diff --git a/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller.go b/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller.go
index 0590627f..39f3a16e 100644
--- a/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/actions.github.com/ephemeralrunner_controller.go
@@ -268,13 +268,15 @@ func (r *EphemeralRunnerReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Requ
 			log.Error(err, "Failed to fetch the pod")
 			return ctrl.Result{}, err
 		}
+		log.Info("Ephemeral runner pod does not exist. Creating new ephemeral runner")
 
-		// Pod was not found. Create if the pod has never been created
-		log.Info("Creating new EphemeralRunner pod.")
 		result, err := r.createPod(ctx, ephemeralRunner, secret, log)
 		switch {
 		case err == nil:
 			return result, nil
+		case kerrors.IsAlreadyExists(err):
+			log.Info("Runner pod already exists. Waiting for the pod event to be received")
+			return ctrl.Result{Requeue: true, RequeueAfter: 5 * time.Second}, nil
 		case kerrors.IsInvalid(err) || kerrors.IsForbidden(err):
 			log.Error(err, "Failed to create a pod due to unrecoverable failure")
 			errMessage := fmt.Sprintf("Failed to create the pod: %v", err)