diff --git a/.changeset/famous-forks-carry.md b/.changeset/famous-forks-carry.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0362d463cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/famous-forks-carry.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-scaffolder': patch
+---
+
+Add allowArbitraryValues for <OwnerPicker /> to provide input validation. This makes it a better experience of users, as they can now expect the values they enter to correspond to a valid owner. This is set to the default behavior by default.
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder/api-report.md b/plugins/scaffolder/api-report.md
index 3fa623b5b9..8485198724 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder/api-report.md
@@ -169,6 +169,8 @@ export const OwnerPickerFieldExtension: FieldExtensionComponent<
 
 // @public
 export interface OwnerPickerUiOptions {
+  // (undocumented)
+  allowArbitraryValues?: boolean;
   // (undocumented)
   allowedKinds?: string[];
 }
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder/src/components/fields/OwnerPicker/OwnerPicker.tsx b/plugins/scaffolder/src/components/fields/OwnerPicker/OwnerPicker.tsx
index a0c22b7fef..10425c17ff 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder/src/components/fields/OwnerPicker/OwnerPicker.tsx
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder/src/components/fields/OwnerPicker/OwnerPicker.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import { FieldExtensionComponentProps } from '../../../extensions';
  */
 export interface OwnerPickerUiOptions {
   allowedKinds?: string[];
+  allowArbitraryValues?: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -50,6 +51,8 @@ export const OwnerPicker = (
         'User',
       ]) as string[],
       defaultKind: 'Group',
+      allowArbitraryValues:
+        uiSchema['ui:options']?.allowArbitraryValues ?? true,
     },
   };