diff --git a/controllers/nodemaintenance_controller.go b/controllers/nodemaintenance_controller.go
index 668f1c8e..2ec344d2 100644
--- a/controllers/nodemaintenance_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/nodemaintenance_controller.go
@@ -148,8 +148,11 @@ func (r *NodeMaintenanceReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Requ
 		return emptyResult, nil
 	}
 
-	err = initMaintenanceStatus(ctx, nm, drainer, r.Client)
+	err = initMaintenanceStatus(ctx, nm, drainer)
 	if err != nil {
+		if errUpdate := r.Client.Status().Update(ctx, nm); errUpdate != nil {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("errUpdate %w - %w", errUpdate, err)
+		}
 		r.logger.Error(err, "Failed to update NodeMaintenance with \"Running\" status")
 		return r.onReconcileError(ctx, nm, drainer, err)
 	}
@@ -390,7 +393,7 @@ func (r *NodeMaintenanceReconciler) fetchNode(ctx context.Context, drainer *drai
 	return node, nil
 }
 
-func initMaintenanceStatus(ctx context.Context, nm *v1beta1.NodeMaintenance, drainer *drain.Helper, r client.Client) error {
+func initMaintenanceStatus(ctx context.Context, nm *v1beta1.NodeMaintenance, drainer *drain.Helper) error {
 	if nm.Status.Phase == "" {
 		nm.Status.Phase = v1beta1.MaintenanceRunning
 		setLastUpdate(nm)
@@ -412,7 +415,6 @@ func initMaintenanceStatus(ctx context.Context, nm *v1beta1.NodeMaintenance, dra
 			return err
 		}
 		nm.Status.TotalPods = len(podlist.Items)
-		err = r.Status().Update(ctx, nm)
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/controllers/nodemaintenance_controller_test.go b/controllers/nodemaintenance_controller_test.go
index 5c747ba2..e78d2e36 100644
--- a/controllers/nodemaintenance_controller_test.go
+++ b/controllers/nodemaintenance_controller_test.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Node Maintenance", func() {
 			})
 			When("Status was initalized", func() {
 				It("should be set for running with 2 pods to drain", func() {
-					Expect(initMaintenanceStatus(ctx, nm, drainer, r.Client)).To(HaveOccurred())
+					Expect(initMaintenanceStatus(ctx, nm, drainer)).To(Succeed())
 					// status was initialized but the function will fail on updating the CR status, since we don't create a nm CR here
 					Expect(nm.Status.Phase).To(Equal(v1beta1.MaintenanceRunning))
 					Expect(len(nm.Status.PendingPods)).To(Equal(2))
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Node Maintenance", func() {
 			})
 			When("Owner ref was set", func() {
 				It("should be set properly", func() {
-					Expect(initMaintenanceStatus(ctx, nm, drainer, r.Client)).To(HaveOccurred())
+					Expect(initMaintenanceStatus(ctx, nm, drainer)).To(Succeed())
 					// status was initialized but the function will fail on updating the CR status, since we don't create a nm CR here
 					By("Setting owner ref for a modified nm CR")
 					node := &corev1.Node{}
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Node Maintenance", func() {
 				It("Should not modify the CR after initalization", func() {
 					nmCopy := nm.DeepCopy()
 					nmCopy.Status.Phase = v1beta1.MaintenanceFailed
-					Expect(initMaintenanceStatus(ctx, nmCopy, drainer, r.Client)).To(Succeed())
+					Expect(initMaintenanceStatus(ctx, nmCopy, drainer)).To(Succeed())
 					// status was not initialized thus the function succeeds
 					Expect(nmCopy.Status.Phase).To(Equal(v1beta1.MaintenanceFailed))
 					Expect(len(nmCopy.Status.PendingPods)).To(Equal(0))