diff --git a/daemon/cmd/kube_proxy_replacement.go b/daemon/cmd/kube_proxy_replacement.go
index dbfd9bf7527f9..fca8671e5aa88 100644
--- a/daemon/cmd/kube_proxy_replacement.go
+++ b/daemon/cmd/kube_proxy_replacement.go
@@ -206,7 +206,8 @@ func initKubeProxyReplacementOptions(sysctl sysctl.Sysctl, tunnelConfig tunnel.C
 
 		option.Config.EnableHealthDatapath =
 			option.Config.DatapathMode == datapathOption.DatapathModeLBOnly &&
-				option.Config.NodePortMode == option.NodePortModeDSR &&
+				(option.Config.NodePortMode == option.NodePortModeDSR ||
+					option.Config.NodePortMode == option.NodePortModeAnnotation) &&
 				option.Config.LoadBalancerDSRDispatch == option.DSRDispatchIPIP
 	}