diff --git a/packages/form-core/src/FormApi.ts b/packages/form-core/src/FormApi.ts
index e7e0dd08b..245d11120 100644
--- a/packages/form-core/src/FormApi.ts
+++ b/packages/form-core/src/FormApi.ts
@@ -1589,15 +1589,49 @@ export class FormApi<
   ) => {
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unnecessary-condition
     const fieldInstance = this.fieldInfo[field]?.instance
-    if (!fieldInstance) return []
 
-    // If the field is not touched (same logic as in validateAllFields)
-    if (!fieldInstance.state.meta.isTouched) {
-      // Mark it as touched
-      fieldInstance.setMeta((prev) => ({ ...prev, isTouched: true }))
+    // If there's a mounted field instance, delegate to the instance (normal flow)
+    if (fieldInstance) {
+      // If the field is not touched (same logic as in validateAllFields)
+      if (!fieldInstance.state.meta.isTouched) {
+        // Mark it as touched
+        fieldInstance.setMeta((prev) => ({ ...prev, isTouched: true }))
+      }
+
+      return fieldInstance.validate(cause)
+    }
+
+    // No mounted field instance: ensure we have base meta for the field
+    if (this.baseStore.state.fieldMetaBase[field] === undefined) {
+      this.setFieldMeta(field, () => defaultFieldMeta)
+    }
+
+    // If the field is not touched, mark as touched in base meta
+    const baseMeta = this.baseStore.state.fieldMetaBase[field]
+    if (!baseMeta?.isTouched) {
+      this.setFieldMeta(field, (prev) => ({ ...prev, isTouched: true }))
+    }
+
+    // Run form-level synchronous validation which will update field metas
+    const { fieldsErrorMap } = this.validateSync(cause)
+
+    const fieldErrorMap = (fieldsErrorMap as any)?.[field] ?? {}
+    const hasSyncErrored = Object.values(fieldErrorMap).some(
+      (v) => v !== undefined,
+    )
+
+    // If sync validators found errors and asyncAlways is not set, return current errors
+    if (hasSyncErrored && !(this.options.asyncAlways as boolean)) {
+      const meta = this.getFieldMeta(field)
+      return (meta?.errors ?? []) as ValidationError[]
     }
 
-    return fieldInstance.validate(cause)
+    // Otherwise, run async validators and return errors for this field
+    return (async () => {
+      const asyncFieldErrors = await this.validateAsync(cause)
+      const meta = this.getFieldMeta(field)
+      return (meta?.errors ?? []) as ValidationError[]
+    })()
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/form-core/tests/unmountedField.spec.ts b/packages/form-core/tests/unmountedField.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2ed02ad2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/form-core/tests/unmountedField.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { FormApi } from '../src/index'
+
+describe('unmounted field validation', () => {
+  it('clears validation when setFieldValue is used for an unmounted field', async () => {
+    const form = new FormApi<string | any>({
+      validators: {
+        onChange: ({ value }) => {
+          if (!value || !value.name) {
+            return { fields: { name: 'Required' } }
+          }
+          return
+        },
+      },
+    })
+
+    form.mount()
+
+    // populate initial errors
+    await form.validateAllFields('change')
+
+    const before = form.getFieldMeta('name')
+    expect(before?.errors).toContain('Required')
+
+    // Programmatically set the value for a field that has no mounted FieldApi
+    form.setFieldValue('name', 'now valid')
+
+    // allow microtask queue to flush (validation may run sync or async paths)
+    await Promise.resolve()
+
+    const after = form.getFieldMeta('name')
+    expect(after?.errors).toEqual([])
+  })
+})