diff --git a/cmd/cluster/clusterCreate.go b/cmd/cluster/clusterCreate.go
index 543084d7..0fb8ce3e 100644
--- a/cmd/cluster/clusterCreate.go
+++ b/cmd/cluster/clusterCreate.go
@@ -484,10 +484,6 @@ func applyCLIOverrides(cfg conf.SimpleConfig) (conf.SimpleConfig, error) {
 			log.Fatalln(err)
 		}
 
-		if len(filters) > 1 {
-			log.Fatalln("Can only apply a Portmap to one node")
-		}
-
 		// create new entry or append filter to existing entry
 		if _, exists := portFilterMap[portmap]; exists {
 			log.Fatalln("Same Portmapping can not be used for multiple nodes")
diff --git a/pkg/config/transform.go b/pkg/config/transform.go
index b1850d14..fda040c5 100644
--- a/pkg/config/transform.go
+++ b/pkg/config/transform.go
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ func TransformSimpleToClusterConfig(ctx context.Context, runtime runtimes.Runtim
 					}
 				}
 			} else if suffix == "direct" {
+				if len(nodes) > 1 {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("error: cannot apply a direct port-mapping (%s) to more than one node", portmappings)
+				}
 				for _, node := range nodes {
 					if err := addPortMappings(node, portmappings); err != nil {
 						return nil, err