diff --git a/internal/core/src/query/PlanProto.cpp b/internal/core/src/query/PlanProto.cpp
index 72597258b06c3..aa1892ef230e9 100644
--- a/internal/core/src/query/PlanProto.cpp
+++ b/internal/core/src/query/PlanProto.cpp
@@ -55,12 +55,26 @@ ProtoParser::PlanNodeFromProto(const planpb::PlanNode& plan_node_proto) {
             query_info_proto.materialized_view_involved();
         // currently, iterative filter does not support range search
         if (!search_info.search_params_.contains(RADIUS)) {
-            search_info.iterative_filter_execution =
-                (query_info_proto.hints() == ITERATIVE_FILTER);
+            if (query_info_proto.hints() != "") {
+                if (query_info_proto.hints() == ITERATIVE_FILTER) {
+                    search_info.iterative_filter_execution = true;
+                } else {
+                    // check if hints is valid
+                    PanicInfo(ConfigInvalid,
+                              "hints: {} not supported",
+                              query_info_proto.hints());
+                }
+            }
             if (!search_info.iterative_filter_execution &&
                 search_info.search_params_.contains(HINTS)) {
-                search_info.iterative_filter_execution =
-                    (search_info.search_params_[HINTS] == ITERATIVE_FILTER);
+                if (search_info.search_params_[HINTS] == ITERATIVE_FILTER) {
+                    search_info.iterative_filter_execution = true;
+                } else {
+                    // check if hints is valid
+                    PanicInfo(ConfigInvalid,
+                              "hints: {} not supported",
+                              search_info.search_params_[HINTS]);
+                }
             }
         }