diff --git a/docs/usage/customization-guide.md b/docs/usage/customization-guide.md
index 139f01e015..3e687b9bea 100644
--- a/docs/usage/customization-guide.md
+++ b/docs/usage/customization-guide.md
@@ -605,10 +605,10 @@ NFD enforces some limitations to the namespace (or prefix)/ of the annotations:
   generally be used
 - the only exception is `feature.node.kubernetes.io/` and its sub-namespaces
   (like `sub.ns.feature.node.kubernetes.io`)
-- unprefixed names (like `my-annotation`) should not be used. In NFD {{
-  site.version }} unprefixed names will be automatically prefixed with
-  `feature.node.kubernetes.io/` but this will change in a future version (see the
-  [DisableAutoPrefix](../reference/feature-gates.md#disableautoprefix) feature gate).
+- if an unprefixed name (e.g., `my-annotation`) is used, NFD {{ site.version }}
+  will automatically prefix it with `feature.node.kubernetes.io/` unless the
+  `DisableAutoPrefix` feature gate is set to true, in which case no prefixing
+  occurs.
 
 > **NOTE:** The `annotations` field has will only advertise features via node
 > annotations the features won't be advertised as node labels unless they are
diff --git a/pkg/nfd-master/nfd-master-internal_test.go b/pkg/nfd-master/nfd-master-internal_test.go
index 4acd5cb601..9ecdbdcbf1 100644
--- a/pkg/nfd-master/nfd-master-internal_test.go
+++ b/pkg/nfd-master/nfd-master-internal_test.go
@@ -386,6 +386,7 @@ func TestFilterLabels(t *testing.T) {
 		expectErr            bool
 		expectedValue        string
 		expectedExtResources ExtendedResources
+		expectedAnnotations  map[string]string
 	}
 
 	tcs := []TC{
@@ -463,34 +464,54 @@ func TestFilterLabels(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tcs = []TC{
 		{
-			description:          "Unprefixed extended resources should not be allowed",
+			description:          "Unprefixed extended resources & annotations should not be allowed",
 			expectedExtResources: ExtendedResources{},
+			expectedAnnotations:  map[string]string{},
 		},
 	}
 
 	extendedResources := ExtendedResources{"micromicrowaves": "10", "tooster": "5"}
+	prefixlessAnnotation := map[string]string{"test-annotation": "bar"}
+
 	for _, tc := range tcs {
 		t.Run(tc.description, func(t *testing.T) {
 			outExtendedResources := fakeMaster.filterExtendedResources(&tc.features, extendedResources)
-			Convey("Unprefixed extended resources should npotbe allowed", t, func() {
+			Convey("Unprefixed extended resources should not be allowed", t, func() {
 				So(outExtendedResources, ShouldEqual, tc.expectedExtResources)
 			})
 		})
 	}
 
+	for _, tc := range tcs {
+		t.Run(tc.description, func(t *testing.T) {
+			filteredAnnotations := fakeMaster.filterFeatureAnnotations(prefixlessAnnotation)
+			Convey("Unprefixed annotation should not be allowed", t, func() {
+				So(filteredAnnotations, ShouldEqual, tc.expectedAnnotations)
+			})
+		})
+	}
+
 	// Create a new fake master with the feature gate enabled
 	fakeMaster = newFakeMasterWithFeatureGate()
 	tcs = []TC{
 		{
-			description:   "Unprefixed should be allowed",
+			description:   "Unprefixed label & annotation should be allowed",
 			labelName:     "test-label",
 			labelValue:    "test-value",
 			expectedValue: "test-value",
+			expectedAnnotations: map[string]string{
+				"test-annotation": "bar",
+			},
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tc := range tcs {
 		t.Run(tc.description, func(t *testing.T) {
+			testPrefixlessAnnotation := map[string]string{
+				"test-annotation": "bar",
+			}
+
 			labelValue, err := fakeMaster.filterFeatureLabel(tc.labelName, tc.labelValue, &tc.features)
+			filteredAnnotations := fakeMaster.filterFeatureAnnotations(testPrefixlessAnnotation)
 
 			Convey("Label should not be filtered out", t, func() {
 				So(err, ShouldBeNil)
@@ -498,6 +519,9 @@ func TestFilterLabels(t *testing.T) {
 			Convey("Label value should be correct", t, func() {
 				So(labelValue, ShouldEqual, tc.expectedValue)
 			})
+			Convey("Unprefixed annotation should be allowed", t, func() {
+				So(filteredAnnotations, ShouldEqual, tc.expectedAnnotations)
+			})
 		})
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/nfd-master/nfd-master.go b/pkg/nfd-master/nfd-master.go
index 8c3789a703..b63581f218 100644
--- a/pkg/nfd-master/nfd-master.go
+++ b/pkg/nfd-master/nfd-master.go
@@ -976,6 +976,7 @@ func (m *nfdMaster) processNodeFeatureRule(nodeName string, features *nfdv1alpha
 			l := ruleOut.Labels
 			e := ruleOut.ExtendedResources
 			a := ruleOut.Annotations
+
 			if !nfdfeatures.NFDFeatureGate.Enabled(nfdfeatures.DisableAutoPrefix) {
 				l = addNsToMapKeys(ruleOut.Labels, nfdv1alpha1.FeatureLabelNs)
 				e = addNsToMapKeys(ruleOut.ExtendedResources, nfdv1alpha1.ExtendedResourceNs)
@@ -1361,8 +1362,10 @@ func (m *nfdMaster) filterFeatureAnnotations(annotations map[string]string) map[
 		// Check annotation namespace, filter out if ns is not whitelisted
 		err := validate.Annotation(annotation, value)
 		if err != nil {
-			klog.ErrorS(err, "ignoring annotation", "annotationKey", annotation, "annotationValue", value)
-			continue
+			if !nfdfeatures.NFDFeatureGate.Enabled(nfdfeatures.DisableAutoPrefix) || err != validate.ErrUnprefixedKeysNotAllowed {
+				klog.ErrorS(err, "ignoring annotation", "annotationKey", annotation, "annotationValue", value)
+				continue
+			}
 		}
 
 		outAnnotations[annotation] = value