diff --git a/plugins/modules/lke_cluster.py b/plugins/modules/lke_cluster.py
index d40164fa..0f7c6ea7 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/lke_cluster.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/lke_cluster.py
@@ -369,6 +369,18 @@ def _get_cluster_by_name(self, name: str) -> Optional[LKECluster]:
                 msg="failed to get lke cluster {0}: {1}".format(name, exception)
             )
 
+    def _get_node_pools(self, tier: str, params: dict) -> Optional[List[dict]]:
+        nodepools = []
+        if "node_pools" in params:
+            nodepools = params.pop("node_pools")
+
+        if not nodepools and (not tier or tier == "standard"):
+            # throw error if no node pools specified for standard clusters
+            self.fail(
+                msg="At least one node pool must be specified when creating a standard LKE cluster."
+            )
+        return nodepools
+
     def _wait_for_all_nodes_ready(
         self, cluster: LKECluster, timeout: int
     ) -> None:
@@ -417,11 +429,13 @@ def _create_cluster(self) -> Optional[LKECluster]:
             self.register_action("Created LKE cluster {0}".format(label))
 
             # This is necessary to use fields not yet supported by linode_api4
+            nodepools = self._get_node_pools(tier, params)
+
             result = self.client.lke.cluster_create(
-                params.pop("region"),
-                label,
-                params.pop("node_pools"),
-                params.pop("k8s_version"),
+                region=params.pop("region"),
+                label=label,
+                node_pools=nodepools,
+                kube_version=params.pop("k8s_version"),
                 **params,
             )
 
@@ -514,8 +528,7 @@ def _update_cluster(self, cluster: LKECluster) -> None:
             copy.deepcopy(self.module.params)
         )
         new_params = {k: v for k, v in new_params.items() if k in CREATE_FIELDS}
-
-        pools = new_params.pop("node_pools")
+        pools = self._get_node_pools(cluster.tier, new_params)
 
         # This is handled separately
         new_params.pop("k8s_version")
@@ -803,7 +816,9 @@ def _populate_results(self, cluster: LKECluster) -> None:
             return
 
         self._populate_kubeconfig_poll(cluster)
-        self._populate_dashboard_url_poll(cluster)
+        # enterprise clusters don't have dashboards.
+        if cluster.tier != "enterprise":
+            self._populate_dashboard_url_poll(cluster)
 
     def _handle_present(self) -> None:
         params = self.module.params
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/lke_cluster_enterprise_no_pools/tasks/main.yaml b/tests/integration/targets/lke_cluster_enterprise_no_pools/tasks/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fbde6d11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/lke_cluster_enterprise_no_pools/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+- name: lke_cluster_enterprise_no_pools
+  block:
+    - set_fact:
+        r: "{{ 1000000000 | random }}"
+
+    - name: Resolve an enterprise K8s version
+      linode.cloud.lke_version_list:
+        api_version: v4beta
+        tier: "enterprise"
+      register: get_lke_versions_enterprise
+
+    - set_fact:
+        lke_versions: '{{ get_lke_versions_enterprise.lke_versions|sort(attribute="id", reverse=True) }}'
+
+    - set_fact:
+        kube_version: '{{ lke_versions[0].id }}'
+
+    - name: List regions that support LKE Enterprise
+      linode.cloud.region_list:
+      register: all_regions
+
+    - set_fact:
+        lke_e_region: >-
+          {{ all_regions.regions
+             | selectattr("site_type", "equalto", "core")
+             | selectattr("capabilities", "search", "Kubernetes Enterprise")
+             | map(attribute="id")
+             | first }}
+
+    - name: Create a Linode LKE Enterprise cluster without node pools
+      linode.cloud.lke_cluster:
+        api_version: v4beta
+        tier: 'enterprise'
+        label: 'ansible-test-{{ r }}'
+        region: '{{ lke_e_region }}'
+        k8s_version: '{{ kube_version }}'
+        skip_polling: true
+        state: present
+      register: create_enterprise_cluster
+
+    - name: Assert LKE cluster is created
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - create_enterprise_cluster.cluster.k8s_version == kube_version
+          - create_enterprise_cluster.cluster.region == lke_e_region
+          - create_enterprise_cluster.cluster.tier == 'enterprise'
+
+  always:
+    - ignore_errors: yes
+      block:
+        - name: Delete the LKE cluster
+          linode.cloud.lke_cluster:
+            label: '{{ create_enterprise_cluster.cluster.label }}'
+            state: absent
+
+  environment:
+    LINODE_UA_PREFIX: '{{ ua_prefix }}'
+    LINODE_API_TOKEN: '{{ api_token }}'
+    LINODE_API_URL: '{{ api_url }}'
+    LINODE_API_VERSION: '{{ api_version }}'
+    LINODE_CA: '{{ ca_file or "" }}'
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/lke_cluster_standard_no_pools/tasks/main.yaml b/tests/integration/targets/lke_cluster_standard_no_pools/tasks/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2a4bd763
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/lke_cluster_standard_no_pools/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+- name: lke_cluster_standard_no_pools
+  block:
+    - set_fact:
+        r: "{{ 1000000000 | random }}"
+
+    - name: Resolve the latest K8s version
+      linode.cloud.lke_version_list: {}
+      register: get_lke_versions
+
+    - set_fact:
+        lke_versions: '{{ get_lke_versions.lke_versions|sort(attribute="id", reverse=True) }}'
+
+    - set_fact:
+        kube_version: '{{ lke_versions[0].id }}'
+
+    - name: Create a Linode LKE cluster without node_pools (should fail)
+      linode.cloud.lke_cluster:
+        label: 'ansible-test-{{ r }}'
+        region: us-southeast
+        k8s_version: '{{ kube_version }}'
+        skip_polling: true
+        state: present
+      register: create_cluster
+      ignore_errors: yes
+
+    - name: Verify that cluster creation failed as expected
+      assert:
+        that:
+          - create_cluster.changed == false
+          - "'At least one node pool must be specified when creating a standard LKE cluster.' in create_cluster.msg"
+        fail_msg: "Expected cluster creation to fail without node_pools, but got: {{ create_cluster }}"
+        success_msg: "Test passed: Cluster creation properly failed without node_pools"
+
+  environment:
+    LINODE_UA_PREFIX: '{{ ua_prefix }}'
+    LINODE_API_TOKEN: '{{ api_token }}'
+    LINODE_API_URL: '{{ api_url }}'
+    LINODE_API_VERSION: '{{ api_version }}'
+    LINODE_CA: '{{ ca_file or "" }}'
+