diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/envoypatchpolicy_types.go b/api/v1alpha1/envoypatchpolicy_types.go
index 012ac42a9898..8234ead224e0 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/envoypatchpolicy_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/envoypatchpolicy_types.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ type EnvoyPatchPolicySpec struct {
 	// the priority i.e. int32.min has the highest priority and
 	// int32.max has the lowest priority.
 	// Defaults to 0.
-	Priority int32 `json:"priority,omitempty"`
+	Priority int32 `json:"priority"`
 }
 
 // EnvoyPatchType specifies the types of Envoy patching mechanisms.
diff --git a/charts/gateway-helm/crds/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_envoypatchpolicies.yaml b/charts/gateway-helm/crds/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_envoypatchpolicies.yaml
index 7296a9e51278..c336131fccaa 100644
--- a/charts/gateway-helm/crds/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_envoypatchpolicies.yaml
+++ b/charts/gateway-helm/crds/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_envoypatchpolicies.yaml
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ spec:
                 - JSONPatch
                 type: string
             required:
+            - priority
             - targetRef
             - type
             type: object
diff --git a/internal/provider/kubernetes/controller.go b/internal/provider/kubernetes/controller.go
index 1e26fd0bde37..25255cd0c45b 100644
--- a/internal/provider/kubernetes/controller.go
+++ b/internal/provider/kubernetes/controller.go
@@ -240,19 +240,16 @@ func (r *gatewayAPIReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, request reconcile.
 	}
 
 	// Add all EnvoyPatchPolicies
-	if r.envoyGateway.ExtensionAPIs != nil && r.envoyGateway.ExtensionAPIs.EnableEnvoyPatchPolicy {
-		envoyPatchPolicies := egv1a1.EnvoyPatchPolicyList{}
-		if err := r.client.List(ctx, &envoyPatchPolicies); err != nil {
-			return reconcile.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("error listing envoypatchpolicies: %v", err)
-		}
-
-		for _, policy := range envoyPatchPolicies.Items {
-			policy := policy
-			// Discard Status to reduce memory consumption in watchable
-			// It will be recomputed by the gateway-api layer
-			policy.Status = egv1a1.EnvoyPatchPolicyStatus{}
-			resourceTree.EnvoyPatchPolicies = append(resourceTree.EnvoyPatchPolicies, &policy)
-		}
+	envoyPatchPolicies := egv1a1.EnvoyPatchPolicyList{}
+	if err := r.client.List(ctx, &envoyPatchPolicies); err != nil {
+		return reconcile.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("error listing envoypatchpolicies: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, policy := range envoyPatchPolicies.Items {
+		policy := policy
+		// Discard Status to reduce memory consumption in watchable
+		// It will be recomputed by the gateway-api layer
+		policy.Status = egv1a1.EnvoyPatchPolicyStatus{}
+		resourceTree.EnvoyPatchPolicies = append(resourceTree.EnvoyPatchPolicies, &policy)
 	}
 
 	// For this particular Gateway, and all associated objects, check whether the