diff --git a/internal/provider/kubernetes/predicates.go b/internal/provider/kubernetes/predicates.go
index 0e0f984c69c..e64c08619db 100644
--- a/internal/provider/kubernetes/predicates.go
+++ b/internal/provider/kubernetes/predicates.go
@@ -312,6 +312,10 @@ func (r *gatewayAPIReconciler) validateBackendForReconcile(obj client.Object) bo
 		return true
 	}
 
+	if r.isEnvoyProxyReferencingBackend(&nsName) {
+		return true
+	}
+
 	return r.isEnvoyExtensionPolicyReferencingBackend(&nsName)
 }
 
@@ -428,6 +432,10 @@ func (r *gatewayAPIReconciler) validateEndpointSliceForReconcile(obj client.Obje
 		return true
 	}
 
+	if r.isEnvoyProxyReferencingBackend(&nsName) {
+		return true
+	}
+
 	return r.isEnvoyExtensionPolicyReferencingBackend(&nsName)
 }