diff --git a/src/rabbit_queue_location_validator.erl b/src/rabbit_queue_location_validator.erl
index ad6bb292ab7b..2638b79a5952 100644
--- a/src/rabbit_queue_location_validator.erl
+++ b/src/rabbit_queue_location_validator.erl
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@
 
 validate_policy(KeyList) ->
     case proplists:lookup(<<"queue-master-locator">> , KeyList) of
-        {_, Strategy} -> validate_strategy(Strategy);
+        {_, Strategy} -> case validate_strategy(Strategy) of
+                             {error, _} = Er -> Er;
+                             _ -> ok
+                         end;
         _             -> {error, "queue-master-locator undefined"}
     end.
 
diff --git a/test/queue_master_location_SUITE.erl b/test/queue_master_location_SUITE.erl
index f8018552d9bd..fa5344667be9 100644
--- a/test/queue_master_location_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/queue_master_location_SUITE.erl
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ groups() ->
       {cluster_size_3, [], [
           declare_args,
           declare_policy,
+          declare_invalid_policy,
           declare_policy_nodes,
           declare_policy_all,
           declare_policy_exactly,
@@ -129,6 +130,19 @@ declare_policy(Config) ->
     declare(Config, QueueName, false, false, _Args=[], none),
     verify_min_master(Config, Q).
 
+declare_invalid_policy(Config) ->
+    %% Tests that queue masters location returns 'ok', otherwise the validation of
+    %% any other parameter might be skipped and invalid policy accepted.
+    setup_test_environment(Config),
+    unset_location_config(Config),
+    Policy = [{<<"queue-master-locator">>, <<"min-masters">>},
+              {<<"ha-mode">>, <<"exactly">>},
+              %% this field is expected to be an integer
+              {<<"ha-params">>, <<"2">>}],
+    {error_string, _} = rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:rpc(
+                          Config, 0, rabbit_policy, set,
+                          [<<"/">>, ?POLICY, <<".*">>, Policy, 0, <<"queues">>, <<"acting-user">>]).
+
 declare_policy_nodes(Config) ->
     setup_test_environment(Config),
     unset_location_config(Config),