diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/trafficdist/trafficdist.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/trafficdist/trafficdist.go
index cf6c7b42c6a..c4250bb44bd 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/trafficdist/trafficdist.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/trafficdist/trafficdist.go
@@ -115,13 +115,19 @@ func (preferCloseHeuristic) needsUpdate(slice *discoveryv1.EndpointSlice) bool {
 		if !endpointReady(endpoint) {
 			continue
 		}
-		var zone string
-		if endpoint.Zone != nil {
-			zone = *endpoint.Zone
-		}
 
-		if endpoint.Hints == nil || len(endpoint.Hints.ForZones) != 1 || endpoint.Hints.ForZones[0].Name != zone {
-			return true
+		if endpoint.Zone != nil {
+			// We want a zone hint.
+			if endpoint.Hints == nil || len(endpoint.Hints.ForZones) != 1 || endpoint.Hints.ForZones[0].Name != *endpoint.Zone {
+				// ...but either it's missing or it's incorrect
+				return true
+			}
+		} else {
+			// We don't want a zone hint.
+			if endpoint.Hints != nil && len(endpoint.Hints.ForZones) > 0 {
+				// ...but we have a stale hint.
+				return true
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return false
@@ -134,10 +140,17 @@ func (preferCloseHeuristic) update(slice *discoveryv1.EndpointSlice) {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		var zone string
+		var forZones []discoveryv1.ForZone
 		if endpoint.Zone != nil {
-			zone = *endpoint.Zone
+			forZones = []discoveryv1.ForZone{{Name: *endpoint.Zone}}
+		}
+
+		if forZones != nil {
+			slice.Endpoints[i].Hints = &discoveryv1.EndpointHints{
+				ForZones: forZones,
+			}
+		} else {
+			slice.Endpoints[i].Hints = nil
 		}
-		slice.Endpoints[i].Hints = &discoveryv1.EndpointHints{ForZones: []discoveryv1.ForZone{{Name: zone}}}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/trafficdist/trafficdist_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/trafficdist/trafficdist_test.go
index 32d1d3c644b..5ad5c4a45ab 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/trafficdist/trafficdist_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/endpointslice/trafficdist/trafficdist_test.go
@@ -264,6 +264,131 @@ func TestReconcileHints(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "should not create zone hints if there are no zones",
+
+			trafficDistribution: ptr.To(corev1.ServiceTrafficDistributionPreferClose),
+			slicesToCreate: []*discoveryv1.EndpointSlice{
+				{
+					Endpoints: []discoveryv1.Endpoint{
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.1"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-1"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.2"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-2"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					Endpoints: []discoveryv1.Endpoint{
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.3"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-3"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.4"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-4"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			slicesToUpdate: []*discoveryv1.EndpointSlice{
+				{
+					Endpoints: []discoveryv1.Endpoint{
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.5"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-5"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.6"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-6"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					Endpoints: []discoveryv1.Endpoint{
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.7"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-7"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.8"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-8"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantSlicesToCreate: []*discoveryv1.EndpointSlice{
+				{
+					Endpoints: []discoveryv1.Endpoint{
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.1"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-1"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.2"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-2"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					Endpoints: []discoveryv1.Endpoint{
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.3"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-3"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.4"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-4"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantSlicesToUpdate: []*discoveryv1.EndpointSlice{
+				{
+					Endpoints: []discoveryv1.Endpoint{
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.5"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-5"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.6"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-6"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				{
+					Endpoints: []discoveryv1.Endpoint{
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.7"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-7"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+						{
+							Addresses:  []string{"10.0.0.8"},
+							NodeName:   ptr.To("node-8"),
+							Conditions: discoveryv1.EndpointConditions{Ready: ptr.To(true)},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
 		{
 			name: "unready endpoints should not trigger updates",