diff --git a/doc/changelog.md b/doc/changelog.md
index 45f8e4005..7d08c9376 100644
--- a/doc/changelog.md
+++ b/doc/changelog.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Jump to:
 
 Description
 
+- Quick bug fix in _validate
 - Add helper methods to MLI classes
 - Update error handling for consistency
 - Parameterize installation of dragon package with `smart build`
diff --git a/smartsim/_core/mli/infrastructure/control/request_dispatcher.py b/smartsim/_core/mli/infrastructure/control/request_dispatcher.py
index 1c3b0f4c8..67797fe44 100644
--- a/smartsim/_core/mli/infrastructure/control/request_dispatcher.py
+++ b/smartsim/_core/mli/infrastructure/control/request_dispatcher.py
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def _check_feature_stores(self, request: InferenceRequest) -> bool:
         fs_actual = {item.descriptor for item in self._feature_stores.values()}
         fs_missing = fs_desired - fs_actual
 
-        if self.has_featurestore_factory:
+        if not self.has_featurestore_factory:
             logger.error("No feature store factory configured")
             return False
 
diff --git a/tests/dragon/test_error_handling.py b/tests/dragon/test_error_handling.py
index a5df62954..618b00d87 100644
--- a/tests/dragon/test_error_handling.py
+++ b/tests/dragon/test_error_handling.py
@@ -460,12 +460,6 @@ def test_dispatcher_pipeline_stage_errors_handled(
 
     mock_reply_fn = mock_pipeline_stage(monkeypatch, integrated_worker, stage)
 
-    monkeypatch.setattr(
-        request_dispatcher,
-        "_validate_request",
-        MagicMock(return_value=True),
-    )
-
     if stage not in ["fetch_inputs"]:
         monkeypatch.setattr(
             integrated_worker,