diff --git a/data-prepper-plugins/mutate-event-processors/src/main/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/processor/mutateevent/DeleteEntryProcessorConfig.java b/data-prepper-plugins/mutate-event-processors/src/main/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/processor/mutateevent/DeleteEntryProcessorConfig.java
index 392f20626e..755c5b603a 100644
--- a/data-prepper-plugins/mutate-event-processors/src/main/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/processor/mutateevent/DeleteEntryProcessorConfig.java
+++ b/data-prepper-plugins/mutate-event-processors/src/main/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/processor/mutateevent/DeleteEntryProcessorConfig.java
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ boolean hasOnlyOneConfiguration() {
 
     @AssertTrue(message = "exclude_from_delete only applies when with_keys_regex is configured.")
     boolean isExcludeFromDeleteValid() {
-        return excludeFromDelete != null && !excludeFromDelete.isEmpty() && withKeysRegex != null && !withKeysRegex.isEmpty();
+        return !((excludeFromDelete != null && !excludeFromDelete.isEmpty()) && (withKeysRegex == null || withKeysRegex.isEmpty()));
     }
 
     @JsonIgnore
diff --git a/data-prepper-plugins/mutate-event-processors/src/test/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/processor/mutateevent/DeleteEntryProcessorConfigTests.java b/data-prepper-plugins/mutate-event-processors/src/test/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/processor/mutateevent/DeleteEntryProcessorConfigTests.java
index 7e6ba4ac8a..7dc2c4dd1e 100644
--- a/data-prepper-plugins/mutate-event-processors/src/test/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/processor/mutateevent/DeleteEntryProcessorConfigTests.java
+++ b/data-prepper-plugins/mutate-event-processors/src/test/java/org/opensearch/dataprepper/plugins/processor/mutateevent/DeleteEntryProcessorConfigTests.java
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ void testisExcludeFromDeleteValid_with_valid_config() throws NoSuchFieldExceptio
         assertThat(objectUnderTest.isExcludeFromDeleteValid(), equalTo(true));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void test_with_keys_valid_config() throws NoSuchFieldException, IllegalAccessException{
+        final DeleteEntryProcessorConfig objectUnderTest = new DeleteEntryProcessorConfig();
+        final List<String> regexKeys = List.of("test.*");
+        ReflectivelySetField.setField(DeleteEntryProcessorConfig.class, objectUnderTest, "withKeys", regexKeys);
+
+        assertThat(objectUnderTest.isExcludeFromDeleteValid(), equalTo(true));
+    }
+
     @Test
     void testisExcludeFromDeleteValid_with_invalid_config() throws NoSuchFieldException, IllegalAccessException{
         final DeleteEntryProcessorConfig objectUnderTest = new DeleteEntryProcessorConfig();