diff --git a/source/server/config/access_log/grpc_access_log.cc b/source/server/config/access_log/grpc_access_log.cc
index 79de96e4ec70e..c5105dd6f5e10 100644
--- a/source/server/config/access_log/grpc_access_log.cc
+++ b/source/server/config/access_log/grpc_access_log.cc
@@ -41,14 +41,20 @@ AccessLog::InstanceSharedPtr HttpGrpcAccessLogFactory::createAccessLogInstance(
   const auto& proto_config = MessageUtil::downcastAndValidate<
       const envoy::api::v2::filter::accesslog::HttpGrpcAccessLogConfig&>(config);
 
+  // TODO(htuch): Support Google gRPC client.
+  const auto cluster_name = proto_config.common_config().grpc_service().envoy_grpc().cluster_name();
+  auto cluster = context.clusterManager().get(cluster_name);
+  if (cluster == nullptr || cluster->info()->addedViaApi()) {
+    throw EnvoyException(fmt::format(
+        "invalid access log cluster '{}'. Missing or not a static cluster.", cluster_name));
+  }
+
   std::shared_ptr<AccessLog::GrpcAccessLogStreamer> grpc_access_log_streamer =
       context.singletonManager().getTyped<AccessLog::GrpcAccessLogStreamer>(
-          SINGLETON_MANAGER_REGISTERED_NAME(grpc_access_log_streamer), [&context, &proto_config] {
+          SINGLETON_MANAGER_REGISTERED_NAME(grpc_access_log_streamer), [&context, cluster_name] {
             return std::make_shared<AccessLog::GrpcAccessLogStreamerImpl>(
-                std::make_unique<GrpcAccessLogClientFactoryImpl>(
-                    context.clusterManager(),
-                    // TODO(htuch): Support Google gRPC client.
-                    proto_config.common_config().grpc_service().envoy_grpc().cluster_name()),
+                std::make_unique<GrpcAccessLogClientFactoryImpl>(context.clusterManager(),
+                                                                 cluster_name),
                 context.threadLocal(), context.localInfo());
           });
 
diff --git a/test/server/config/access_log/config_test.cc b/test/server/config/access_log/config_test.cc
index baa9da6edce22..6bdd0a98cc96c 100644
--- a/test/server/config/access_log/config_test.cc
+++ b/test/server/config/access_log/config_test.cc
@@ -9,33 +9,60 @@
 #include "gmock/gmock.h"
 #include "gtest/gtest.h"
 
+using testing::Return;
+
 namespace Envoy {
 namespace Server {
 namespace Configuration {
 
-TEST(AccessLogConfigTest, HttpGrpcAccessLogTest) {
-  auto factory = Registry::FactoryRegistry<AccessLogInstanceFactory>::getFactory(
-      Config::AccessLogNames::get().HTTP_GRPC);
-  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, factory);
+class HttpGrpcAccessLogConfigTest : public testing::Test {
+public:
+  void SetUp() override {
+    factory_ = Registry::FactoryRegistry<AccessLogInstanceFactory>::getFactory(
+        Config::AccessLogNames::get().HTTP_GRPC);
+    ASSERT_NE(nullptr, factory_);
 
-  ProtobufTypes::MessagePtr message = factory->createEmptyConfigProto();
-  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, message);
+    message_ = factory_->createEmptyConfigProto();
+    ASSERT_NE(nullptr, message_);
 
-  envoy::api::v2::filter::accesslog::HttpGrpcAccessLogConfig http_grpc_access_log;
-  auto* common_config = http_grpc_access_log.mutable_common_config();
-  common_config->set_log_name("foo");
-  common_config->mutable_grpc_service()->mutable_envoy_grpc()->set_cluster_name("bar");
-  MessageUtil::jsonConvert(http_grpc_access_log, *message);
+    auto* common_config = http_grpc_access_log_.mutable_common_config();
+    common_config->set_log_name("foo");
+    common_config->mutable_grpc_service()->mutable_envoy_grpc()->set_cluster_name("bar");
+    MessageUtil::jsonConvert(http_grpc_access_log_, *message_);
+  }
 
-  AccessLog::FilterPtr filter;
-  NiceMock<Server::Configuration::MockFactoryContext> context;
+  AccessLog::FilterPtr filter_;
+  NiceMock<Server::Configuration::MockFactoryContext> context_;
+  envoy::api::v2::filter::accesslog::HttpGrpcAccessLogConfig http_grpc_access_log_;
+  ProtobufTypes::MessagePtr message_;
+  AccessLogInstanceFactory* factory_{};
+};
 
+// Normal OK configuration.
+TEST_F(HttpGrpcAccessLogConfigTest, Ok) {
   AccessLog::InstanceSharedPtr instance =
-      factory->createAccessLogInstance(*message, std::move(filter), context);
+      factory_->createAccessLogInstance(*message_, std::move(filter_), context_);
   EXPECT_NE(nullptr, instance);
   EXPECT_NE(nullptr, dynamic_cast<AccessLog::HttpGrpcAccessLog*>(instance.get()));
 }
 
+// Configuration with no matching cluster.
+TEST_F(HttpGrpcAccessLogConfigTest, NoCluster) {
+  ON_CALL(context_.cluster_manager_, get("bar")).WillByDefault(Return(nullptr));
+  EXPECT_THROW_WITH_MESSAGE(
+      factory_->createAccessLogInstance(*message_, std::move(filter_), context_), EnvoyException,
+      "invalid access log cluster 'bar'. Missing or not a static cluster.");
+}
+
+// Configuration with cluster but not a static cluster.
+TEST_F(HttpGrpcAccessLogConfigTest, ClusterAddedViaApi) {
+  ON_CALL(*context_.cluster_manager_.thread_local_cluster_.cluster_.info_, addedViaApi())
+      .WillByDefault(Return(true));
+  EXPECT_THROW_WITH_MESSAGE(
+      factory_->createAccessLogInstance(*message_, std::move(filter_), context_), EnvoyException,
+      "invalid access log cluster 'bar'. Missing or not a static cluster.");
+}
+
 } // namespace Configuration
 } // namespace Server
 } // namespace Envoy