diff --git a/api/core/v1alpha2/virtual_image.go b/api/core/v1alpha2/virtual_image.go
index 7c5b0946a..1f13cf09c 100644
--- a/api/core/v1alpha2/virtual_image.go
+++ b/api/core/v1alpha2/virtual_image.go
@@ -66,11 +66,14 @@ type VirtualImageList struct {
 	Items []VirtualImage `json:"items"`
 }
 
+// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:rule="self.storage == 'ContainerRegistry' ? !has(self.persistentVolumeClaim) && has(self.dataSource): true",message="The storage type ContainerRegistry should contain only the dataSource."
+// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:rule="self.storage == 'PersistentVolumeClaim' ? !has(self.dataSource) && has(self.persistentVolumeClaim): true",message="The storage type PersistentVolumeClaim should contain only the persistentVolumeClaim."
+// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:rule="self.storage == 'Kubernetes' ? !has(self.dataSource) && has(self.persistentVolumeClaim): true",message="The storage type Kubernetes should contain only the persistentVolumeClaim."
 type VirtualImageSpec struct {
 	// +kubebuilder:default:=ContainerRegistry
 	Storage               StorageType                       `json:"storage"`
 	PersistentVolumeClaim VirtualImagePersistentVolumeClaim `json:"persistentVolumeClaim,omitempty"`
-	DataSource            VirtualImageDataSource            `json:"dataSource"`
+	DataSource            VirtualImageDataSource            `json:"dataSource,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type VirtualImageStatus struct {
diff --git a/api/pkg/apiserver/api/generated/openapi/zz_generated.openapi.go b/api/pkg/apiserver/api/generated/openapi/zz_generated.openapi.go
index d769f5487..55e5479bb 100644
--- a/api/pkg/apiserver/api/generated/openapi/zz_generated.openapi.go
+++ b/api/pkg/apiserver/api/generated/openapi/zz_generated.openapi.go
@@ -2937,7 +2937,7 @@ func schema_virtualization_api_core_v1alpha2_VirtualImageSpec(ref common.Referen
 						},
 					},
 				},
-				Required: []string{"storage", "dataSource"},
+				Required: []string{"storage"},
 			},
 		},
 		Dependencies: []string{
diff --git a/crds/virtualimages.yaml b/crds/virtualimages.yaml
index 714b55b6b..840528ac6 100644
--- a/crds/virtualimages.yaml
+++ b/crds/virtualimages.yaml
@@ -240,9 +240,25 @@ spec:
                     - PersistentVolumeClaim
                   type: string
               required:
-                - dataSource
                 - storage
               type: object
+              x-kubernetes-validations:
+                - message:
+                    The storage type ContainerRegistry should contain only the
+                    dataSource.
+                  rule:
+                    "self.storage == 'ContainerRegistry' ? !has(self.persistentVolumeClaim)
+                    && has(self.dataSource): true"
+                - message:
+                    The storage type PersistentVolumeClaim should contain only
+                    the persistentVolumeClaim.
+                  rule:
+                    "self.storage == 'PersistentVolumeClaim' ? !has(self.dataSource)
+                    && has(self.persistentVolumeClaim): true"
+                - message: The storage type Kubernetes should contain only the persistentVolumeClaim.
+                  rule:
+                    "self.storage == 'Kubernetes' ? !has(self.dataSource) && has(self.persistentVolumeClaim):
+                    true"
             status:
               properties:
                 cdrom: