diff --git a/pkg/cli/create_helm.go b/pkg/cli/create_helm.go
index f6f8618e4..b4e074593 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/create_helm.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/create_helm.go
@@ -268,6 +268,14 @@ func CreateHelm(ctx context.Context, options *CreateOptions, globalFlags *flags.
 		cmd.Connect = false
 	}
 
+	if isSleepModeConfigured(vClusterConfig) {
+		if agentDeployed, err := cmd.isLoftAgentDeployed(ctx); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("is agent deployed: %w", err)
+		} else if !agentDeployed {
+			return fmt.Errorf("sleep mode is configured but requires an agent to be installed on the host cluster. To install the agent using the vCluster CLI, run: vcluster platform add cluster")
+		}
+	}
+
 	if isVClusterDeployed(release) {
 		// While certain backing store changes are allowed we prohibit changes to another distro.
 		if err := config.ValidateChanges(currentVClusterConfig, vClusterConfig); err != nil {
@@ -365,6 +373,24 @@ func (cmd *createHelm) addVCluster(ctx context.Context, vClusterConfig *config.C
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (cmd *createHelm) isLoftAgentDeployed(ctx context.Context) (bool, error) {
+	podList, err := cmd.kubeClient.CoreV1().Pods("").List(ctx, metav1.ListOptions{
+		LabelSelector: "app=loft",
+	})
+	if err != nil && !kerrors.IsNotFound(err) {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	return len(podList.Items) > 0, nil
+}
+
+func isSleepModeConfigured(vClusterConfig *config.Config) bool {
+	if vClusterConfig == nil || vClusterConfig.External == nil || vClusterConfig.External["platform"] == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return vClusterConfig.External["platform"]["autoSleep"] != nil || vClusterConfig.External["platform"]["autoDelete"] != nil
+}
+
 func isVClusterDeployed(release *helm.Release) bool {
 	return release != nil &&
 		release.Chart != nil &&
diff --git a/pkg/cli/delete_platform.go b/pkg/cli/delete_platform.go
index ce9d44851..11cffb063 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/delete_platform.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/delete_platform.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func DeletePlatform(ctx context.Context, options *DeleteOptions, config *config.
 	vCluster, err := find.GetPlatformVCluster(ctx, platformClient, vClusterName, options.Project, log)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
-	} else if vCluster.VirtualCluster != nil && vCluster.VirtualCluster.Spec.NetworkPeer {
+	} else if vCluster.VirtualCluster != nil && vCluster.VirtualCluster.Spec.External {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot delete a virtual cluster that was created via helm, please run 'vcluster use driver helm' or use the '--driver helm' flag")
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cli/pause_platform.go b/pkg/cli/pause_platform.go
index 454a84ab1..e5bf54856 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/pause_platform.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/pause_platform.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ func PausePlatform(ctx context.Context, options *PauseOptions, cfg *cliconfig.CL
 	vCluster, err := find.GetPlatformVCluster(ctx, platformClient, vClusterName, options.Project, log)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
-	} else if vCluster.VirtualCluster != nil && vCluster.VirtualCluster.Spec.NetworkPeer {
+	} else if vCluster.VirtualCluster != nil && vCluster.VirtualCluster.Spec.External {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot pause a virtual cluster that was created via helm, please run 'vcluster use driver helm' or use the '--driver helm' flag")
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cli/resume_platform.go b/pkg/cli/resume_platform.go
index 373f6f1e8..0dc1c493a 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/resume_platform.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/resume_platform.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func ResumePlatform(ctx context.Context, options *ResumeOptions, config *config.
 	vCluster, err := find.GetPlatformVCluster(ctx, platformClient, vClusterName, options.Project, log)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
-	} else if vCluster.VirtualCluster != nil && vCluster.VirtualCluster.Spec.NetworkPeer {
+	} else if vCluster.VirtualCluster != nil && vCluster.VirtualCluster.Spec.External {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot resume a virtual cluster that was created via helm, please run 'vcluster use driver helm' or use the '--driver helm' flag")
 	}