diff --git a/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller.go b/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller.go
index 6da084b7..053e88ff 100644
--- a/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller.go
@@ -149,6 +149,19 @@ func (r *EphemeralRunnerReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Requ
 		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 	}
 
+	if !controllerutil.ContainsFinalizer(ephemeralRunner, ephemeralRunnerFinalizerName) {
+		log.Info("Adding finalizer")
+		if err := patch(ctx, r.Client, ephemeralRunner, func(obj *v1alpha1.EphemeralRunner) {
+			controllerutil.AddFinalizer(obj, ephemeralRunnerFinalizerName)
+		}); err != nil {
+			log.Error(err, "Failed to update with finalizer set")
+			return ctrl.Result{}, err
+		}
+
+		log.Info("Successfully added finalizer")
+		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
+	}
+
 	if !controllerutil.ContainsFinalizer(ephemeralRunner, ephemeralRunnerActionsFinalizerName) {
 		log.Info("Adding runner registration finalizer")
 		err := patch(ctx, r.Client, ephemeralRunner, func(obj *v1alpha1.EphemeralRunner) {
@@ -160,18 +173,6 @@ func (r *EphemeralRunnerReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Requ
 		}
 
 		log.Info("Successfully added runner registration finalizer")
-	}
-
-	if !controllerutil.ContainsFinalizer(ephemeralRunner, ephemeralRunnerFinalizerName) {
-		log.Info("Adding finalizer")
-		if err := patch(ctx, r.Client, ephemeralRunner, func(obj *v1alpha1.EphemeralRunner) {
-			controllerutil.AddFinalizer(obj, ephemeralRunnerFinalizerName)
-		}); err != nil {
-			log.Error(err, "Failed to update with finalizer set")
-			return ctrl.Result{}, err
-		}
-
-		log.Info("Successfully added finalizer")
 		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller_test.go b/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller_test.go
index 2d45d87a..f01bdec5 100644
--- a/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller_test.go
+++ b/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller_test.go
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ var _ = Describe("EphemeralRunner", func() {
 				},
 				timeout,
 				interval,
-			).Should(BeEquivalentTo([]string{ephemeralRunnerActionsFinalizerName, ephemeralRunnerFinalizerName}))
+			).Should(BeEquivalentTo([]string{ephemeralRunnerFinalizerName, ephemeralRunnerActionsFinalizerName}))
 
 			Eventually(
 				func() (bool, error) {