diff --git a/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation_test.go b/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation_test.go
index bcc0b9e7ae..876ff69499 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation_test.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/core/validation/validation_test.go
@@ -6582,6 +6582,31 @@ func TestValidatePod(t *testing.T) {
 				}),
 			},
 		},
+		"invalid node selector requirement in node affinity, key is invalid": {
+			expectedError: "spec.affinity.nodeAffinity.requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution.nodeSelectorTerms[0].matchExpressions[0].key",
+			spec: core.Pod{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "123",
+					Namespace: "ns",
+				},
+				Spec: validPodSpec(&core.Affinity{
+					NodeAffinity: &core.NodeAffinity{
+						RequiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution: &core.NodeSelector{
+							NodeSelectorTerms: []core.NodeSelectorTerm{
+								{
+									MatchExpressions: []core.NodeSelectorRequirement{
+										{
+											Key:      "invalid key ___@#",
+											Operator: core.NodeSelectorOpExists,
+										},
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				}),
+			},
+		},
 		"invalid node field selector requirement in node affinity, more values for field selector": {
 			expectedError: "spec.affinity.nodeAffinity.requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution.nodeSelectorTerms[0].matchFields[0].values",
 			spec: core.Pod{
diff --git a/pkg/scheduler/algorithm/predicates/predicates_test.go b/pkg/scheduler/algorithm/predicates/predicates_test.go
index 885268db68..859a1eab7d 100644
--- a/pkg/scheduler/algorithm/predicates/predicates_test.go
+++ b/pkg/scheduler/algorithm/predicates/predicates_test.go
@@ -1359,6 +1359,34 @@ func TestPodFitsSelector(t *testing.T) {
 			test: "Pod with an Affinity matches node's labels but the PodSpec.NodeSelector(the old thing that we are deprecating) " +
 				"is not satisfied, won't schedule onto the node",
 		},
+		{
+			pod: &v1.Pod{
+				Spec: v1.PodSpec{
+					Affinity: &v1.Affinity{
+						NodeAffinity: &v1.NodeAffinity{
+							RequiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution: &v1.NodeSelector{
+								NodeSelectorTerms: []v1.NodeSelectorTerm{
+									{
+										MatchExpressions: []v1.NodeSelectorRequirement{
+											{
+												Key:      "foo",
+												Operator: v1.NodeSelectorOpNotIn,
+												Values:   []string{"invalid value: ___@#$%^"},
+											},
+										},
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			labels: map[string]string{
+				"foo": "bar",
+			},
+			fits: false,
+			test: "Pod with an invalid value in Affinity term won't be scheduled onto the node",
+		},
 	}
 	expectedFailureReasons := []algorithm.PredicateFailureReason{ErrNodeSelectorNotMatch}
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/scheduling/predicates.go b/test/e2e/scheduling/predicates.go
index 4b677e602e..db1049897f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/scheduling/predicates.go
+++ b/test/e2e/scheduling/predicates.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/resource"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
@@ -367,29 +366,6 @@ var _ = SIGDescribe("SchedulerPredicates [Serial]", func() {
 		verifyResult(cs, 0, 1, ns)
 	})
 
-	It("validates that a pod with an invalid NodeAffinity is rejected", func() {
-		By("Trying to launch a pod with an invalid Affinity data.")
-		podName := "without-label"
-		_, err := cs.CoreV1().Pods(ns).Create(initPausePod(f, pausePodConfig{
-			Name: podName,
-			Affinity: &v1.Affinity{
-				NodeAffinity: &v1.NodeAffinity{
-					RequiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution: &v1.NodeSelector{
-						NodeSelectorTerms: []v1.NodeSelectorTerm{
-							{
-								MatchExpressions: []v1.NodeSelectorRequirement{},
-							},
-						},
-					},
-				},
-			},
-		}))
-
-		if err == nil || !errors.IsInvalid(err) {
-			framework.Failf("Expect error of invalid, got : %v", err)
-		}
-	})
-
 	/*
 		    Testname: scheduler-node-selector-matching
 		    Description: Ensure that scheduler respects the NodeSelector field