diff --git a/internal/auditlogging/auditlogging.go b/internal/auditlogging/auditlogging.go
index 1a19174d..aeeabf6f 100644
--- a/internal/auditlogging/auditlogging.go
+++ b/internal/auditlogging/auditlogging.go
@@ -140,10 +140,10 @@ func ApplyAuditLogConfig(shoot *gardener.Shoot, auditConfigFromFile map[string]m
 	}
 
 	tenant, ok := providerConfig[auditID]
-	if !ok {
-		if mandatory {
-			return false, fmt.Errorf("auditlog config for region %s, provider %s is empty", auditID, providerType)
-		}
+	if !ok && mandatory {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("auditlog config for region %s, provider %s is empty", auditID, providerType)
+	} else if !ok {
+		rollbackAuditPolicy(shoot)
 		return false, nil
 	}
 
@@ -288,6 +288,12 @@ func newAuditPolicyConfig(policyConfigMapName string) *gardener.AuditConfig {
 	}
 }
 
+func rollbackAuditPolicy(shoot *gardener.Shoot) {
+	if shoot.Spec.Kubernetes.KubeAPIServer != nil {
+		shoot.Spec.Kubernetes.KubeAPIServer.AuditConfig = nil
+	}
+}
+
 func (a *auditLogConfig) UpdateShoot(ctx context.Context, shoot *gardener.Shoot) error {
 	return a.client.Update(ctx, shoot)
 }
diff --git a/internal/auditlogging/mocks/AuditLogging.go b/internal/auditlogging/mocks/AuditLogging.go
index f670fd14..da6306d4 100644
--- a/internal/auditlogging/mocks/AuditLogging.go
+++ b/internal/auditlogging/mocks/AuditLogging.go
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ type AuditLogging struct {
 	mock.Mock
 }
 
-// Enable provides a mock function with given fields: ctx, shoot
-func (_m *AuditLogging) Enable(ctx context.Context, shoot *v1beta1.Shoot) (bool, error) {
-	ret := _m.Called(ctx, shoot)
+// Enable provides a mock function with given fields: ctx, shoot, mandatory
+func (_m *AuditLogging) Enable(ctx context.Context, shoot *v1beta1.Shoot, mandatory bool) (bool, error) {
+	ret := _m.Called(ctx, shoot, mandatory)
 
 	if len(ret) == 0 {
 		panic("no return value specified for Enable")
@@ -24,17 +24,17 @@ func (_m *AuditLogging) Enable(ctx context.Context, shoot *v1beta1.Shoot) (bool,
 
 	var r0 bool
 	var r1 error
-	if rf, ok := ret.Get(0).(func(context.Context, *v1beta1.Shoot) (bool, error)); ok {
-		return rf(ctx, shoot)
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(0).(func(context.Context, *v1beta1.Shoot, bool) (bool, error)); ok {
+		return rf(ctx, shoot, mandatory)
 	}
-	if rf, ok := ret.Get(0).(func(context.Context, *v1beta1.Shoot) bool); ok {
-		r0 = rf(ctx, shoot)
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(0).(func(context.Context, *v1beta1.Shoot, bool) bool); ok {
+		r0 = rf(ctx, shoot, mandatory)
 	} else {
 		r0 = ret.Get(0).(bool)
 	}
 
-	if rf, ok := ret.Get(1).(func(context.Context, *v1beta1.Shoot) error); ok {
-		r1 = rf(ctx, shoot)
+	if rf, ok := ret.Get(1).(func(context.Context, *v1beta1.Shoot, bool) error); ok {
+		r1 = rf(ctx, shoot, mandatory)
 	} else {
 		r1 = ret.Error(1)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/auditlogging/tests/auditlogging_test.go b/internal/auditlogging/tests/auditlogging_test.go
index 6a74d9b4..94d3a66b 100644
--- a/internal/auditlogging/tests/auditlogging_test.go
+++ b/internal/auditlogging/tests/auditlogging_test.go
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
+var auditLogMandatory = true
+
 func TestEnable(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("Should successfully enable Audit Log for Shoot", func(t *testing.T) {
 		// given
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@ func TestEnable(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// when
 		auditLog := &auditlogging.AuditLog{AuditLogConfigurator: configurator}
-		enable, err := auditLog.Enable(ctx, shoot)
+		enable, err := auditLog.Enable(ctx, shoot, auditLogMandatory)
 
 		// then
 		configurator.AssertExpectations(t)
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ func TestEnable(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// when
 		auditLog := &auditlogging.AuditLog{AuditLogConfigurator: configurator}
-		enable, err := auditLog.Enable(ctx, shoot)
+		enable, err := auditLog.Enable(ctx, shoot, auditLogMandatory)
 
 		// then
 		configurator.AssertExpectations(t)
@@ -78,7 +80,7 @@ func TestEnable(t *testing.T) {
 		// when
 
 		auditLog := &auditlogging.AuditLog{AuditLogConfigurator: configurator}
-		enable, err := auditLog.Enable(ctx, shoot)
+		enable, err := auditLog.Enable(ctx, shoot, auditLogMandatory)
 
 		// then
 		configurator.AssertExpectations(t)
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ func TestApplyAuditLogConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		configFromFile := fileConfigData()
 
 		// when
-		annotated, err := auditlogging.ApplyAuditLogConfig(shoot, configFromFile, "aws")
+		annotated, err := auditlogging.ApplyAuditLogConfig(shoot, configFromFile, "aws", auditLogMandatory)
 
 		// then
 		require.True(t, annotated)
@@ -106,7 +108,7 @@ func TestApplyAuditLogConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		shoot := shootForTest()
 
 		// when
-		annotated, err := auditlogging.ApplyAuditLogConfig(shoot, map[string]map[string]auditlogging.AuditLogData{}, "aws")
+		annotated, err := auditlogging.ApplyAuditLogConfig(shoot, map[string]map[string]auditlogging.AuditLogData{}, "aws", auditLogMandatory)
 
 		// then
 		require.False(t, annotated)
@@ -120,7 +122,7 @@ func TestApplyAuditLogConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		shoot.Spec.Region = ""
 
 		// when
-		annotated, err := auditlogging.ApplyAuditLogConfig(shoot, configFromFile, "aws")
+		annotated, err := auditlogging.ApplyAuditLogConfig(shoot, configFromFile, "aws", auditLogMandatory)
 
 		// then
 		require.False(t, annotated)
@@ -135,7 +137,7 @@ func TestApplyAuditLogConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		// when
-		annotated, err := auditlogging.ApplyAuditLogConfig(shoot, configFromFile, "aws")
+		annotated, err := auditlogging.ApplyAuditLogConfig(shoot, configFromFile, "aws", auditLogMandatory)
 
 		// then
 		require.False(t, annotated)
diff --git a/internal/controller/runtime/fsm/runtime_fsm_configure_auditlog.go b/internal/controller/runtime/fsm/runtime_fsm_configure_auditlog.go
index 2cf0acd7..c7cc62aa 100644
--- a/internal/controller/runtime/fsm/runtime_fsm_configure_auditlog.go
+++ b/internal/controller/runtime/fsm/runtime_fsm_configure_auditlog.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func sFnConfigureAuditLog(ctx context.Context, m *fsm, s *systemState) (stateFn,
 	s.instance.UpdateStateReady(
 		imv1.ConditionTypeAuditLogConfigured,
 		imv1.ConditionReasonAuditLogConfigured,
-		"Audit Log configured successfully",
+		"Audit Log state completed",
 	)
 
 	return updateStatusAndStop()
diff --git a/internal/controller/runtime/fsm/runtime_fsm_configure_auditlog_test.go b/internal/controller/runtime/fsm/runtime_fsm_configure_auditlog_test.go
index deb0bb79..bab8c990 100644
--- a/internal/controller/runtime/fsm/runtime_fsm_configure_auditlog_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/runtime/fsm/runtime_fsm_configure_auditlog_test.go
@@ -33,10 +33,12 @@ func TestAuditLogState(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		}
 
-		auditLog.On("Enable", ctx, shoot).Return(true, nil).Once()
+		fsm := &fsm{AuditLogging: auditLog}
+		fsm.AuditLog.Mandatory = true
+
+		auditLog.On("Enable", ctx, shoot, true).Return(true, nil).Once()
 
 		// when
-		fsm := &fsm{AuditLogging: auditLog}
 		stateFn, _, _ := sFnConfigureAuditLog(ctx, fsm, systemState)
 
 		// set the time to its zero value for comparison purposes
@@ -64,14 +66,16 @@ func TestAuditLogState(t *testing.T) {
 				Type:    string(v1.ConditionTypeAuditLogConfigured),
 				Status:  "True",
 				Reason:  string(v1.ConditionReasonAuditLogConfigured),
-				Message: "Audit Log configured successfully",
+				Message: "Audit Log state completed",
 			},
 		}
 
-		auditLog.On("Enable", ctx, shoot).Return(false, nil).Once()
+		fsm := &fsm{AuditLogging: auditLog}
+		fsm.AuditLog.Mandatory = true
+
+		auditLog.On("Enable", ctx, shoot, true).Return(false, nil).Once()
 
 		// when
-		fsm := &fsm{AuditLogging: auditLog}
 		stateFn, _, _ := sFnConfigureAuditLog(ctx, fsm, systemState)
 
 		// set the time to its zero value for comparison purposes
@@ -103,10 +107,12 @@ func TestAuditLogState(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		}
 
-		auditLog.On("Enable", ctx, shoot).Return(false, errors.New("some error during configuration")).Once()
+		fsm := &fsm{AuditLogging: auditLog}
+		fsm.AuditLog.Mandatory = true
+
+		auditLog.On("Enable", ctx, shoot, true).Return(false, errors.New("some error during configuration")).Once()
 
 		// when
-		fsm := &fsm{AuditLogging: auditLog}
 		stateFn, _, _ := sFnConfigureAuditLog(ctx, fsm, systemState)
 
 		// set the time to its zero value for comparison purposes