diff --git a/CHANGES/6868.bugfix b/CHANGES/6868.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3ec4dcd0462
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGES/6868.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed repository version validation to allow legitimate shared artifacts between content units.
diff --git a/pulpcore/plugin/repo_version_utils.py b/pulpcore/plugin/repo_version_utils.py
index 1920ea714bb..f892a9d4bd0 100644
--- a/pulpcore/plugin/repo_version_utils.py
+++ b/pulpcore/plugin/repo_version_utils.py
@@ -116,9 +116,15 @@ def validate_version_paths(version):
     Raises:
         ValueError: If two artifact relative paths overlap
     """
-    paths = ContentArtifact.objects.filter(content__pk__in=version.content).values_list(
-        "relative_path", flat=True
+    # Get unique (path, artifact) pairs to allow artifacts shared across content
+    content_artifacts = (
+        ContentArtifact.objects.filter(content__pk__in=version.content)
+        .values_list("relative_path", "artifact")
+        .distinct()
     )
+
+    paths = [path for path, artifact_id in content_artifacts]
+
     try:
         validate_file_paths(paths)
     except ValueError as e:
diff --git a/pulpcore/tests/unit/models/test_repository.py b/pulpcore/tests/unit/models/test_repository.py
index abf71ce7355..9fbc137b771 100644
--- a/pulpcore/tests/unit/models/test_repository.py
+++ b/pulpcore/tests/unit/models/test_repository.py
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 
 from itertools import compress
 
-from pulpcore.plugin.models import Content, Repository
+from pulpcore.plugin.models import Artifact, Content, ContentArtifact, Repository
+from pulpcore.plugin.repo_version_utils import validate_version_paths
 
 
 def pks_of_next_qs(qs_generator):
@@ -258,3 +259,85 @@ def test_next_version_with_multiple_versions():
 
     assert repository.next_version == 4
     assert repository.latest_version().number == 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_shared_artifact_same_path_validation(tmp_path):
+    """
+    Test that multiple content units can reference the same artifact with the same
+    relative path without causing validation errors.
+
+    This reproduces scenarios where different content units legitimately share
+    the same artifact (e.g. upstream source files).
+    """
+    # Create a repository
+    repository = Repository.objects.create(name=uuid4())
+    repository.CONTENT_TYPES = [Content]
+
+    # Create a shared artifact using proper test pattern
+    artifact_path = tmp_path / "shared_file.txt"
+    artifact_path.write_text("Shared content data")
+    shared_artifact = Artifact.init_and_validate(str(artifact_path))
+    shared_artifact.save()
+
+    # Create two content units (simulates any content that shares artifacts)
+    content1 = Content.objects.create(pulp_type="core.content")
+    content2 = Content.objects.create(pulp_type="core.content")
+
+    # Both content units reference the same artifact with same path
+    ContentArtifact.objects.create(
+        content=content1, artifact=shared_artifact, relative_path="shared/common_file.txt"
+    )
+    ContentArtifact.objects.create(
+        content=content2, artifact=shared_artifact, relative_path="shared/common_file.txt"
+    )
+
+    # Create a repository version with both content units
+    with repository.new_version() as new_version:
+        new_version.add_content(Content.objects.filter(pk__in=[content1.pk, content2.pk]))
+
+    # This should not raise validation errors with our fix
+    validate_version_paths(new_version)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_different_artifacts_same_path_validation_fails(tmp_path):
+    """
+    Test that different artifacts trying to use the same relative path
+    still fail validation (this is a real conflict that should be caught).
+    """
+    # Create a repository
+    repository = Repository.objects.create(name=uuid4())
+    repository.CONTENT_TYPES = [Content]
+
+    # Create two different artifacts using proper test pattern
+    artifact1_path = tmp_path / "artifact1.txt"
+    artifact1_path.write_text("Content of first artifact")
+    artifact1 = Artifact.init_and_validate(str(artifact1_path))
+    artifact1.save()
+
+    artifact2_path = tmp_path / "artifact2.txt"
+    artifact2_path.write_text("Content of second artifact")  # Different content
+    artifact2 = Artifact.init_and_validate(str(artifact2_path))
+    artifact2.save()
+
+    # Create two content units with different artifacts but same path
+    content1 = Content.objects.create(pulp_type="core.content")
+    content2 = Content.objects.create(pulp_type="core.content")
+
+    ContentArtifact.objects.create(
+        content=content1, artifact=artifact1, relative_path="conflicting/file.txt"
+    )
+    ContentArtifact.objects.create(
+        content=content2,
+        artifact=artifact2,
+        relative_path="conflicting/file.txt",  # Same path, different artifact
+    )
+
+    # Create a repository version with both content units
+    with repository.new_version() as new_version:
+        new_version.add_content(Content.objects.filter(pk__in=[content1.pk, content2.pk]))
+
+    # This should raise a validation error due to path conflict
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Repository version errors"):
+        validate_version_paths(new_version)