diff --git a/controllers/mysqlcluster_controller.go b/controllers/mysqlcluster_controller.go
index 4215dbc0c..eb032f48e 100644
--- a/controllers/mysqlcluster_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/mysqlcluster_controller.go
@@ -173,9 +173,11 @@ func (r *MySQLClusterReconciler) reconcileV1(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Reque
 	log := crlog.FromContext(ctx)
 
 	defer func() {
-		if err2 := r.updateStatus(ctx, cluster, err); err2 != nil {
-			err = err2
-			log.Error(err2, "failed to update status")
+		if cluster.DeletionTimestamp == nil {
+			if err2 := r.updateStatus(ctx, cluster, err); err2 != nil {
+				err = err2
+				log.Error(err2, "failed to update status")
+			}
 		}
 	}()