diff --git a/src/client/client_validation.c b/src/client/client_validation.c
index 106580f..e807085 100644
--- a/src/client/client_validation.c
+++ b/src/client/client_validation.c
@@ -23,15 +23,15 @@ bool validate_config(const Config* config) {
     log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "--incremental is not supported with -s (chunk serialization)");
     return false;
   }
-  if (config->use_delta && !config->use_incremental) {
+  if (config->use_delta && !config->whole_file && !config->use_incremental) {
     log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "--delta requires --incremental");
     return false;
   }
-  if (config->use_delta && config->use_chunk_serialization) {
+  if (config->use_delta && !config->whole_file && config->use_chunk_serialization) {
     log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "--delta cannot be combined with -s (chunk serialization)");
     return false;
   }
-  if (config->use_delta && config->use_sendfile) {
+  if (config->use_delta && !config->whole_file && config->use_sendfile) {
     log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "--delta cannot be combined with -f (sendfile)");
     return false;
   }
diff --git a/tests/test_client_cli.c b/tests/test_client_cli.c
index c1cb03f..a557774 100644
--- a/tests/test_client_cli.c
+++ b/tests/test_client_cli.c
@@ -59,6 +59,13 @@ static void test_validate_config_delta_sendfile_constraints() {
   cfg->use_incremental = true;
   cfg->use_sendfile = true;
   EXPECT_FALSE(validate_config(cfg));
+
+  /* Whole-file makes delta selection inactive, so these combinations are valid. */
+  cfg->whole_file = true;
+  EXPECT_TRUE(validate_config(cfg));
+
+  cfg->use_incremental = false;
+  EXPECT_TRUE(validate_config(cfg));
   config_delete(cfg);
 }