diff --git a/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector.go b/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector.go
index e35857eb8e..52ff705a6f 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector.go
@@ -411,6 +411,7 @@ func (p *Propagator) processEvent() {
 		// the node's owners list.
 		p.removeDependentFromOwners(existingNode, removed)
 	case event.eventType == deleteEvent:
+		p.gc.absentOwnerCache.Add(accessor.GetUID())
 		if !found {
 			glog.V(6).Infof("%v doesn't exist in the graph, this shouldn't happen", accessor.GetUID())
 			return