diff --git a/providers/microsoft/azure/src/airflow/providers/microsoft/azure/sensors/compute.py b/providers/microsoft/azure/src/airflow/providers/microsoft/azure/sensors/compute.py
index 648b111432d78..e40ca5f4fcfd9 100644
--- a/providers/microsoft/azure/src/airflow/providers/microsoft/azure/sensors/compute.py
+++ b/providers/microsoft/azure/src/airflow/providers/microsoft/azure/sensors/compute.py
@@ -68,11 +68,6 @@ def __init__(
         self.deferrable = deferrable
 
     def poke(self, context: Context) -> bool:
-        # target_state is a template field; validate the rendered value here, not in __init__.
-        if self.target_state not in self.VALID_STATES:
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"Invalid target_state: {self.target_state}. Must be one of {sorted(self.VALID_STATES)}"
-            )
         hook = AzureComputeHook(azure_conn_id=self.azure_conn_id)
         current_state = hook.get_power_state(self.resource_group_name, self.vm_name)
         self.log.info("VM %s power state: %s", self.vm_name, current_state)
@@ -85,6 +80,10 @@ def execute(self, context: Context) -> None:
         In deferrable mode, the polling is deferred to the triggerer. Otherwise
         the sensor waits synchronously.
         """
+        if self.target_state not in self.VALID_STATES:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Invalid target_state: {self.target_state}. Must be one of {sorted(self.VALID_STATES)}"
+            )
         if not self.deferrable:
             super().execute(context=context)
         else:
diff --git a/providers/microsoft/azure/tests/unit/microsoft/azure/sensors/test_compute.py b/providers/microsoft/azure/tests/unit/microsoft/azure/sensors/test_compute.py
index 85c168ab89bde..5d3c93b030548 100644
--- a/providers/microsoft/azure/tests/unit/microsoft/azure/sensors/test_compute.py
+++ b/providers/microsoft/azure/tests/unit/microsoft/azure/sensors/test_compute.py
@@ -43,15 +43,19 @@ def test_init(self):
         assert sensor.target_state == "running"
         assert sensor.azure_conn_id == CONN_ID
 
-    def test_invalid_target_state_rejected_at_poke(self):
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("deferrable", [False, True])
+    def test_invalid_target_state_rejected_at_execute(self, deferrable):
         sensor = AzureVirtualMachineStateSensor(
             task_id="sense_vm",
             resource_group_name=RESOURCE_GROUP,
             vm_name=VM_NAME,
             target_state="invalid_state",
+            deferrable=deferrable,
+            silent_fail=True,
+            timeout=0,
         )
         with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Invalid target_state"):
-            sensor.poke(context=None)
+            sensor.execute(context=None)
 
     def test_templated_target_state_constructs(self):
         sensor = AzureVirtualMachineStateSensor(