diff --git a/internal/webhook/v1alpha1/kollecttarget_scope_webhook_test.go b/internal/webhook/v1alpha1/kollecttarget_scope_webhook_test.go
index 35dcef05..22757d23 100644
--- a/internal/webhook/v1alpha1/kollecttarget_scope_webhook_test.go
+++ b/internal/webhook/v1alpha1/kollecttarget_scope_webhook_test.go
@@ -81,6 +81,65 @@ func TestKollectTargetValidator_scopeAdmission(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestKollectTargetValidator_scopeAdmissionMissingProfile(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	scheme := runtime.NewScheme()
+	if err := kollectdevv1alpha1.AddToScheme(scheme); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	scopeObj := &kollectdevv1alpha1.KollectScope{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "team-scope", Namespace: "sec-ops"},
+		Spec: kollectdevv1alpha1.KollectScopeSpec{
+			ScopeCeilingSpec: kollectdevv1alpha1.ScopeCeilingSpec{
+				AllowedNamespaces: []string{"team-a"},
+				DeniedNamespaces:  []string{"kube-system"},
+				AllowedGVKs: []kollectdevv1alpha1.GroupVersionKind{
+					{Group: "apps", Version: "v1", Kind: "Deployment"},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	// No KollectProfile object: the Target references one that does not exist yet.
+	cl := fake.NewClientBuilder().WithScheme(scheme).WithObjects(scopeObj).Build()
+	v := &kollectTargetValidator{client: cl}
+
+	base := &kollectdevv1alpha1.KollectTarget{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "pending", Namespace: "sec-ops"},
+		Spec: kollectdevv1alpha1.KollectTargetSpec{
+			ProfileRef: "not-created-yet",
+			CollectionFilterSpec: kollectdevv1alpha1.CollectionFilterSpec{
+				IncludedNamespaces: []string{"team-a"},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	if err := v.validate(context.Background(), base); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("in-scope target must stay admissible before its profile exists: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	deniedNS := base.DeepCopy()
+	deniedNS.Spec.IncludedNamespaces = []string{"kube-system"}
+	if err := v.validate(context.Background(), deniedNS); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected reject for denied namespace when the profile is missing")
+	}
+
+	outOfScope := base.DeepCopy()
+	outOfScope.Spec.IncludedNamespaces = []string{"team-b"}
+	if err := v.validate(context.Background(), outOfScope); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected reject for namespace outside allowlist when the profile is missing")
+	}
+
+	badGVK := base.DeepCopy()
+	badGVK.Spec.ResourceRules = []kollectdevv1alpha1.ResourceRule{
+		{GVK: kollectdevv1alpha1.GroupVersionKind{Group: "batch", Version: "v1", Kind: "Job"}},
+	}
+	if err := v.validate(context.Background(), badGVK); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected reject for resourceRules GVK outside scope when the profile is missing")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestKollectTargetValidator_validateWatchMode(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
diff --git a/internal/webhook/v1alpha1/kollecttarget_webhook.go b/internal/webhook/v1alpha1/kollecttarget_webhook.go
index d643b025..eaa84b09 100644
--- a/internal/webhook/v1alpha1/kollecttarget_webhook.go
+++ b/internal/webhook/v1alpha1/kollecttarget_webhook.go
@@ -78,17 +78,23 @@ func (v *kollectTargetValidator) validateScope(ctx context.Context, target *koll
 
 	var profile kollectdevv1alpha1.KollectProfile
 	profileKey := client.ObjectKey{Namespace: target.Namespace, Name: target.Spec.ProfileRef}
-	if err := v.client.Get(ctx, profileKey, &profile); err != nil {
-		if apierrors.IsNotFound(err) {
-			return nil
-		}
-
+	profileResolved := true
+	switch err := v.client.Get(ctx, profileKey, &profile); {
+	case err == nil:
+	case apierrors.IsNotFound(err):
+		// A Target may be applied before its KollectProfile. Only the profile
+		// targetGVK is unknowable here — it is re-checked at reconcile, which
+		// degrades with ScopeGVKDenied. Everything spec-derived stays enforced.
+		profileResolved = false
+	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("load KollectProfile: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	gvks := scope.CollectRuleGVKs(target.Spec.CollectionFilterSpec, profile.Spec.TargetGVK)
-	if err := scope.ValidateResourceRuleGVKs(binding.Scope, gvks); err != nil {
-		return err
+	if profileResolved || len(target.Spec.ResourceRules) > 0 {
+		gvks := scope.CollectRuleGVKs(target.Spec.CollectionFilterSpec, profile.Spec.TargetGVK)
+		if err := scope.ValidateResourceRuleGVKs(binding.Scope, gvks); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	intentNS := scope.NormalizeNamespaceList(target.Spec.IncludedNamespaces)