diff --git a/tests/v1/kv_connector/unit/test_config.py b/tests/v1/kv_connector/unit/test_config.py
index 74075f3ee..8a547c3f0 100644
--- a/tests/v1/kv_connector/unit/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/v1/kv_connector/unit/test_config.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ pytestmark = pytest.mark.cpu_test
         ("lmcache", 4.0, 1, 1, "LMCacheConnectorV1", 4.0),
         # size per rank: 8.0 GiB / (2 * 2) = 2.0 GiB
         ("lmcache", 8.0, 2, 2, "LMCacheConnectorV1", 2.0),
-        (None, None, 1, 1, None, None),
+        # When kv_offloading_size is None, offloading is disabled (backend is ignored)
+        ("native", None, 1, 1, None, None),
     ],
 )
 def test_kv_connector(
@@ -62,3 +63,19 @@ def test_kv_connector(
         assert kv_connector_extra_config["lmcache.max_local_cpu_size"] == expected_bytes
         # Existing config should be replaced
         assert "existing_key" not in kv_connector_extra_config
+
+
+def test_kv_offloading_size_only_uses_native_default():
+    """Test that setting only kv_offloading_size enables native offloading."""
+    vllm_config = VllmConfig(
+        cache_config=CacheConfig(
+            kv_offloading_size=4.0,
+            # kv_offloading_backend not set, should default to "native"
+        ),
+    )
+
+    kv_transfer_config = vllm_config.kv_transfer_config
+    kv_connector_extra_config = kv_transfer_config.kv_connector_extra_config
+    assert kv_transfer_config.kv_connector == "OffloadingConnector"
+    assert kv_transfer_config.kv_role == "kv_both"
+    assert kv_connector_extra_config["cpu_bytes_to_use"] == 4.0 * (1 << 30)
diff --git a/vllm/config/cache.py b/vllm/config/cache.py
index 318efc82a..839ea4780 100644
--- a/vllm/config/cache.py
+++ b/vllm/config/cache.py
@@ -152,13 +152,13 @@ class CacheConfig:
     kv_offloading_size: float | None = None
     """Size of the KV cache offloading buffer in GiB. When TP > 1, this is
     the total buffer size summed across all TP ranks. By default, this is set
-    to None, which means no KV offloading is enabled. When set with
-    kv_offloading_backend, vLLM will enable KV cache offloading to CPU"""
+    to None, which means no KV offloading is enabled. When set, vLLM will
+    enable KV cache offloading to CPU using the kv_offloading_backend."""
 
-    kv_offloading_backend: KVOffloadingBackend | None = None
+    kv_offloading_backend: KVOffloadingBackend = "native"
     """The backend to use for KV cache offloading. Supported backends include
-    'native' (vLLM native CPU offloading), 'lmcache' This option must be used
-    together with kv_offloading_size."""
+    'native' (vLLM native CPU offloading), 'lmcache'.
+    KV offloading is only activated when kv_offloading_size is set."""
 
     def compute_hash(self) -> str:
         """
diff --git a/vllm/config/vllm.py b/vllm/config/vllm.py
index a84acd8e6..ec699b629 100644
--- a/vllm/config/vllm.py
+++ b/vllm/config/vllm.py
@@ -498,17 +498,15 @@ class VllmConfig:
         Right now, this function reads the offloading settings from
         CacheConfig and configures the KVTransferConfig accordingly.
         """
-        if (kv_offloading_backend := self.cache_config.kv_offloading_backend) is None:
+        # KV offloading is only activated when kv_offloading_size is set.
+        if (kv_offloading_size := self.cache_config.kv_offloading_size) is None:
             return
 
+        kv_offloading_backend = self.cache_config.kv_offloading_backend
+
         # If no KVTransferConfig is provided, create a default one.
         if self.kv_transfer_config is None:
             self.kv_transfer_config = KVTransferConfig()
-
-        if (kv_offloading_size := self.cache_config.kv_offloading_size) is None:
-            raise ValueError(
-                "You must set kv_offloading_size when kv_offloading_backend is set."
-            )
         num_kv_ranks = (
             self.parallel_config.tensor_parallel_size
             * self.parallel_config.pipeline_parallel_size
diff --git a/vllm/engine/arg_utils.py b/vllm/engine/arg_utils.py
index b7f3969ee..3a36ca797 100644
--- a/vllm/engine/arg_utils.py
+++ b/vllm/engine/arg_utils.py
@@ -578,9 +578,7 @@ class EngineArgs:
     optimization_level: OptimizationLevel = VllmConfig.optimization_level
 
     kv_offloading_size: float | None = CacheConfig.kv_offloading_size
-    kv_offloading_backend: KVOffloadingBackend | None = (
-        CacheConfig.kv_offloading_backend
-    )
+    kv_offloading_backend: KVOffloadingBackend = CacheConfig.kv_offloading_backend
     tokens_only: bool = False
 
     def __post_init__(self):