diff --git a/images/windows/scripts/build/Post-Build-Validation.ps1 b/images/windows/scripts/build/Post-Build-Validation.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..04505a4b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/images/windows/scripts/build/Post-Build-Validation.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+################################################################################
+##  File:  post-build-validation.sh
+##  Desc:  Validate different aspects of the image after build
+################################################################################
+
+Write-Host "Test Microsoft Defender not set up using 'sc query sense'"
+$response =  sc query sense
+foreach ($item in $response) {
+    if ($item -match "STATE") {
+        $state = $item.Split(":")[1].Trim()
+        if ($state -notmatch "RUNNING") {
+            Write-Host "MDE is not running"
+        } else {
+            Write-Host "MDE is running"
+            exit 1
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+Write-Host "Test Microsoft Defender not set up by checking for the MDE extension"
+if (Test-Path -Path "C:\Packages\Plugins\Microsoft.Azure.AzureDefenderForServers.MDE.Windows") {
+    Write-Error "MDE extension detected, MDE is more likely installed on the system"
+    exit 1
+} else {
+    Write-Host "MDE is not setup on the system"
+}
diff --git a/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2019.pkr.hcl b/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2019.pkr.hcl
index 303966492..8de0380e5 100644
--- a/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2019.pkr.hcl
+++ b/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2019.pkr.hcl
@@ -263,7 +263,8 @@ build {
     scripts          = [
       "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Install-NativeImages.ps1",
       "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Configure-System.ps1",
-      "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Configure-User.ps1"
+      "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Configure-User.ps1",
+      "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Post-Build-Validation.ps1"
     ]
     skip_clean       = true
   }
diff --git a/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2022.pkr.hcl b/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2022.pkr.hcl
index ff8433515..95d08ec01 100644
--- a/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2022.pkr.hcl
+++ b/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2022.pkr.hcl
@@ -258,7 +258,8 @@ build {
     scripts          = [
       "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Install-NativeImages.ps1",
       "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Configure-System.ps1",
-      "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Configure-User.ps1"
+      "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Configure-User.ps1",
+      "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Post-Build-Validation.ps1"
     ]
     skip_clean       = true
   }
diff --git a/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2025.pkr.hcl b/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2025.pkr.hcl
index fbb1ea933..a84729d48 100644
--- a/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2025.pkr.hcl
+++ b/images/windows/templates/build.windows-2025.pkr.hcl
@@ -250,7 +250,8 @@ provisioner "powershell" {
     scripts          = [
       "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Install-NativeImages.ps1",
       "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Configure-System.ps1",
-      "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Configure-User.ps1"
+      "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Configure-User.ps1",
+      "${path.root}/../scripts/build/Post-Build-Validation.ps1"
     ]
     skip_clean       = true
   }