diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/osd/osd.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/osd/osd.go
index 812cc5e4f..1c9b2b5c4 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/osd/osd.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/osd/osd.go
@@ -173,12 +173,7 @@ func (osdProps osdProperties) getPreparePlacement() cephv1.Placement {
 	return osdProps.placement
 }
 
-// Start the osd management
-func (c *Cluster) Start() error {
-	namespace := c.clusterInfo.Namespace
-	config := c.newProvisionConfig()
-	errs := newProvisionErrors()
-
+func (c *Cluster) validateOSDSettings() error {
 	// Validate pod's memory if specified
 	for resourceKey, resourceValue := range c.spec.Resources {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(resourceKey, cephv1.ResourcesKeyOSD) {
@@ -188,6 +183,25 @@ func (c *Cluster) Start() error {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	deviceSetNames := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, deviceSet := range c.spec.Storage.StorageClassDeviceSets {
+		if deviceSetNames[deviceSet.Name] {
+			return errors.Errorf("device set %q name is duplicated, OSDs cannot be configured", deviceSet.Name)
+		}
+		deviceSetNames[deviceSet.Name] = true
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Start the osd management
+func (c *Cluster) Start() error {
+	namespace := c.clusterInfo.Namespace
+	config := c.newProvisionConfig()
+	errs := newProvisionErrors()
+
+	if err := c.validateOSDSettings(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	logger.Infof("start running osds in namespace %q", namespace)
 
 	if !c.spec.Storage.UseAllNodes && len(c.spec.Storage.Nodes) == 0 && len(c.spec.Storage.StorageClassDeviceSets) == 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/osd/osd_test.go b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/osd/osd_test.go
index 2ee0d7567..043e41c7f 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/osd/osd_test.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/ceph/cluster/osd/osd_test.go
@@ -984,3 +984,36 @@ func TestGetOSDLocationFromArgs(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, osdLocaiton, "")
 	assert.Equal(t, locationFound, false)
 }
+
+func TestValidateOSDSettings(t *testing.T) {
+	namespace := "ns"
+	clusterInfo := &cephclient.ClusterInfo{
+		Namespace:   namespace,
+		CephVersion: cephver.Quincy,
+		Context:     context.TODO(),
+	}
+	clusterInfo.SetName("rook-ceph-test")
+	c := New(&clusterd.Context{}, clusterInfo, cephv1.ClusterSpec{}, "version")
+
+	t.Run("validate with no settings", func(t *testing.T) {
+		assert.NoError(t, c.validateOSDSettings())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("valid device sets", func(t *testing.T) {
+		c.spec.Storage.StorageClassDeviceSets = []cephv1.StorageClassDeviceSet{
+			{Name: "set1"},
+			{Name: "set2"},
+			{Name: "set3"},
+		}
+		assert.NoError(t, c.validateOSDSettings())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("duplicate device sets", func(t *testing.T) {
+		c.spec.Storage.StorageClassDeviceSets = []cephv1.StorageClassDeviceSet{
+			{Name: "set1"},
+			{Name: "set2"},
+			{Name: "set1"},
+		}
+		assert.Error(t, c.validateOSDSettings())
+	})
+}