[PR #995/827e2819 backport][0.25] Improve validation logic

[patchback[bot]]

This is a backport of PR #995 as merged into main (827e28198578d5daa20b37ee63b501bfc8cd29dc).

Review Checklist:

• [ ] An issue is properly linked. [feature and bugfix only]
• [ ] Tests are present or not feasible.
• [ ] Commits are split in a logical way (not historically).

[mdellweg]

We don't care about the docs on this release branch. Merging anyway.