diff --git a/controllers/runner_controller.go b/controllers/runner_controller.go
index a7518335..12791095 100644
--- a/controllers/runner_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/runner_controller.go
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ func (r *RunnerReconciler) Reconcile(req ctrl.Request) (ctrl.Result, error) {
 
 		registrationTimeout := 10 * time.Minute
 		currentTime := time.Now()
-		registrationDidTimeout := pod.CreationTimestamp.Add(registrationTimeout).Sub(currentTime) > 0
+		registrationDidTimeout := currentTime.Sub(pod.CreationTimestamp.Add(registrationTimeout)) > 0
 
 		if !notRegistered && registrationDidTimeout {
 			log.Info(
diff --git a/controllers/runnerreplicaset_controller.go b/controllers/runnerreplicaset_controller.go
index f9091557..768932a6 100644
--- a/controllers/runnerreplicaset_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/runnerreplicaset_controller.go
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func (r *RunnerReplicaSetReconciler) Reconcile(req ctrl.Request) (ctrl.Result, e
 
 				registrationTimeout := 15 * time.Minute
 				currentTime := time.Now()
-				registrationDidTimeout := runner.CreationTimestamp.Add(registrationTimeout).Sub(currentTime) > 0
+				registrationDidTimeout := currentTime.Sub(runner.CreationTimestamp.Add(registrationTimeout)) > 0
 
 				if !notRegistered && registrationDidTimeout {
 					log.Info(