diff --git a/fineract-provider/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/portfolio/savings/domain/SavingsAccountAssembler.java b/fineract-provider/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/portfolio/savings/domain/SavingsAccountAssembler.java
index 8453b6e92..22cef0438 100644
--- a/fineract-provider/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/portfolio/savings/domain/SavingsAccountAssembler.java
+++ b/fineract-provider/src/main/java/org/apache/fineract/portfolio/savings/domain/SavingsAccountAssembler.java
@@ -414,20 +414,33 @@ public class SavingsAccountAssembler {
         // dependency on the shareaccounts domain class) rather than trusted blindly, the same way an
         // account number typed for a linked savings/loan account elsewhere in this form is verified
         // before being accepted.
+        //
+        // For a term deposit (FD/RD), the product screen labels this same flag "Deposit Account Link" --
+        // it links an existing Savings/Current account (linkedAccountId, set below), not a co-op share
+        // account, so it's validated against that field instead of shareAccountId.
         if (Boolean.TRUE.equals(account.getShareLinkingEnabled())) {
-            final Long shareAccountId = this.fromApiJsonHelper.extractLongNamed(shareAccountIdParamName, element);
-            if (shareAccountId == null) {
-                throw new GeneralPlatformDomainRuleException("error.msg.savingsaccount.share.account.required",
-                        "A share account must be chosen when Share Linking is enabled.");
+            final boolean isTermDeposit = account.depositAccountType().isFixedDeposit() || account.depositAccountType().isRecurringDeposit();
+            if (isTermDeposit) {
+                final Long linkedAccountIdForCheck = this.fromApiJsonHelper.extractLongNamed(linkedAccountIdParamName, element);
+                if (linkedAccountIdForCheck == null) {
+                    throw new GeneralPlatformDomainRuleException("error.msg.savingsaccount.linked.account.required",
+                            "A Savings/Current account must be linked when Deposit Account Link is enabled.");
+                }
+            } else {
+                final Long shareAccountId = this.fromApiJsonHelper.extractLongNamed(shareAccountIdParamName, element);
+                if (shareAccountId == null) {
+                    throw new GeneralPlatformDomainRuleException("error.msg.savingsaccount.share.account.required",
+                            "A share account must be chosen when Share Linking is enabled.");
+                }
+                final Integer matches = this.jdbcTemplate.queryForObject(
+                        "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM m_share_account WHERE id = ? AND client_id = ? AND status_enum = 300", Integer.class,
+                        shareAccountId, account.clientId());
+                if (matches == null || matches == 0) {
+                    throw new GeneralPlatformDomainRuleException("error.msg.savingsaccount.share.account.not.active.for.client",
+                            "Share account " + shareAccountId + " is not an active share account for this client.");
+                }
+                account.setShareAccountId(shareAccountId);
             }
-            final Integer matches = this.jdbcTemplate.queryForObject(
-                    "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM m_share_account WHERE id = ? AND client_id = ? AND status_enum = 300", Integer.class,
-                    shareAccountId, account.clientId());
-            if (matches == null || matches == 0) {
-                throw new GeneralPlatformDomainRuleException("error.msg.savingsaccount.share.account.not.active.for.client",
-                        "Share account " + shareAccountId + " is not an active share account for this client.");
-            }
-            account.setShareAccountId(shareAccountId);
         }
 
         // Senior citizen rate — runs after validateDomainRules so it is the final persisted value