diff --git a/awx/api/serializers.py b/awx/api/serializers.py
index 9bf64b313ff9..d8db405f5195 100644
--- a/awx/api/serializers.py
+++ b/awx/api/serializers.py
@@ -5501,8 +5501,12 @@ def get_field_from_model_or_attrs(fd):
                     _("Setting peers manually for control nodes is not allowed. Enable peers_from_control_nodes on the hop and execution nodes instead.")
                 )
 
-        if peers_from_control_nodes and listener_port is None:
+        if not listener_port and peers_from_control_nodes:
             raise serializers.ValidationError(_("Field listener_port must be a valid integer when peers_from_control_nodes is enabled."))
+
+        if not listener_port and self.instance and self.instance.peers_from.exists():
+            raise serializers.ValidationError(_("Field listener_port must be a valid integer when other nodes peer to it."))
+
         for peer in attrs.get('peers', []):
             if peer.listener_port is None:
                 raise serializers.ValidationError(_("Field listener_port must be set on peer ") + peer.hostname + ".")
@@ -5544,7 +5548,10 @@ def validate_hostname(self, value):
         return value
 
     def validate_listener_port(self, value):
-        if self.instance and self.instance.listener_port != value:
+        """
+        Cannot change listener port, unless going from none to integer, and vice versa
+        """
+        if value and self.instance and self.instance.listener_port and self.instance.listener_port != value:
             raise serializers.ValidationError(_("Cannot change listener port."))
 
         return value
diff --git a/awx/main/models/ha.py b/awx/main/models/ha.py
index c0c031d8fd72..349d36cd43f1 100644
--- a/awx/main/models/ha.py
+++ b/awx/main/models/ha.py
@@ -513,14 +513,14 @@ def on_instance_saved(sender, instance, created=False, raw=False, **kwargs):
             # node and kick off write_receptor_config
             connection.on_commit(lambda: remove_deprovisioned_node.apply_async([instance.hostname]))
         else:
+            control_instances = set(Instance.objects.filter(node_type__in=[Instance.Types.CONTROL, Instance.Types.HYBRID]))
             if instance.peers_from_control_nodes:
-                control_instances = Instance.objects.filter(node_type__in=[Instance.Types.CONTROL, Instance.Types.HYBRID])
-                if set(instance.peers_from.all()) != control_instances:
-                    instance.peers_from.set(control_instances)
+                if (control_instances & set(instance.peers_from.all())) != set(control_instances):
+                    instance.peers_from.add(*control_instances)
                     schedule_write_receptor_config()  # keep method separate to make pytest mocking easier
             else:
-                if instance.peers_from.exists():
-                    instance.peers_from.clear()
+                if set(control_instances) & set(instance.peers_from.all()):
+                    instance.peers_from.remove(*control_instances)
                     schedule_write_receptor_config()
 
     if created or instance.has_policy_changes():
diff --git a/awx/ui/src/screens/Instances/InstanceDetail/InstanceDetail.js b/awx/ui/src/screens/Instances/InstanceDetail/InstanceDetail.js
index fd643c5edd8a..70fa161e6878 100644
--- a/awx/ui/src/screens/Instances/InstanceDetail/InstanceDetail.js
+++ b/awx/ui/src/screens/Instances/InstanceDetail/InstanceDetail.js
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ function InstanceDetail({ setBreadcrumb, isK8s }) {
           <Detail label={t`Instance Port`} value={instance.listener_port} />
           {(isExecutionNode || isHopNode) && (
             <Detail
-              label={t`Connection to control nodes`}
+              label={t`Peers from control nodes`}
               value={instance.peers_from_control_nodes ? t`On` : t`Off`}
             />
           )}
diff --git a/awx/ui/src/screens/Instances/Shared/InstanceForm.js b/awx/ui/src/screens/Instances/Shared/InstanceForm.js
index 152c16b4fa34..41776f0decb3 100644
--- a/awx/ui/src/screens/Instances/Shared/InstanceForm.js
+++ b/awx/ui/src/screens/Instances/Shared/InstanceForm.js
@@ -63,8 +63,7 @@ function InstanceFormFields({ isEdit }) {
         label={t`Listener Port`}
         name="listener_port"
         type="number"
-        tooltip={t`Select the port that Receptor will listen on for incoming connections. Default is 27199.`}
-        isRequired
+        tooltip={t`Select the port that Receptor will listen on for incoming connections, e.g. 27199.`}
       />
       <FormGroup
         fieldId="instance-type"
@@ -122,8 +121,8 @@ function InstanceFormFields({ isEdit }) {
         <CheckboxField
           id="peers_from_control_nodes"
           name="peers_from_control_nodes"
-          label={t`Connect to control nodes`}
-          tooltip={t`Connect this instance to control nodes. If disabled, instance will be connected only to peers selected.`}
+          label={t`Peers from control nodes`}
+          tooltip={t`If enabled, control nodes will peer to this instance automatically. If disabled, instance will be connected only to associated peers.`}
         />
       </FormGroup>
     </>
@@ -146,17 +145,16 @@ function InstanceForm({
           description: instance.description || '',
           node_type: instance.node_type || 'execution',
           node_state: instance.node_state || 'installed',
-          listener_port: instance.listener_port || 27199,
+          listener_port: instance.listener_port,
           enabled: instance.enabled || true,
           managed_by_policy: instance.managed_by_policy || true,
-          peers_from_control_nodes: instance.peers_from_control_nodes
-            ? true
-            : !isEdit,
+          peers_from_control_nodes: instance.peers_from_control_nodes || false,
           peers: instance_peers,
         }}
         onSubmit={(values) => {
           handleSubmit({
             ...values,
+            listener_port: values.listener_port === '' ? null : values.listener_port,
             peers: values.peers.map((peer) => peer.hostname || peer),
           });
         }}