diff --git a/internal/cnpgi/operator/config/config.go b/internal/cnpgi/operator/config/config.go
index 7f16dda..ba596cc 100644
--- a/internal/cnpgi/operator/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/cnpgi/operator/config/config.go
@@ -102,6 +102,15 @@ func (config *PluginConfiguration) GetReplicaSourceBarmanObjectKey() types.Names
 	}
 }
 
+// HasAnyBarmanObjectStore returns true if the configuration references at least
+// one barman object store, be it for backup/archiving, recovery, or as a
+// replica source.
+func (config *PluginConfiguration) HasAnyBarmanObjectStore() bool {
+	return len(config.BarmanObjectName) > 0 ||
+		len(config.RecoveryBarmanObjectName) > 0 ||
+		len(config.ReplicaSourceBarmanObjectName) > 0
+}
+
 // GetReferredBarmanObjectsKey gets the list of barman objects referred by this
 // plugin configuration
 func (config *PluginConfiguration) GetReferredBarmanObjectsKey() []types.NamespacedName {
@@ -263,9 +272,7 @@ func getReplicaSourcePlugin(cluster *cnpgv1.Cluster) *cnpgv1.PluginConfiguration
 func (config *PluginConfiguration) Validate() error {
 	err := NewConfigurationError()
 
-	if len(config.BarmanObjectName) == 0 &&
-		len(config.RecoveryBarmanObjectName) == 0 &&
-		len(config.ReplicaSourceBarmanObjectName) == 0 {
+	if !config.HasAnyBarmanObjectStore() {
 		return err.WithMessage("no reference to barmanObjectName have been included")
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle.go b/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle.go
index ca42f0b..8938f63 100644
--- a/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle.go
+++ b/internal/cnpgi/operator/lifecycle.go
@@ -343,9 +343,7 @@ func reconcileInstancePod(
 	// sidecar in its instance pods: the phase-0 bootstrap restore and the WAL
 	// replay that follows both run inside the instance and rely on it. This
 	// condition therefore mirrors what pluginConfiguration.Validate() accepts.
-	if len(pluginConfiguration.BarmanObjectName) != 0 ||
-		len(pluginConfiguration.RecoveryBarmanObjectName) != 0 ||
-		len(pluginConfiguration.ReplicaSourceBarmanObjectName) != 0 {
+	if pluginConfiguration.HasAnyBarmanObjectStore() {
 		if err := reconcilePodSpec(
 			cluster,
 			&mutatedPod.Spec,