diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/ControllerApis.scala b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/ControllerApis.scala
index f10b769d9c12f..aced661a641ae 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/ControllerApis.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/ControllerApis.scala
@@ -1059,7 +1059,10 @@ class ControllerApis(
   def handleDescribeCluster(request: RequestChannel.Request): CompletableFuture[Unit] = {
     // Nearly all RPCs should check MetadataVersion inside the QuorumController. However, this
     // RPC is consulting a cache which lives outside the QC. So we check MetadataVersion here.
-    if (!apiVersionManager.features.metadataVersion().isControllerRegistrationSupported) {
+    if (apiVersionManager.features.metadataVersion().isEmpty) {
+      throw new UnsupportedVersionException("There is no finalized MetadataVersion, so " +
+        "direct-to-controller communication is not supported.")
+    } else if (!apiVersionManager.features.metadataVersion().get.isControllerRegistrationSupported) {
       throw new UnsupportedVersionException("Direct-to-controller communication is not " +
         "supported with the current MetadataVersion.")
     }
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/metadata/BrokerMetadataPublisher.scala b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/metadata/BrokerMetadataPublisher.scala
index c233d5f45dc41..52bd3ad723296 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/metadata/BrokerMetadataPublisher.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/metadata/BrokerMetadataPublisher.scala
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 package kafka.server.metadata
 
+import java.util.Optional
 import java.util.OptionalInt
 import kafka.coordinator.transaction.TransactionCoordinator
 import kafka.log.LogManager
@@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ class BrokerMetadataPublisher(
 
       if (delta.featuresDelta != null) {
         try {
-          val newFinalizedFeatures = new FinalizedFeatures(newImage.features.metadataVersionOrThrow, newImage.features.finalizedVersions, newImage.provenance.lastContainedOffset)
+          val newFinalizedFeatures = new FinalizedFeatures(Optional.of(newImage.features.metadataVersionOrThrow), newImage.features.finalizedVersions, newImage.provenance.lastContainedOffset)
           val newFinalizedShareVersion = newFinalizedFeatures.finalizedFeatures().getOrDefault(ShareVersion.FEATURE_NAME, 0.toShort)
           // Share version feature has been toggled.
           if (newFinalizedShareVersion != finalizedShareVersion) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/metadata/KRaftMetadataCache.scala b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/metadata/KRaftMetadataCache.scala
index 88b2cf07012a6..d6fe4df68c46a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/metadata/KRaftMetadataCache.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/server/metadata/KRaftMetadataCache.scala
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import org.apache.kafka.metadata.{BrokerRegistration, LeaderAndIsr, MetadataCach
 import org.apache.kafka.server.common.{FinalizedFeatures, KRaftVersion, MetadataVersion}
 
 import java.util
+import java.util.Optional
 import java.util.concurrent.ThreadLocalRandom
 import java.util.function.{Predicate, Supplier}
 import java.util.stream.Collectors
@@ -471,7 +472,7 @@ class KRaftMetadataCache(
       finalizedFeatures.put(KRaftVersion.FEATURE_NAME, kraftVersionLevel)
     }
     new FinalizedFeatures(
-      image.features().metadataVersionOrThrow(),
+      Optional.of(image.features().metadataVersionOrThrow()),
       finalizedFeatures,
       image.highestOffsetAndEpoch().offset)
   }
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/transaction/TransactionCoordinatorConcurrencyTest.scala b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/transaction/TransactionCoordinatorConcurrencyTest.scala
index 79957b01fb77b..77da2f01f73da 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/transaction/TransactionCoordinatorConcurrencyTest.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/transaction/TransactionCoordinatorConcurrencyTest.scala
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class TransactionCoordinatorConcurrencyTest extends AbstractCoordinatorConcurren
     ).thenReturn(Optional.of(brokerNode))
     when(metadataCache.features()).thenReturn {
       new FinalizedFeatures(
-        MetadataVersion.latestTesting(),
+        Optional.of(MetadataVersion.latestTesting()),
         util.Map.of(TransactionVersion.FEATURE_NAME, TransactionVersion.TV_2.featureLevel()),
         0)
     }
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/transaction/TransactionStateManagerTest.scala b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/transaction/TransactionStateManagerTest.scala
index f9953bae24ff4..85624a94cfbc2 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/transaction/TransactionStateManagerTest.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/coordinator/transaction/TransactionStateManagerTest.scala
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.{any, anyInt, anyLong, anyShort}
 import org.mockito.Mockito.{atLeastOnce, mock, reset, times, verify, when}
 
 import java.util
+import java.util.Optional
 import scala.collection.{Map, mutable}
 import scala.jdk.CollectionConverters._
 
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ class TransactionStateManagerTest {
 
   when(metadataCache.features()).thenReturn {
     new FinalizedFeatures(
-      MetadataVersion.latestTesting(),
+      Optional.of(MetadataVersion.latestTesting()),
       util.Map.of(TransactionVersion.FEATURE_NAME, TransactionVersion.TV_2.featureLevel()),
       0)
   }
@@ -1359,7 +1360,7 @@ class TransactionStateManagerTest {
     val metadataCache = mock(classOf[MetadataCache])
     when(metadataCache.features()).thenReturn {
       new FinalizedFeatures(
-        MetadataVersion.latestTesting(),
+        Optional.of(MetadataVersion.latestTesting()),
         util.Map.of(TransactionVersion.FEATURE_NAME, transactionVersion.featureLevel()),
         0)
     }
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/network/ProcessorTest.scala b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/network/ProcessorTest.scala
index 54bbd0bf2018a..91fa339b9bbed 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/network/ProcessorTest.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/network/ProcessorTest.scala
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class ProcessorTest {
     val requestHeader = RequestTestUtils.serializeRequestHeader(
       new RequestHeader(ApiKeys.INIT_PRODUCER_ID, 0, "clientid", 0))
     val apiVersionManager = new SimpleApiVersionManager(ListenerType.CONTROLLER, true,
-      () => new FinalizedFeatures(MetadataVersion.latestTesting(), util.Map.of[String, java.lang.Short], 0))
+      () => new FinalizedFeatures(Optional.of(MetadataVersion.latestTesting()), util.Map.of[String, java.lang.Short], 0))
     val e = assertThrows(classOf[InvalidRequestException],
       (() => Processor.parseRequestHeader(apiVersionManager, requestHeader)): Executable,
       "INIT_PRODUCER_ID with listener type CONTROLLER should throw InvalidRequestException exception")
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/network/SocketServerTest.scala b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/network/SocketServerTest.scala
index 6a4b8d8ca672e..e7ed55a3b5886 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/network/SocketServerTest.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/network/SocketServerTest.scala
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ import java.nio.channels.{SelectionKey, SocketChannel}
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets
 import java.security.cert.X509Certificate
 import java.util
+import java.util.Optional
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger
 import java.util.concurrent._
 import java.util.{Properties, Random}
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ class SocketServerTest {
   TestUtils.clearYammerMetrics()
 
   private val apiVersionManager = new SimpleApiVersionManager(ListenerType.BROKER, true,
-    () => new FinalizedFeatures(MetadataVersion.latestTesting(), util.Map.of[String, java.lang.Short], 0))
+    () => new FinalizedFeatures(Optional.of(MetadataVersion.latestTesting()), util.Map.of[String, java.lang.Short], 0))
   var server: SocketServer = _
   val sockets = new ArrayBuffer[Socket]
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/server/KafkaApisTest.scala b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/server/KafkaApisTest.scala
index 3917438abbbc0..92c88114b0fcf 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/server/KafkaApisTest.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/unit/kafka/server/KafkaApisTest.scala
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ class KafkaApisTest extends Logging {
     val apiVersionManager = new SimpleApiVersionManager(
       ListenerType.BROKER,
       true,
-      () => new FinalizedFeatures(MetadataVersion.latestTesting(), util.Map.of[String, java.lang.Short], 0))
+      () => new FinalizedFeatures(Optional.of(MetadataVersion.latestTesting()), util.Map.of[String, java.lang.Short], 0))
 
     setupFeatures(featureVersions)
 
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ class KafkaApisTest extends Logging {
 
     when(metadataCache.features()).thenReturn {
       new FinalizedFeatures(
-        MetadataVersion.latestTesting,
+        Optional.of(MetadataVersion.latestTesting),
         featureVersions.map { featureVersion =>
           featureVersion.featureName -> featureVersion.featureLevel.asInstanceOf[java.lang.Short]
         }.toMap.asJava,
diff --git a/metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/metadata/publisher/FeaturesPublisher.java b/metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/metadata/publisher/FeaturesPublisher.java
index 9ccddbe810966..5907753781eb1 100644
--- a/metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/metadata/publisher/FeaturesPublisher.java
+++ b/metadata/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/metadata/publisher/FeaturesPublisher.java
@@ -27,13 +27,13 @@
 
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 
-import static org.apache.kafka.server.common.MetadataVersion.MINIMUM_VERSION;
+import java.util.Optional;
 
 
 public class FeaturesPublisher implements MetadataPublisher {
     private final Logger log;
     private final FaultHandler faultHandler;
-    private volatile FinalizedFeatures finalizedFeatures = FinalizedFeatures.fromKRaftVersion(MINIMUM_VERSION);
+    private volatile FinalizedFeatures finalizedFeatures = FinalizedFeatures.UNKNOWN_FINALIZED_FEATURES;
 
     public FeaturesPublisher(
         LogContext logContext,
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ public void onMetadataUpdate(
     ) {
         try {
             if (delta.featuresDelta() != null) {
-                FinalizedFeatures newFinalizedFeatures = new FinalizedFeatures(newImage.features().metadataVersionOrThrow(),
+                FinalizedFeatures newFinalizedFeatures = new FinalizedFeatures(
+                    Optional.of(newImage.features().metadataVersionOrThrow()),
                     newImage.features().finalizedVersions(),
                     newImage.provenance().lastContainedOffset()
                 );
diff --git a/server-common/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/server/common/FinalizedFeatures.java b/server-common/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/server/common/FinalizedFeatures.java
index 9133f0db79853..3fc8f2ad30024 100644
--- a/server-common/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/server/common/FinalizedFeatures.java
+++ b/server-common/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/server/common/FinalizedFeatures.java
@@ -19,25 +19,30 @@
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Objects;
+import java.util.Optional;
 
 public record FinalizedFeatures(
-    MetadataVersion metadataVersion,
+    Optional<MetadataVersion> metadataVersion,
     Map<String, Short> finalizedFeatures,
     long finalizedFeaturesEpoch
 ) {
+    public static final FinalizedFeatures UNKNOWN_FINALIZED_FEATURES =
+        new FinalizedFeatures(Optional.empty(), Map.of(), -1);
+
     public static FinalizedFeatures fromKRaftVersion(MetadataVersion version) {
-        return new FinalizedFeatures(version, Map.of(), -1);
+        return new FinalizedFeatures(Optional.of(version), Map.of(), -1);
     }
 
     public FinalizedFeatures(
-        MetadataVersion metadataVersion,
+        Optional<MetadataVersion> metadataVersion,
         Map<String, Short> finalizedFeatures,
         long finalizedFeaturesEpoch
     ) {
         this.metadataVersion = Objects.requireNonNull(metadataVersion);
         this.finalizedFeatures = new HashMap<>(finalizedFeatures);
         this.finalizedFeaturesEpoch = finalizedFeaturesEpoch;
-        this.finalizedFeatures.put(MetadataVersion.FEATURE_NAME, metadataVersion.featureLevel());
+        metadataVersion.ifPresent(mv ->
+            this.finalizedFeatures.put(MetadataVersion.FEATURE_NAME, mv.featureLevel()));
     }
 
     public FinalizedFeatures setFinalizedLevel(String key, short level) {
diff --git a/server-common/src/test/java/org/apache/kafka/server/common/FinalizedFeaturesTest.java b/server-common/src/test/java/org/apache/kafka/server/common/FinalizedFeaturesTest.java
index 1c4c9547cf07f..23d2096439808 100644
--- a/server-common/src/test/java/org/apache/kafka/server/common/FinalizedFeaturesTest.java
+++ b/server-common/src/test/java/org/apache/kafka/server/common/FinalizedFeaturesTest.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Optional;
 
 import static org.apache.kafka.server.common.MetadataVersion.FEATURE_NAME;
 import static org.apache.kafka.server.common.MetadataVersion.MINIMUM_VERSION;
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@
 class FinalizedFeaturesTest {
     @Test
     public void testKRaftModeFeatures() {
-        FinalizedFeatures finalizedFeatures = new FinalizedFeatures(MINIMUM_VERSION,
+        FinalizedFeatures finalizedFeatures = new FinalizedFeatures(Optional.of(MINIMUM_VERSION),
                 Map.of("foo", (short) 2), 123);
         assertEquals(MINIMUM_VERSION.featureLevel(),
                 finalizedFeatures.finalizedFeatures().get(FEATURE_NAME));
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ public void testKRaftModeFeatures() {
     @Test
     public void testSetFinalizedLevel() {
         FinalizedFeatures finalizedFeatures = new FinalizedFeatures(
-            MINIMUM_VERSION,
+            Optional.of(MINIMUM_VERSION),
             Map.of("foo", (short) 2),
             123
         );