diff --git a/src/protagonist/API/Features/Image/ImageController.cs b/src/protagonist/API/Features/Image/ImageController.cs
index b76da9c80..2456b6279 100644
--- a/src/protagonist/API/Features/Image/ImageController.cs
+++ b/src/protagonist/API/Features/Image/ImageController.cs
@@ -100,12 +100,6 @@ public async Task<IActionResult> GetImage(int customerId, int spaceId, string im
             hydraAsset = LegacyModeConverter.VerifyAndConvertToModernFormat(hydraAsset);
         }
         
-        if(hydraAsset.ImageOptimisationPolicy != null || hydraAsset.ThumbnailPolicy != null)
-        {
-            return this.HydraProblem("ImageOptimisationPolicy and ThumbnailPolicy are disabled", null,
-                400, "Bad Request");
-        }
-        
         if (hydraAsset.ModelId == null)
         {
             hydraAsset.ModelId = imageId;
diff --git a/src/protagonist/API/Features/Image/Validation/HydraImageValidator.cs b/src/protagonist/API/Features/Image/Validation/HydraImageValidator.cs
index ea3816c84..379210282 100644
--- a/src/protagonist/API/Features/Image/Validation/HydraImageValidator.cs
+++ b/src/protagonist/API/Features/Image/Validation/HydraImageValidator.cs
@@ -30,6 +30,17 @@ public HydraImageValidator(IOptions<ApiSettings> apiSettings)
         
         When(a => !a.DeliveryChannels.IsNullOrEmpty(), ImageDeliveryChannelDependantValidation);
         
+        // Legacy policy fields
+        RuleFor(a => a.ImageOptimisationPolicy)
+            .Null()
+            .When(_ => !apiSettings.Value.EmulateOldDeliveryChannelProperties)
+            .WithMessage("'ImageOptimisationPolicy' is disabled");
+
+        RuleFor(a => a.ThumbnailPolicy)
+            .Null()
+            .When(_ => !apiSettings.Value.EmulateOldDeliveryChannelProperties)
+            .WithMessage("'ThumbnailPolicy' is disabled");
+        
         // System edited fields
         RuleFor(a => a.Width).Empty().WithMessage("Should not include width");
         RuleFor(a => a.Height).Empty().WithMessage("Should not include height");
diff --git a/src/protagonist/API/Settings/ApiSettings.cs b/src/protagonist/API/Settings/ApiSettings.cs
index d2979625d..483075231 100644
--- a/src/protagonist/API/Settings/ApiSettings.cs
+++ b/src/protagonist/API/Settings/ApiSettings.cs
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ public string RestrictedAssetIdCharacterString
     }
     
     /// <summary>
-    /// Whether incoming old delivery channel properties (e.g wcDeliveryChannels, imageOptimisationPolicy,
-    /// thumbnailPolicy) are supported and translated into the new format
+    /// Whether old delivery channel properties (e.g imageOptimisationPolicy, thumbnailPolicy)
+    /// on legacy payloads are supported and translated into the new format
     /// </summary>
-    public bool EmulateOldDeliveryChannelProperties { get; set; } = false;
+    public bool EmulateOldDeliveryChannelProperties { get; set; }
 }
\ No newline at end of file