diff --git a/internal/mesh/internal/controllers/routes/generate.go b/internal/mesh/internal/controllers/routes/generate.go
index 42ecc56ff7..afd66e2e4a 100644
--- a/internal/mesh/internal/controllers/routes/generate.go
+++ b/internal/mesh/internal/controllers/routes/generate.go
@@ -314,6 +314,14 @@ func compile(
 		computedRoutes.PortedConfigs[port] = mc
 	}
 
+	if len(computedRoutes.PortedConfigs) == 0 {
+		// This service only exposes a "mesh" port, so it cannot be another service's upstream.
+		return &ComputedRoutesResult{
+			ID:   computedRoutesID,
+			Data: nil, // returning nil signals a delete is requested
+		}
+	}
+
 	return &ComputedRoutesResult{
 		ID:      computedRoutesID,
 		OwnerID: parentServiceID,
diff --git a/internal/mesh/internal/controllers/routes/generate_test.go b/internal/mesh/internal/controllers/routes/generate_test.go
index e46bc57f01..ed9b565f6f 100644
--- a/internal/mesh/internal/controllers/routes/generate_test.go
+++ b/internal/mesh/internal/controllers/routes/generate_test.go
@@ -160,6 +160,24 @@ func TestGenerateComputedRoutes(t *testing.T) {
 		run(t, related, expect, nil)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("aligned service in mesh but no actual ports", func(t *testing.T) {
+		related := loader.NewRelatedResources().
+			AddComputedRoutesIDs(apiComputedRoutesID).
+			AddResources(newService("api", &pbcatalog.Service{
+				Workloads: &pbcatalog.WorkloadSelector{
+					Prefixes: []string{"api-"},
+				},
+				Ports: []*pbcatalog.ServicePort{
+					{TargetPort: "mesh", Protocol: pbcatalog.Protocol_PROTOCOL_MESH},
+				},
+			}))
+		expect := []*ComputedRoutesResult{{
+			ID:   apiComputedRoutesID,
+			Data: nil,
+		}}
+		run(t, related, expect, nil)
+	})
+
 	t.Run("tcp service with default route", func(t *testing.T) {
 		apiServiceData := &pbcatalog.Service{
 			Workloads: &pbcatalog.WorkloadSelector{