diff --git a/source/extensions/load_balancing_policies/common/thread_aware_lb_impl.cc b/source/extensions/load_balancing_policies/common/thread_aware_lb_impl.cc
index dcfcc8d1f62de..3db19f9826b51 100644
--- a/source/extensions/load_balancing_policies/common/thread_aware_lb_impl.cc
+++ b/source/extensions/load_balancing_policies/common/thread_aware_lb_impl.cc
@@ -379,15 +379,19 @@ TypedHashLbConfigBase::TypedHashLbConfigBase(absl::Span<const HashPolicyProto* c
 absl::Status TypedHashLbConfigBase::validateEndpoints(const PriorityState& priorities) const {
 
   for (const auto& [hosts, locality_weights_map] : priorities) {
-    // Sum should be at most uint32_t max value, so we can validate it by accumulating into uint64_t
-    // and making sure there was no overflow.
-    uint64_t host_sum = 0;
-    for (const auto& host : *hosts) {
-      host_sum += host->weight();
-      if (host_sum > std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max()) {
-        return absl::InvalidArgumentError(
-            fmt::format("The sum of weights of all upstream hosts in a locality exceeds {}",
-                        std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max()));
+    // Non-contiguous priorities can leave null entries in the priority vector.
+    // Only skip the host-weight check; locality weights are still validated.
+    if (hosts != nullptr) {
+      // Sum should be at most uint32_t max value, so we can validate it by accumulating into
+      // uint64_t and making sure there was no overflow.
+      uint64_t host_sum = 0;
+      for (const auto& host : *hosts) {
+        host_sum += host->weight();
+        if (host_sum > std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max()) {
+          return absl::InvalidArgumentError(
+              fmt::format("The sum of weights of all upstream hosts in a locality exceeds {}",
+                          std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max()));
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/test/extensions/load_balancing_policies/ring_hash/ring_hash_lb_test.cc b/test/extensions/load_balancing_policies/ring_hash/ring_hash_lb_test.cc
index e4597dd028271..978361f6dd892 100644
--- a/test/extensions/load_balancing_policies/ring_hash/ring_hash_lb_test.cc
+++ b/test/extensions/load_balancing_policies/ring_hash/ring_hash_lb_test.cc
@@ -1251,6 +1251,31 @@ TEST(RingHashMidBatchInitializeCrashTest, NoOobOnNewPriority) {
   EXPECT_NE(nullptr, worker_lb);
 }
 
+// Regression test for https://github.com/envoyproxy/envoy/issues/44349.
+// Null entries in PriorityState (from non-contiguous priority levels) must not segfault.
+TEST_P(RingHashLoadBalancerTest, ValidateEndpointsSkipsNullPriorityEntries) {
+  PriorityState priorities;
+
+  auto hosts_p0 = std::make_unique<HostVector>();
+  hosts_p0->push_back(makeTestHost(info_, "tcp://127.0.0.1:80"));
+  priorities.emplace_back(std::move(hosts_p0), LocalityWeightsMap{});
+
+  // Gaps at priorities 1-4 (null host lists, as produced by non-contiguous EDS assignments).
+  for (int i = 0; i < 4; ++i) {
+    priorities.emplace_back(nullptr, LocalityWeightsMap{});
+  }
+
+  auto hosts_p5 = std::make_unique<HostVector>();
+  hosts_p5->push_back(makeTestHost(info_, "tcp://127.0.0.1:81"));
+  priorities.emplace_back(std::move(hosts_p5), LocalityWeightsMap{});
+
+  absl::Status creation_status;
+  TypedRingHashLbConfig typed_config(config_, context_.regex_engine_, creation_status);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(creation_status.ok());
+
+  EXPECT_TRUE(typed_config.validateEndpoints(priorities).ok());
+}
+
 } // namespace
 } // namespace Upstream
 } // namespace Envoy