diff --git a/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/model/KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors.java b/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/model/KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors.java
index fcd7ffe7f89..abc8b8ecb8e 100644
--- a/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/model/KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors.java
+++ b/cluster-operator/src/main/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/model/KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors.java
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ public static KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors fromCrd(Reconciliation reconciliation,
                         errorMessages.add("Target cluster alias " + mirror.getTargetCluster() + " is used in a mirror definition, but cluster with this alias does not exist in cluster definitions");
                     }
 
-                    if (!mirror.getTargetCluster().equals(connectCluster)) {
-                        errorMessages.add("Connect cluster alias (currently set to " + connectCluster + ") has to be the same as the target cluster alias " + mirror.getTargetCluster());
+                    if (!mirror.getTargetCluster().equals(connectCluster) && !hasMatchingBootstrapServers(kafkaMirrorMaker2.getSpec().getClusters(), connectCluster, mirror.getTargetCluster())) {
+                        errorMessages.add("Connect cluster alias (currently set to " + connectCluster + ") must match the target cluster alias " + mirror.getTargetCluster() + " or both clusters must have the same bootstrap servers.");
                     }
                 }
 
@@ -326,4 +326,23 @@ private static String addTLSConfigToMirrorMaker2ConnectorConfig(Map<String, Obje
             return "PLAINTEXT";
         }
     }
+
+    private static boolean hasMatchingBootstrapServers(List<KafkaMirrorMaker2ClusterSpec> clusterList, String connectClusterAlias, String targetClusterAlias) {
+        // Find the cluster for the connectClusterAlias
+        String connectClusterBootstrap = clusterList.stream()
+                .filter(cluster -> connectClusterAlias.equals(cluster.getAlias()))
+                .map(KafkaMirrorMaker2ClusterSpec::getBootstrapServers)
+                .findFirst()
+                .orElse(null);
+
+        // Find the cluster for the targetClusterAlias
+        String targetClusterBootstrap = clusterList.stream()
+                .filter(cluster -> targetClusterAlias.equals(cluster.getAlias()))
+                .map(KafkaMirrorMaker2ClusterSpec::getBootstrapServers)
+                .findFirst()
+                .orElse(null);
+
+        // Return true if both are found and have matching bootstrap servers
+        return connectClusterBootstrap != null && connectClusterBootstrap.equals(targetClusterBootstrap);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/model/KafkaMirrorMaker2ConnectorsTest.java b/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/model/KafkaMirrorMaker2ConnectorsTest.java
index efdcab5ca8e..a1c16fc811d 100644
--- a/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/model/KafkaMirrorMaker2ConnectorsTest.java
+++ b/cluster-operator/src/test/java/io/strimzi/operator/cluster/model/KafkaMirrorMaker2ConnectorsTest.java
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ public void testFailingValidation()    {
         assertThat(ex.getMessage(), is("KafkaMirrorMaker2 resource validation failed: " +
                 "[Each MirrorMaker 2 mirror definition has to specify the source cluster alias, " +
                 "Target cluster alias wrong-target is used in a mirror definition, but cluster with this alias does not exist in cluster definitions, " +
-                "Connect cluster alias (currently set to target) has to be the same as the target cluster alias wrong-target]"));
+                "Connect cluster alias (currently set to target) must match the target cluster alias wrong-target or both clusters must have the same bootstrap servers.]"));
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ public void testMirrorTargetClusterNotSameAsConnectCluster() {
                 .build();
         InvalidResourceException ex = assertThrows(InvalidResourceException.class, () -> KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors.validateConnectors(kmm2));
         assertThat(ex.getMessage(), is("KafkaMirrorMaker2 resource validation failed: " +
-                "[Connect cluster alias (currently set to source) has to be the same as the target cluster alias target]"));
+                "[Connect cluster alias (currently set to source) must match the target cluster alias target or both clusters must have the same bootstrap servers.]"));
 
         // A case where one mirror has the correct target cluster, but the other does not
         KafkaMirrorMaker2 kmm2CorrectAndIncorrectMirror = new KafkaMirrorMaker2Builder(KMM2)
@@ -147,7 +147,62 @@ public void testMirrorTargetClusterNotSameAsConnectCluster() {
                 .build();
         ex = assertThrows(InvalidResourceException.class, () -> KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors.validateConnectors(kmm2CorrectAndIncorrectMirror));
         assertThat(ex.getMessage(), is("KafkaMirrorMaker2 resource validation failed: " +
-                "[Connect cluster alias (currently set to target) has to be the same as the target cluster alias third]"));
+                "[Connect cluster alias (currently set to target) must match the target cluster alias third or both clusters must have the same bootstrap servers.]"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testClusterNotSameButBootstrapUrlSame() {
+        KafkaMirrorMaker2 kmm2 = new KafkaMirrorMaker2Builder(KMM2)
+                .editSpec()
+                    .withConnectCluster("source")
+                        .addToClusters(new KafkaMirrorMaker2ClusterSpecBuilder()
+                            .withAlias("third")
+                            .withBootstrapServers("source:9092")
+                            .build())
+                    .editMirror(0)
+                        .withTargetCluster("third")
+                    .endMirror()
+                .endSpec()
+                .build();
+
+        assertDoesNotThrow(() -> KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors.validateConnectors(kmm2));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testSourceClusterNotConnectCluster() {
+        KafkaMirrorMaker2 kmm2 = new KafkaMirrorMaker2Builder(KMM2)
+                .editSpec()
+                    .withConnectCluster("target")
+                        .addToClusters(new KafkaMirrorMaker2ClusterSpecBuilder()
+                            .withAlias("third")
+                            .withBootstrapServers("source:9092")
+                            .build())
+                    .editMirror(0)
+                        .withTargetCluster("third")
+                    .endMirror()
+                .endSpec()
+                .build();
+
+        InvalidResourceException ex = assertThrows(InvalidResourceException.class, () -> KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors.validateConnectors(kmm2));
+        assertThat(ex.getMessage(), is("KafkaMirrorMaker2 resource validation failed: " +
+                "[Connect cluster alias (currently set to target) must match the target cluster alias third or both clusters must have the same bootstrap servers.]"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testMultipleMirrors() {
+        KafkaMirrorMaker2 kmm2CorrectAndIncorrectMirror = new KafkaMirrorMaker2Builder(KMM2)
+                .editSpec()
+                    .addToClusters(new KafkaMirrorMaker2ClusterSpecBuilder()
+                        .withAlias("fourth")
+                        .withBootstrapServers("target:9092")
+                        .build())
+                    .addToMirrors(new KafkaMirrorMaker2MirrorSpecBuilder()
+                        .withSourceCluster("source")
+                        .withTargetCluster("fourth").build())
+                .endSpec()
+                .build();
+
+        assertDoesNotThrow(() -> KafkaMirrorMaker2Connectors.validateConnectors(kmm2CorrectAndIncorrectMirror));
     }
 
     @Test