diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/cmd/virtualization-controller/main.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/cmd/virtualization-controller/main.go
index 3609029a02..5858a2b8c7 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/cmd/virtualization-controller/main.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/cmd/virtualization-controller/main.go
@@ -186,8 +186,17 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	viStorageClassSettings := appconfig.LoadVirtualImageStorageClassSettings()
-	vdStorageClassSettings := appconfig.LoadVirtualDiskStorageClassSettings()
+	viStorageClassSettings, err := appconfig.LoadVirtualImageStorageClassSettings()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error(err.Error())
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	vdStorageClassSettings, err := appconfig.LoadVirtualDiskStorageClassSettings()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error(err.Error())
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
 
 	// Get a config to talk to the apiserver
 	cfg, err := config.GetConfig()
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/config/load_vd_storage_class_settings.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/config/load_vd_storage_class_settings.go
index b6d7691956..7837785e7c 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/config/load_vd_storage_class_settings.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/config/load_vd_storage_class_settings.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package config
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 )
@@ -33,9 +34,12 @@ type VirtualDiskStorageClassSettings struct {
 	DefaultStorageClassName  string
 }
 
-func LoadVirtualDiskStorageClassSettings() VirtualDiskStorageClassSettings {
+func LoadVirtualDiskStorageClassSettings() (VirtualDiskStorageClassSettings, error) {
 	var allowedStorageClassNames []string
-	allowedStorageClassNamesRaw := os.Getenv(VirtualDiskAllowedStorageClasses)
+	allowedStorageClassNamesRaw, exists := os.LookupEnv(VirtualDiskAllowedStorageClasses)
+	if exists && allowedStorageClassNamesRaw == "" {
+		return VirtualDiskStorageClassSettings{}, fmt.Errorf("%s is empty. Specify valid StorageClass names or remove the restriction", VirtualDiskAllowedStorageClasses)
+	}
 	if allowedStorageClassNamesRaw != "" {
 		allowedStorageClassNames = strings.Split(allowedStorageClassNamesRaw, ",")
 	}
@@ -43,5 +47,5 @@ func LoadVirtualDiskStorageClassSettings() VirtualDiskStorageClassSettings {
 	return VirtualDiskStorageClassSettings{
 		AllowedStorageClassNames: allowedStorageClassNames,
 		DefaultStorageClassName:  os.Getenv(VirtualDiskDefaultStorageClass),
-	}
+	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/config/load_vi_storage_class_settings.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/config/load_vi_storage_class_settings.go
index d8fed5ea56..b38af47352 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/config/load_vi_storage_class_settings.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/config/load_vi_storage_class_settings.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package config
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 )
@@ -36,9 +37,12 @@ type VirtualImageStorageClassSettings struct {
 	StorageClassName         string
 }
 
-func LoadVirtualImageStorageClassSettings() VirtualImageStorageClassSettings {
+func LoadVirtualImageStorageClassSettings() (VirtualImageStorageClassSettings, error) {
 	var allowedStorageClassNames []string
-	allowedStorageClassNamesRaw := os.Getenv(VirtualImageAllowedStorageClasses)
+	allowedStorageClassNamesRaw, exists := os.LookupEnv(VirtualImageAllowedStorageClasses)
+	if exists && allowedStorageClassNamesRaw == "" {
+		return VirtualImageStorageClassSettings{}, fmt.Errorf("%s is empty. Specify valid StorageClass names or remove the restriction", VirtualImageAllowedStorageClasses)
+	}
 	if allowedStorageClassNamesRaw != "" {
 		allowedStorageClassNames = strings.Split(allowedStorageClassNamesRaw, ",")
 	}
@@ -47,5 +51,5 @@ func LoadVirtualImageStorageClassSettings() VirtualImageStorageClassSettings {
 		AllowedStorageClassNames: allowedStorageClassNames,
 		DefaultStorageClassName:  os.Getenv(VirtualImageDefaultStorageClass),
 		StorageClassName:         os.Getenv(VirtualImageStorageClass),
-	}
+	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/openapi/config-values.yaml b/openapi/config-values.yaml
index bfe927b4d3..5cf5baae25 100644
--- a/openapi/config-values.yaml
+++ b/openapi/config-values.yaml
@@ -208,11 +208,14 @@ properties:
         type: object
         description: |
           Selector for allowed storage classes to be used for virtual images on PVC.
+        minProperties: 1
         properties:
           matchNames:
             type: array
+            minItems: 1
             items:
               type: string
+              minLength: 1
             x-examples: ["sc-1", "sc-2"]
   virtualDisks:
     type: object
@@ -227,11 +230,14 @@ properties:
         type: object
         description: |
           Selector for allowed storage classes to be used for virtual disks.
+        minProperties: 1
         properties:
           matchNames:
             type: array
+            minItems: 1
             items:
               type: string
+              minLength: 1
             x-examples: ["sc-1", "sc-2"]
   logLevel:
     type: string
diff --git a/openapi/doc-ru-config-values.yaml b/openapi/doc-ru-config-values.yaml
index 3d9f0f02b2..041db60763 100644
--- a/openapi/doc-ru-config-values.yaml
+++ b/openapi/doc-ru-config-values.yaml
@@ -109,11 +109,14 @@ properties:
         type: object
         description: |
           Селектор разрешенных классов хранения, которые можно использовать для виртуальных образов на PVC.
+        minProperties: 1
         properties:
           matchNames:
             type: array
+            minItems: 1
             items:
               type: string
+              minLength: 1
   virtualDisks:
     type: object
     description: |
@@ -127,11 +130,14 @@ properties:
         type: object
         description: |
           Селектор разрешенных классов хранения, используемых для виртуальных дисков.
+        minProperties: 1
         properties:
           matchNames:
             type: array
+            minItems: 1
             items:
               type: string
+              minLength: 1
   audit:
     type: object
     description: |