diff --git a/cypress/e2e/submission-ui.cy.ts b/cypress/e2e/submission-ui.cy.ts
index f52c78517e4..3c1d580e43d 100644
--- a/cypress/e2e/submission-ui.cy.ts
+++ b/cypress/e2e/submission-ui.cy.ts
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ describe('Create a new submission', () => {
     createItemProcess.checkLicenseSelectionValue('Public Domain Mark (PD)');
   });
 
-  it('should select the license from the license selection dropdown and change status', {
+  it.skip('should select the license from the license selection dropdown and change status', {
     retries: {
       runMode: 6,
       openMode: 6,
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ describe('Create a new submission', () => {
     defaultCommandTimeout: 10000
   },() => {
     createItemProcess.checkLicenseResourceStep();
+
     // check default value in the license dropdown selection
     createItemProcess.checkLicenseSelectionValue('Select a License ...');
     // check step status - it should be as warning
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ describe('Create a new submission', () => {
     createItemProcess.checkResourceLicenseStatus('Valid');
   });
 
-  it('should show warning messages if was selected non-supported license', {
+  it.skip('should show warning messages if was selected non-supported license', {
     retries: {
       runMode: 6,
       openMode: 6,
@@ -216,6 +217,7 @@ describe('Create a new submission', () => {
     defaultCommandTimeout: 10000
   },() => {
     createItemProcess.checkLicenseResourceStep();
+
     // check default value in the license dropdown selection
     createItemProcess.checkLicenseSelectionValue('Select a License ...');
     // check step status - it should be as warning
@@ -233,6 +235,71 @@ describe('Create a new submission', () => {
     createItemProcess.showErrorNotSupportedLicense();
   });
 
+  it('should require license validation when file is uploaded', {
+    retries: {
+      runMode: 6,
+      openMode: 6,
+    },
+    defaultCommandTimeout: 10000
+  }, () => {
+    // Navigate to license step
+    createItemProcess.checkLicenseResourceStep();
+
+    // Upload a file to trigger license requirement
+    cy.get('ds-uploader').trigger('dragover');
+    cy.intercept('POST', '/server/api/submission/workspaceitems/*').as('upload');
+    cy.get('div.ds-document-drop-zone').selectFile('src/assets/images/dspace-logo.png', {
+      action: 'drag-drop'
+    });
+    cy.wait('@upload');
+
+    // Allow frontend to propagate validation state to the header icon
+    cy.wait(1000);
+    cy.get('div[id="section_clarin-license"]').find('.card-header').should('be.visible');
+
+    // Now license is required - should see warnings
+    createItemProcess.checkLicenseSelectionValue('Select a License ...');
+    createItemProcess.checkResourceLicenseStatus('Errors');
+
+    // Select a valid license
+    createItemProcess.clickOnLicenseSelectionButton();
+    createItemProcess.selectValueFromLicenseSelection(2); // GNU GPL v2
+    createItemProcess.checkLicenseSelectionValue('GNU General Public License, version 2');
+
+    // Status should change to Valid
+    createItemProcess.checkResourceLicenseStatus('Valid');
+  });
+
+  it('should not show validation warnings when no file is uploaded (metadata-only)', {
+    retries: {
+      runMode: 6,
+      openMode: 6,
+    },
+    defaultCommandTimeout: 10000
+  }, () => {
+    // Navigate to license step
+    createItemProcess.checkLicenseResourceStep();
+
+    // DON'T upload any file - just check the license section is accessible
+    createItemProcess.checkLicenseSelectionValue('Select a License ...');
+
+    // Verify warning and error icons do NOT exist
+    cy.get('div[id="section_clarin-license"]')
+      .find('.card-header')
+      .find('.fa-exclamation-circle.text-warning')
+      .should('not.exist');
+
+    cy.get('div[id="section_clarin-license"]')
+      .find('.card-header')
+      .find('.fa-exclamation-circle.text-danger')
+      .should('not.exist');
+
+    cy.get('div[id="section_clarin-license"]')
+      .find('.card-header')
+      .find('.fa-check-circle.text-success')
+      .should('be.visible');
+  });
+
   it('The submission should not have the Notice Step', {
     retries: {
       runMode: 6,
diff --git a/cypress/support/commands.ts b/cypress/support/commands.ts
index e7fbeecf151..bbc9e60bbfd 100644
--- a/cypress/support/commands.ts
+++ b/cypress/support/commands.ts
@@ -343,7 +343,17 @@ export const createItemProcess = {
     cy.get('ds-submission-section-clarin-license input[id = "aspect_submission_StepTransformer_field_license"]').click();
   },
   checkResourceLicenseStatus(statusTitle: string) {
-    cy.get('div[id = "clarin-license-header"] button i[title = "' + statusTitle + '"]').should('be.visible');
+    // cy.get('div[id = "clarin-license-header"] button i[title = "' + statusTitle + '"]').should('be.visible');
+    const iconMap = {
+      'Warnings': '.fa-exclamation-circle.text-warning',
+      'Errors': '.fa-exclamation-circle.text-danger',
+      'Valid': '.fa-check-circle.text-success'
+    };
+    const iconSelector = iconMap[statusTitle];
+    cy.get('div[id="section_clarin-license"]')
+      .find('.card-header')
+      .find(iconSelector)
+      .should('be.visible');
   },
   showErrorMustChooseLicense() {
     cy.get('div[id = "sectionGenericError_clarin-license"] ds-alert').contains('You must choose one of the resource licenses.');