diff --git a/source/imaer-shared/src/main/java/nl/overheid/aerius/shared/domain/v2/characteristics/OPSSourceCharacteristics.java b/source/imaer-shared/src/main/java/nl/overheid/aerius/shared/domain/v2/characteristics/OPSSourceCharacteristics.java
index 03955653..a5090613 100644
--- a/source/imaer-shared/src/main/java/nl/overheid/aerius/shared/domain/v2/characteristics/OPSSourceCharacteristics.java
+++ b/source/imaer-shared/src/main/java/nl/overheid/aerius/shared/domain/v2/characteristics/OPSSourceCharacteristics.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 import jakarta.validation.constraints.Max;
 import jakarta.validation.constraints.Min;
+import jakarta.validation.constraints.AssertTrue;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnore;
 
@@ -96,8 +97,6 @@ public void setHeatContentType(final HeatContentType heatContentType) {
     this.heatContentType = heatContentType;
   }
 
-  @Min(value = OPSLimits.SOURCE_HEAT_CONTENT_MINIMUM, message = "ops heat_content > " + OPSLimits.SOURCE_HEAT_CONTENT_MINIMUM)
-  @Max(value = OPSLimits.SOURCE_HEAT_CONTENT_MAXIMUM, message = "ops heat_content < " + OPSLimits.SOURCE_HEAT_CONTENT_MAXIMUM)
   public Double getHeatContent() {
     return heatContent;
   }
@@ -106,6 +105,21 @@ public void setHeatContent(final Double heatContent) {
     this.heatContent = heatContent;
   }
 
+  @JsonIgnore
+  @AssertTrue(message = "for NOT_FORCED heat content types, ops heat_content must be present and between "
+      + OPSLimits.SOURCE_HEAT_CONTENT_MINIMUM + " and " + OPSLimits.SOURCE_HEAT_CONTENT_MAXIMUM + " (both inclusive)")
+  public boolean isHeatContentValid() {
+    if (heatContentType == HeatContentType.FORCED) {
+      return true;
+    }
+    if (heatContent == null) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    final boolean withinMinimum = heatContent >= OPSLimits.SOURCE_HEAT_CONTENT_MINIMUM;
+    final boolean withinMaximum = heatContent <= OPSLimits.SOURCE_HEAT_CONTENT_MAXIMUM;
+    return withinMinimum && withinMaximum;
+  }
+
   public Double getEmissionTemperature() {
     return emissionTemperature;
   }