diff --git a/vllm/engine/arg_utils.py b/vllm/engine/arg_utils.py
index 94f62f3c6c10e..85a4d1d1aca64 100644
--- a/vllm/engine/arg_utils.py
+++ b/vllm/engine/arg_utils.py
@@ -1098,8 +1098,7 @@ class EngineArgs:
             data_parallel_size_local = 1
             # Use full external lb if we have local_size of 1.
             self.data_parallel_hybrid_lb = False
-        elif self.data_parallel_size_local is not None and (
-                self.data_parallel_size_local != self.data_parallel_size):
+        elif self.data_parallel_size_local is not None:
             data_parallel_size_local = self.data_parallel_size_local
 
             if self.data_parallel_start_rank and not headless:
@@ -1111,6 +1110,10 @@ class EngineArgs:
                 data_parallel_external_lb = True
                 self.data_parallel_hybrid_lb = False
 
+            if data_parallel_size_local == self.data_parallel_size:
+                # Disable hybrid LB mode if set for a single node
+                self.data_parallel_hybrid_lb = False
+
             self.data_parallel_rank = self.data_parallel_start_rank or 0
         else:
             assert not self.data_parallel_hybrid_lb, (