diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/validator/impl/OrcidValidatorImpl.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/validator/impl/OrcidValidatorImpl.java
index ca51f170ab56..c9888623d0e1 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/validator/impl/OrcidValidatorImpl.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/validator/impl/OrcidValidatorImpl.java
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.ORGANIZATION_NAME_REQUIRED;
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.ORGANIZATION_REQUIRED;
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.PUBLICATION_DATE_INVALID;
-import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.START_DATE_REQUIRED;
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.TITLE_REQUIRED;
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.TYPE_REQUIRED;
 
@@ -137,9 +136,6 @@ public List<OrcidValidationError> validateFunding(Funding funding) {
     @Override
     public List<OrcidValidationError> validateAffiliation(Affiliation affiliation) {
         List<OrcidValidationError> errors = new ArrayList<OrcidValidationError>();
-        if (affiliation.getStartDate() == null) {
-            errors.add(START_DATE_REQUIRED);
-        }
 
         if (affiliation.getOrganization() == null) {
             errors.add(ORGANIZATION_REQUIRED);
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/validator/OrcidValidatorTest.java b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/validator/OrcidValidatorTest.java
index c64aab756f44..0c818a6bb033 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/validator/OrcidValidatorTest.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/orcid/model/validator/OrcidValidatorTest.java
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.ORGANIZATION_CITY_REQUIRED;
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.ORGANIZATION_COUNTRY_REQUIRED;
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.ORGANIZATION_NAME_REQUIRED;
+import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.ORGANIZATION_REQUIRED;
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.PUBLICATION_DATE_INVALID;
-import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.START_DATE_REQUIRED;
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.TITLE_REQUIRED;
 import static org.dspace.orcid.model.validator.OrcidValidationError.TYPE_REQUIRED;
 import static org.hamcrest.MatcherAssert.assertThat;
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 import org.orcid.jaxb.model.common.WorkType;
 import org.orcid.jaxb.model.v3.release.common.Amount;
 import org.orcid.jaxb.model.v3.release.common.DisambiguatedOrganization;
+import org.orcid.jaxb.model.v3.release.common.FuzzyDate;
 import org.orcid.jaxb.model.v3.release.common.Organization;
 import org.orcid.jaxb.model.v3.release.common.OrganizationAddress;
 import org.orcid.jaxb.model.v3.release.common.PublicationDate;
@@ -579,11 +580,22 @@ public void testValidFunding() {
     public void testWithAffiliationValidationEnabled() {
 
         Qualification qualification = new Qualification();
-        qualification.setOrganization(buildValidOrganization());
+        qualification.setStartDate(FuzzyDate.valueOf(2024,7,24));
 
         List<OrcidValidationError> errors = validator.validate(qualification);
         assertThat(errors, hasSize(1));
-        assertThat(errors, containsInAnyOrder(START_DATE_REQUIRED));
+        assertThat(errors, containsInAnyOrder(ORGANIZATION_REQUIRED));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testValidAffiliation() {
+
+        Qualification qualification = new Qualification();
+        qualification.setOrganization(buildValidOrganization());
+        qualification.setStartDate(FuzzyDate.valueOf(2024,7,24));
+
+        List<OrcidValidationError> errors = validator.validate(qualification);
+        assertThat(errors, empty());
     }
 
     @Test