diff --git a/server/errors.json b/server/errors.json
index 5f4d0fdb..08f3a369 100644
--- a/server/errors.json
+++ b/server/errors.json
@@ -1058,5 +1058,15 @@
     "help": "",
     "url": "",
     "deprecates": ""
+  },
+  {
+    "constant": "JSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeats",
+    "code": 400,
+    "error_code": 10108,
+    "description": "consumer with flow control also needs heartbeats",
+    "comment": "",
+    "help": "",
+    "url": "",
+    "deprecates": ""
   }
-]
+]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/jetstream_api.go b/server/jetstream_api.go
index 8ce6e3f9..7793512a 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_api.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_api.go
@@ -3046,6 +3046,13 @@ func (s *Server) jsConsumerCreate(sub *subscription, c *client, a *Account, subj
 		return
 	}
 
+	// We reject if flow control is set without heartbeats.
+	if req.Config.FlowControl && req.Config.Heartbeat == 0 {
+		resp.Error = NewJSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeatsError()
+		s.sendAPIErrResponse(ci, acc, subject, reply, string(msg), s.jsonResponse(&resp))
+		return
+	}
+
 	// Make sure we have sane defaults.
 	setConsumerConfigDefaults(&req.Config)
 
diff --git a/server/jetstream_cluster_test.go b/server/jetstream_cluster_test.go
index 8a897e4a..d50cb455 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_cluster_test.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_cluster_test.go
@@ -8626,6 +8626,26 @@ func TestJetStreamClusterLargeHeaders(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestJetStreamClusterFlowControlRequiresHeartbeats(t *testing.T) {
+	c := createJetStreamClusterExplicit(t, "R3S", 3)
+	defer c.shutdown()
+
+	nc, js := jsClientConnect(t, c.randomServer())
+	defer nc.Close()
+
+	if _, err := js.AddStream(&nats.StreamConfig{Name: "TEST"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := js.AddConsumer("TEST", &nats.ConsumerConfig{
+		Durable:        "dlc",
+		DeliverSubject: nats.NewInbox(),
+		FlowControl:    true,
+	}); err == nil || IsNatsErr(err, JSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeats) {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 // Support functions
 
 // Used to setup superclusters for tests.
diff --git a/server/jetstream_errors_generated.go b/server/jetstream_errors_generated.go
index cc3fa124..6ae5db1f 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_errors_generated.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_errors_generated.go
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ const (
 	// JSConsumerWQRequiresExplicitAckErr workqueue stream requires explicit ack
 	JSConsumerWQRequiresExplicitAckErr ErrorIdentifier = 10098
 
+	// JSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeats consumer with flow control also needs heartbeats
+	JSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeats ErrorIdentifier = 10108
+
 	// JSInsufficientResourcesErr insufficient resources
 	JSInsufficientResourcesErr ErrorIdentifier = 10023
 
@@ -375,6 +378,7 @@ var (
 		JSConsumerWQConsumerNotUniqueErr:           {Code: 400, ErrCode: 10100, Description: "filtered consumer not unique on workqueue stream"},
 		JSConsumerWQMultipleUnfilteredErr:          {Code: 400, ErrCode: 10099, Description: "multiple non-filtered consumers not allowed on workqueue stream"},
 		JSConsumerWQRequiresExplicitAckErr:         {Code: 400, ErrCode: 10098, Description: "workqueue stream requires explicit ack"},
+		JSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeats:   {Code: 400, ErrCode: 10108, Description: "consumer with flow control also needs heartbeats"},
 		JSInsufficientResourcesErr:                 {Code: 503, ErrCode: 10023, Description: "insufficient resources"},
 		JSInvalidJSONErr:                           {Code: 400, ErrCode: 10025, Description: "invalid JSON"},
 		JSMaximumConsumersLimitErr:                 {Code: 400, ErrCode: 10026, Description: "maximum consumers limit reached"},
@@ -983,6 +987,16 @@ func NewJSConsumerWQRequiresExplicitAckError(opts ...ErrorOption) *ApiError {
 	return ApiErrors[JSConsumerWQRequiresExplicitAckErr]
 }
 
+// NewJSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeatsError creates a new JSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeats error: "consumer with flow control also needs heartbeats"
+func NewJSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeatsError(opts ...ErrorOption) *ApiError {
+	eopts := parseOpts(opts)
+	if ae, ok := eopts.err.(*ApiError); ok {
+		return ae
+	}
+
+	return ApiErrors[JSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeats]
+}
+
 // NewJSInsufficientResourcesError creates a new JSInsufficientResourcesErr error: "insufficient resources"
 func NewJSInsufficientResourcesError(opts ...ErrorOption) *ApiError {
 	eopts := parseOpts(opts)
diff --git a/server/jetstream_test.go b/server/jetstream_test.go
index cdfd1acd..a69be9e6 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_test.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_test.go
@@ -7143,6 +7143,7 @@ func TestJetStreamPushConsumerFlowControl(t *testing.T) {
 			Durable:        "dlc",
 			DeliverSubject: sub.Subject,
 			FlowControl:    true,
+			Heartbeat:      5 * time.Second,
 		},
 	}
 	req, err := json.Marshal(obsReq)
@@ -7218,6 +7219,30 @@ func TestJetStreamPushConsumerFlowControl(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestJetStreamFlowControlRequiresHeartbeats(t *testing.T) {
+	s := RunBasicJetStreamServer()
+	defer s.Shutdown()
+
+	if config := s.JetStreamConfig(); config != nil {
+		defer removeDir(t, config.StoreDir)
+	}
+
+	nc, js := jsClientConnect(t, s)
+	defer nc.Close()
+
+	if _, err := js.AddStream(&nats.StreamConfig{Name: "TEST"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := js.AddConsumer("TEST", &nats.ConsumerConfig{
+		Durable:        "dlc",
+		DeliverSubject: nats.NewInbox(),
+		FlowControl:    true,
+	}); err == nil || IsNatsErr(err, JSConsumerWithFlowControlNeedsHeartbeats) {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestJetStreamPushConsumerIdleHeartbeats(t *testing.T) {
 	s := RunBasicJetStreamServer()
 	defer s.Shutdown()