diff --git a/src/libxrpl/tx/Transactor.cpp b/src/libxrpl/tx/Transactor.cpp
index 9db31b1f61..2aefaa4a08 100644
--- a/src/libxrpl/tx/Transactor.cpp
+++ b/src/libxrpl/tx/Transactor.cpp
@@ -185,6 +185,11 @@ Transactor::preflight1(PreflightContext const& ctx, std::uint32_t flagMask)
             return temINVALID_FLAG;
         }
     }
+    else
+    {
+        JLOG(ctx.j.debug()) << "preflight1: no sponsor flags";
+        return temINVALID_FLAG;
+    }
 
     if (auto const ret = preflight0(ctx, flagMask))
         return ret;
@@ -232,13 +237,6 @@ Transactor::preflight1(PreflightContext const& ctx, std::uint32_t flagMask)
         return temMALFORMED;
     }
 
-    // if (hasSponsor && hasSponsorFlags &&
-    //     ctx.tx.getFieldU32(sfSponsorFlags) == 0)
-    // {
-    //     JLOG(ctx.j.debug()) << "preflight1: sponsor with no sponsorship flags";
-    //     return temINVALID_FLAG;
-    // }
-
     return tesSUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/test/app/Sponsor_test.cpp b/src/test/app/Sponsor_test.cpp
index 891162174c..caf08ad8a2 100644
--- a/src/test/app/Sponsor_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/app/Sponsor_test.cpp
@@ -422,8 +422,13 @@ public:
         // SponsorFlags=0 with valid sponsor (no sponsorship purpose)
         env(noop(alice), sponsor::as(sponsor, 0), ter(temINVALID_FLAG));
 
-        // Invalid Flags without sponsor
+        // no SponsorFlag with valid sponsor
         auto tx = noop(alice);
+        tx[sfSponsor.jsonName] = sponsor.human();
+        env(tx, ter(temINVALID_FLAG));
+
+        // Invalid Flags without sponsor
+        tx = noop(alice);
         tx[sfSponsorFlags.jsonName] = spfSponsorFee | spfSponsorReserve;
         env(tx, ter(temINVALID_FLAG));
     }