diff --git a/client/server/mdm.go b/client/server/mdm.go
index da0deb4f2..1ac010cea 100644
--- a/client/server/mdm.go
+++ b/client/server/mdm.go
@@ -207,6 +207,50 @@ func mdmManagedFieldConflicts(msg *proto.SetConfigRequest, policy *mdm.Policy) [
 	return conflicts
 }
 
+// setConfigRequestHasConfigOverrides reports whether the SetConfigRequest
+// carries ANY field that would actually mutate the persisted config. The
+// CLI builds the request unconditionally on every `netbird up` (see
+// setupSetConfigReq in cmd/up.go), so a plain `netbird up` results in a
+// SetConfig call with every field at its zero value; the gate must skip
+// such no-op invocations or it would always fire even when the user did
+// not pass any --flag.
+func setConfigRequestHasConfigOverrides(msg *proto.SetConfigRequest) bool {
+	if msg == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return msg.ManagementUrl != "" ||
+		msg.AdminURL != "" ||
+		msg.OptionalPreSharedKey != nil ||
+		len(msg.CustomDNSAddress) > 0 ||
+		len(msg.NatExternalIPs) > 0 || msg.CleanNATExternalIPs ||
+		len(msg.ExtraIFaceBlacklist) > 0 ||
+		len(msg.DnsLabels) > 0 || msg.CleanDNSLabels ||
+		msg.DnsRouteInterval != nil ||
+		msg.RosenpassEnabled != nil ||
+		msg.RosenpassPermissive != nil ||
+		msg.InterfaceName != nil ||
+		msg.WireguardPort != nil ||
+		msg.Mtu != nil ||
+		msg.DisableAutoConnect != nil ||
+		msg.ServerSSHAllowed != nil ||
+		msg.NetworkMonitor != nil ||
+		msg.DisableClientRoutes != nil ||
+		msg.DisableServerRoutes != nil ||
+		msg.DisableDns != nil ||
+		msg.DisableFirewall != nil ||
+		msg.BlockLanAccess != nil ||
+		msg.DisableNotifications != nil ||
+		msg.LazyConnectionEnabled != nil ||
+		msg.BlockInbound != nil ||
+		msg.DisableIpv6 != nil ||
+		msg.EnableSSHRoot != nil ||
+		msg.EnableSSHSFTP != nil ||
+		msg.EnableSSHLocalPortForwarding != nil ||
+		msg.EnableSSHRemotePortForwarding != nil ||
+		msg.DisableSSHAuth != nil ||
+		msg.SshJWTCacheTTL != nil
+}
+
 // loginRequestHasConfigOverrides reports whether the LoginRequest
 // carries ANY field that would mutate persisted daemon configuration
 // (as opposed to pure-auth fields like setupKey, hostname, hint,
diff --git a/client/server/server.go b/client/server/server.go
index a4a2e30d0..e27e0a467 100644
--- a/client/server/server.go
+++ b/client/server/server.go
@@ -322,8 +322,16 @@ func (s *Server) SetConfig(callerCtx context.Context, msg *proto.SetConfigReques
 	s.mutex.Lock()
 	defer s.mutex.Unlock()
 
-	if s.checkUpdateSettingsDisabled() {
-		return nil, gstatus.Errorf(codes.Unavailable, errUpdateSettingsDisabled)
+	// Skip the update-settings gate when the request carries no actual
+	// overrides: the CLI builds a SetConfigRequest unconditionally on
+	// every `netbird up` (setupSetConfigReq in cmd/up.go), so a plain
+	// `netbird up` would otherwise always trip the gate and surface a
+	// misleading "setConfig method is not available" warning, even when
+	// the user did not pass any config flag.
+	if setConfigRequestHasConfigOverrides(msg) {
+		if s.checkUpdateSettingsDisabled() {
+			return nil, gstatus.Errorf(codes.Unavailable, errUpdateSettingsDisabled)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// MDM gate: refuse the whole request if any of its fields is enforced