diff --git a/packages/aws-cdk-lib/aws-rds/lib/cluster.ts b/packages/aws-cdk-lib/aws-rds/lib/cluster.ts
index 5dbaa0a8b0604..05997a4a09ec2 100644
--- a/packages/aws-cdk-lib/aws-rds/lib/cluster.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-cdk-lib/aws-rds/lib/cluster.ts
@@ -595,10 +595,8 @@ abstract class DatabaseClusterNew extends DatabaseClusterBase {
   constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, props: DatabaseClusterBaseProps) {
     super(scope, id);
 
-    if ((props.vpc && props.instanceProps?.vpc)) {
+    if ((props.vpc && props.instanceProps?.vpc) || (!props.vpc && !props.instanceProps?.vpc)) {
       throw new Error('Provide either vpc or instanceProps.vpc, but not both');
-    } else if (!props.vpc && !props.instanceProps?.vpc) {
-      throw new Error('If instanceProps is not provided then `vpc` must be provided.');
     }
     if ((props.vpcSubnets && props.instanceProps?.vpcSubnets)) {
       throw new Error('Provide either vpcSubnets or instanceProps.vpcSubnets, but not both');
diff --git a/packages/aws-cdk-lib/aws-rds/test/cluster.test.ts b/packages/aws-cdk-lib/aws-rds/test/cluster.test.ts
index 20ca5417b6303..d27abfb4a8065 100644
--- a/packages/aws-cdk-lib/aws-rds/test/cluster.test.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-cdk-lib/aws-rds/test/cluster.test.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ describe('cluster new api', () => {
           iamAuthentication: true,
         });
         // THEN
-      }).toThrow(/If instanceProps is not provided then `vpc` must be provided./);
+      }).toThrow(/Provide either vpc or instanceProps.vpc, but not both/);
     });
 
     test('when both vpc and instanceProps.vpc are provided', () => {