diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/PrimaryUpdateAndCacheUtils.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/PrimaryUpdateAndCacheUtils.java
index f74cd49ee7..594666eade 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/PrimaryUpdateAndCacheUtils.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/PrimaryUpdateAndCacheUtils.java
@@ -289,7 +289,13 @@ public static <P extends HasMetadata> P addFinalizer(
           r.addFinalizer(finalizerName);
           return r;
         },
-        r -> !r.hasFinalizer(finalizerName));
+        r -> {
+          if (r == null) {
+            log.warn("Cannot add finalizer since resource not exists.");
+            return false;
+          }
+          return !r.hasFinalizer(finalizerName);
+        });
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/ResourceOperations.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/ResourceOperations.java
index c4532aa284..a4a1075b32 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/ResourceOperations.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/api/reconciler/ResourceOperations.java
@@ -1079,7 +1079,13 @@ public P addFinalizer(String finalizerName, boolean cacheOnly) {
           r.addFinalizer(finalizerName);
           return r;
         },
-        r -> !r.hasFinalizer(finalizerName),
+        r -> {
+          if (r == null) {
+            log.warn("Cannot add finalizer since resource no longer exists.");
+            return false;
+          }
+          return !r.hasFinalizer(finalizerName);
+        },
         cacheOnly);
   }