diff --git a/pkg/proxy/topology.go b/pkg/proxy/topology.go
index c8b447971ed..48b2e541136 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/topology.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/topology.go
@@ -162,12 +162,7 @@ func CategorizeEndpoints(endpoints []Endpoint, svcInfo ServicePort, nodeName str
 //     hinted for this node's zone, then it returns "PreferSameZone".
 //   - Otherwise it returns "" (meaning, no topology / default traffic distribution).
 func topologyModeFromHints(svcInfo ServicePort, endpoints []Endpoint, nodeName, zone string) string {
-	if len(endpoints) == 0 {
-		// The code below assumes at least 1 endpoint; if there are no endpoints,
-		// there are no hints.
-		return ""
-	}
-
+	hasReadyEndpoints := false
 	hasEndpointForNode := false
 	allEndpointsHaveNodeHints := true
 	hasEndpointForZone := false
@@ -176,6 +171,7 @@ func topologyModeFromHints(svcInfo ServicePort, endpoints []Endpoint, nodeName,
 		if !endpoint.IsReady() {
 			continue
 		}
+		hasReadyEndpoints = true
 
 		if endpoint.NodeHints().Len() == 0 {
 			allEndpointsHaveNodeHints = false
@@ -190,6 +186,11 @@ func topologyModeFromHints(svcInfo ServicePort, endpoints []Endpoint, nodeName,
 		}
 	}
 
+	// If no ready endpoints exist, there are no hints to consider
+	if !hasReadyEndpoints {
+		return ""
+	}
+
 	if utilfeature.DefaultFeatureGate.Enabled(features.PreferSameTrafficDistribution) {
 		if allEndpointsHaveNodeHints {
 			if hasEndpointForNode {
diff --git a/pkg/proxy/topology_test.go b/pkg/proxy/topology_test.go
index 8e9ed4333d2..e15337a1732 100644
--- a/pkg/proxy/topology_test.go
+++ b/pkg/proxy/topology_test.go
@@ -398,6 +398,15 @@ func TestCategorizeEndpoints(t *testing.T) {
 		clusterEndpoints: nil,
 		localEndpoints:   nil,
 		allEndpoints:     nil,
+	}, {
+		name:        "single endpoint not ready, not serving, not terminating",
+		nodeLabels:  map[string]string{v1.LabelTopologyZone: "zone-a"},
+		serviceInfo: &BaseServicePortInfo{},
+		endpoints: []Endpoint{
+			&BaseEndpointInfo{endpoint: "10.0.0.0:80", ready: false, serving: false, terminating: false},
+		},
+		clusterEndpoints: sets.New[string](),
+		localEndpoints:   nil,
 	}}
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {