diff --git a/helper/resource/teststep_validate.go b/helper/resource/teststep_validate.go
index d63db4dc8..8590ca466 100644
--- a/helper/resource/teststep_validate.go
+++ b/helper/resource/teststep_validate.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 // testStepValidateRequest contains data for the (TestStep).validate() method.
 type testStepValidateRequest struct {
 	// StepConfiguration contains the TestStep configuration derived from
-	// TestStep.Config or TestStep.ConfigDirectory.
+	// TestStep.Config, TestStep.ConfigDirectory, or TestStep.ConfigFile.
 	StepConfiguration teststep.Config
 
 	// StepNumber is the index of the TestStep in the TestCase.Steps.
@@ -235,5 +235,11 @@ func (s TestStep) validate(ctx context.Context, req testStepValidateRequest) err
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if len(s.ConfigStateChecks) > 0 && req.StepConfiguration == nil {
+		err := fmt.Errorf("TestStep ConfigStateChecks must only be specified with Config, ConfigDirectory or ConfigFile")
+		logging.HelperResourceError(ctx, "TestStep validation error", map[string]interface{}{logging.KeyError: err})
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/helper/resource/teststep_validate_test.go b/helper/resource/teststep_validate_test.go
index c5f19a60e..6a326e003 100644
--- a/helper/resource/teststep_validate_test.go
+++ b/helper/resource/teststep_validate_test.go
@@ -466,6 +466,16 @@ func TestTestStepValidate(t *testing.T) {
 			testStepValidateRequest: testStepValidateRequest{TestCaseHasProviders: true},
 			expectedError:           errors.New("TestStep ConfigPlanChecks.PostApplyPostRefresh must only be specified with Config"),
 		},
+		"configstatechecks-not-config-mode": {
+			testStep: TestStep{
+				ConfigStateChecks: ConfigStateChecks{
+					&stateCheckSpy{},
+				},
+				RefreshState: true,
+			},
+			testStepValidateRequest: testStepValidateRequest{TestCaseHasProviders: true},
+			expectedError:           errors.New("TestStep ConfigStateChecks must only be specified with Config"),
+		},
 		"refreshplanchecks-postrefresh-not-refresh-mode": {
 			testStep: TestStep{
 				RefreshPlanChecks: RefreshPlanChecks{