diff --git a/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplane_types.go b/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplane_types.go
index 6c56308..b853d32 100644
--- a/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplane_types.go
+++ b/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplane_types.go
@@ -77,9 +77,9 @@ type RKE2ControlPlaneSpec struct {
 	NodeDrainTimeout *metav1.Duration `json:"nodeDrainTimeout,omitempty"`
 
 	// RegistrationMethod is the method to use for registering nodes into the RKE2 cluster.
-	// +kubebuilder:validation:Enum=internal-first;internal-only-ips;external-only-ips;address;control-plane-endpoint
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:Enum=internal-first;internal-only-ips;external-only-ips;address;control-plane-endpoint;""
 	// +optional
-	RegistrationMethod RegistrationMethod `json:"registrationMethod"`
+	RegistrationMethod RegistrationMethod `json:"registrationMethod,omitempty"`
 
 	// RegistrationAddress is an explicit address to use when registering a node. This is required if
 	// the registration type is "address". Its for scenarios where a load-balancer or VIP is used.
diff --git a/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplane_webhook.go b/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplane_webhook.go
index 475ed14..7a9d110 100644
--- a/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplane_webhook.go
+++ b/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplane_webhook.go
@@ -85,9 +85,10 @@ func (r *RKE2ControlPlane) ValidateUpdate(old runtime.Object) (admission.Warning
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, bootstrapv1.ValidateRKE2ConfigSpec(r.Name, &r.Spec.RKE2ConfigSpec)...)
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, r.validateCNI()...)
 
-	if r.Spec.RegistrationMethod != oldControlplane.Spec.RegistrationMethod {
+	oldSet := oldControlplane.Spec.RegistrationMethod != ""
+	if oldSet && r.Spec.RegistrationMethod != oldControlplane.Spec.RegistrationMethod {
 		allErrs = append(allErrs,
-			field.Invalid(field.NewPath("spec", "registrationMethod"), r.Spec.RegistrationMethod, "field is immutable"),
+			field.Invalid(field.NewPath("spec", "registrationMethod"), r.Spec.RegistrationMethod, "field value is immutable once set"),
 		)
 	}
 
diff --git a/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplanetemplate_webhook.go b/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplanetemplate_webhook.go
index 0da528b..be18d0a 100644
--- a/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplanetemplate_webhook.go
+++ b/controlplane/api/v1beta1/rke2controlplanetemplate_webhook.go
@@ -81,9 +81,10 @@ func (r *RKE2ControlPlaneTemplate) ValidateUpdate(old runtime.Object) (admission
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, bootstrapv1.ValidateRKE2ConfigSpec(r.Name, &r.Spec.Template.Spec.RKE2ConfigSpec)...)
 	allErrs = append(allErrs, r.validateCNI()...)
 
-	if r.Spec.Template.Spec.RegistrationMethod != oldControlplane.Spec.Template.Spec.RegistrationMethod {
+	oldSet := oldControlplane.Spec.Template.Spec.RegistrationMethod != ""
+	if oldSet && r.Spec.Template.Spec.RegistrationMethod != oldControlplane.Spec.Template.Spec.RegistrationMethod {
 		allErrs = append(allErrs,
-			field.Invalid(field.NewPath("spec", "registrationMethod"), r.Spec.Template.Spec.RegistrationMethod, "field is immutable"),
+			field.Invalid(field.NewPath("spec", "registrationMethod"), r.Spec.Template.Spec.RegistrationMethod, "field value is immutable once set"),
 		)
 	}
 
diff --git a/controlplane/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_rke2controlplanes.yaml b/controlplane/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_rke2controlplanes.yaml
index 7d8f7e0..5449122 100644
--- a/controlplane/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_rke2controlplanes.yaml
+++ b/controlplane/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_rke2controlplanes.yaml
@@ -1949,6 +1949,7 @@ spec:
                 - external-only-ips
                 - address
                 - control-plane-endpoint
+                - ""
                 type: string
               replicas:
                 description: Replicas is the number of replicas for the Control Plane.
diff --git a/controlplane/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_rke2controlplanetemplates.yaml b/controlplane/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_rke2controlplanetemplates.yaml
index 5de035a..8adafa1 100644
--- a/controlplane/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_rke2controlplanetemplates.yaml
+++ b/controlplane/config/crd/bases/controlplane.cluster.x-k8s.io_rke2controlplanetemplates.yaml
@@ -782,6 +782,7 @@ spec:
                         - external-only-ips
                         - address
                         - control-plane-endpoint
+                        - ""
                         type: string
                       replicas:
                         description: Replicas is the number of replicas for the Control
diff --git a/pkg/registration/registration.go b/pkg/registration/registration.go
index 8c23510..dccc004 100644
--- a/pkg/registration/registration.go
+++ b/pkg/registration/registration.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func NewRegistrationMethod(method string) (GetRegistrationAddresses, error) {
 		return registrationMethodWithFilter(filterExternalOnly), nil
 	case "address":
 		return registrationMethodAddress, nil
-	case "control-plane-endpoint":
+	case "control-plane-endpoint", "":
 		return registrationMethodControlPlaneEndpoint, nil
 	default:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported registration method: %s", method)
diff --git a/pkg/registration/registration_test.go b/pkg/registration/registration_test.go
index 9f8055b..b28d412 100644
--- a/pkg/registration/registration_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registration/registration_test.go
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ func TestNewRegistrationMethod(t *testing.T) {
 			name:        "control-plane-endpoint",
 			expectError: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name:        "",
+			expectError: false,
+		},
 		{
 			name:        "unknownmethod",
 			expectError: true,