diff --git a/tpu-provisioner/internal/cloud/gke.go b/tpu-provisioner/internal/cloud/gke.go
index 35bdd4846..7c614fd1f 100644
--- a/tpu-provisioner/internal/cloud/gke.go
+++ b/tpu-provisioner/internal/cloud/gke.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (g *GKE) EnsureNodePoolForPod(p *corev1.Pod, why string) error {
 }
 
 func (g *GKE) ListNodePools() ([]NodePoolRef, error) {
-	var names []NodePoolRef
+	var refs []NodePoolRef
 
 	resp, err := g.Service.Projects.Locations.Clusters.NodePools.List(g.ClusterContext.ClusterName()).Do()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func (g *GKE) ListNodePools() ([]NodePoolRef, error) {
 	}
 
 	for _, np := range resp.NodePools {
-		names = append(names, NodePoolRef{
+		refs = append(refs, NodePoolRef{
 			Name:     np.Name,
 			Error:    np.Status == "ERROR",
 			ErrorMsg: np.StatusMessage,
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func (g *GKE) ListNodePools() ([]NodePoolRef, error) {
 		})
 	}
 
-	return names, nil
+	return refs, nil
 }
 
 func (g *GKE) DeleteNodePoolForNode(node *corev1.Node, why string) error {
diff --git a/tpu-provisioner/internal/controller/nodepool_garbage_collector.go b/tpu-provisioner/internal/controller/nodepool_garbage_collector.go
index 1a2270d82..abea43deb 100644
--- a/tpu-provisioner/internal/controller/nodepool_garbage_collector.go
+++ b/tpu-provisioner/internal/controller/nodepool_garbage_collector.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ type NodePoolGarbageCollector struct {
 }
 
 func (g *NodePoolGarbageCollector) Run(ctx context.Context) {
-	log := ctrllog.Log
+	log := ctrllog.Log.WithName("nodepool-garbage-collector")
 
 	t := time.NewTicker(g.Interval)
 
@@ -39,15 +39,21 @@ func (g *NodePoolGarbageCollector) Run(ctx context.Context) {
 		}
 
 		for _, np := range nodepools {
+			log = log.WithValues("nodepool", np.Name)
+
 			if !np.Error {
 				continue
 			}
 
+			if np.CreatedForPod.Name == "" || np.CreatedForPod.Namespace == "" {
+				log.Info("skipping garbage collection of node pool, no pod reference")
+				continue
+			}
+
 			// Check if the Pod that triggered the Node Pool creation still exists.
 			err := g.Get(ctx, np.CreatedForPod, &v1.Pod{})
 			if err == nil {
 				log.Info("skipping garbage collection of node pool, pod still exists",
-					"nodepool", np.Name,
 					"podName", np.CreatedForPod.Name,
 					"podNamespace", np.CreatedForPod.Namespace,
 				)
@@ -66,17 +72,15 @@ func (g *NodePoolGarbageCollector) Run(ctx context.Context) {
 				continue
 			}
 			if len(nodes.Items) > 0 {
-				log.Info("skipping garbage collection of node pool, nodes exist",
-					"nodepool", np.Name,
-				)
+				log.Info("skipping garbage collection of node pool, nodes exist")
 				continue
 			}
 
-			log.Info("garbage collecting node pool in error state", "nodepool", np.Name)
+			log.Info("garbage collecting node pool in error state")
 			// TODO: Lookup namespace from env with downward API.
 			if err := g.Provider.DeleteNodePool(np.Name, &v1.Namespace{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "tpu-provisioner-system"}},
 				"the node pool has no corresponding Nodes, the Pod that triggered its creation no longer exists, and node pool is in an error state: "+np.ErrorMsg); err != nil {
-				log.Error(err, "failed to garbage colelct node pool", "nodepool", np.Name)
+				log.Error(err, "failed to garbage colelct node pool")
 				continue
 			}
 		}