mock=common_print_mock, common_exit_mock=common_exit_mock
+  )
+
+
+DEFAULT_TEST_SYSTEM: SystemCharacteristics = (
+    UserFacingNameToSystemCharacteristics['l4-1']
+)
+SUB_SLICING_SYSTEM: SystemCharacteristics = (
+    UserFacingNameToSystemCharacteristics['v6e-4x4']
+)
+
+
+def test_validate_cluster_create_args_for_correct_args_pass(
+    mock_common_print_and_exit: _Mocks,
+):
+  args = Namespace()
+
+  _validate_cluster_create_args(args, DEFAULT_TEST_SYSTEM)
+
+  assert mock_common_print_and_exit.common_print_mock.call_count == 0
+  assert mock_common_print_and_exit.common_exit_mock.call_count == 0
+
+
+def test_validate_cluster_create_args_for_correct_sub_slicing_args_pass(
+    mock_common_print_and_exit: _Mocks,
+):
+  FeatureFlags.SUB_SLICING_ENABLED = True
+  args = Namespace(sub_slicing=True)
+
+  _validate_cluster_create_args(args, SUB_SLICING_SYSTEM)
+
+  assert mock_common_print_and_exit.common_print_mock.call_count == 0
+  assert mock_common_print_and_exit.common_exit_mock.call_count == 0
+
+
+def test_validate_cluster_create_args_for_not_supported_system_throws(
+    mock_common_print_and_exit: _Mocks,
+):
+  FeatureFlags.SUB_SLICING_ENABLED = True
+  args = Namespace(sub_slicing=True)
+
+  _validate_cluster_create_args(args, DEFAULT_TEST_SYSTEM)
+
+  assert mock_common_print_and_exit.common_print_mock.call_count == 1
+  assert (
+      mock_common_print_and_exit.common_print_mock.call_args[0][0]
+      == 'Error: l4-1 does not support Sub-slicing.'
+  )
+  assert mock_common_print_and_exit.common_exit_mock.call_count == 1
diff --git a/src/xpk/commands/common.py b/src/xpk/commands/common.py
index ca2c1be69..e4113936c 100644
--- a/src/xpk/commands/common.py
+++ b/src/xpk/commands/common.py
@@ -67,3 +67,9 @@ def is_TAS_possible(
       system_characteristics.device_type != H100_MEGA_DEVICE_TYPE
       or capacity_type == CapacityType.RESERVATION
   )
+
+
+def validate_sub_slicing_system(system: SystemCharacteristics):
+  if not system.supports_sub_slicing:
+    xpk_print(f'Error: {system.device_type} does not support Sub-slicing.')
+    xpk_exit(1)