diff --git a/federation/apis/federation/validation/validation.go b/federation/apis/federation/validation/validation.go
index 81a8351942a..db5dcdbe580 100644
--- a/federation/apis/federation/validation/validation.go
+++ b/federation/apis/federation/validation/validation.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/validation/field"
 )
 
-var ValidateClusterName = validation.NameIsDNSSubdomain
+var ValidateClusterName = validation.NameIsDNS1035Label
 
 func ValidateClusterSpec(spec *federation.ClusterSpec, fieldPath *field.Path) field.ErrorList {
 	allErrs := field.ErrorList{}
diff --git a/federation/apis/federation/validation/validation_test.go b/federation/apis/federation/validation/validation_test.go
index 04c12cfe4ce..54fea7a756d 100644
--- a/federation/apis/federation/validation/validation_test.go
+++ b/federation/apis/federation/validation/validation_test.go
@@ -61,6 +61,17 @@ func TestValidateCluster(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		"invalid cluster name (is a subdomain)": {
+			ObjectMeta: api.ObjectMeta{Name: "mycluster.mycompany"},
+			Spec: federation.ClusterSpec{
+				ServerAddressByClientCIDRs: []federation.ServerAddressByClientCIDR{
+					{
+						ClientCIDR:    "0.0.0.0/0",
+						ServerAddress: "localhost:8888",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	for testName, errorCase := range errorCases {
 		errs := ValidateCluster(&errorCase)