diff --git a/cmd/k8s-operator/operator.go b/cmd/k8s-operator/operator.go
index 20bbf73dd..3e7f56dec 100644
--- a/cmd/k8s-operator/operator.go
+++ b/cmd/k8s-operator/operator.go
@@ -229,14 +229,15 @@ func (a *ServiceReconciler) cleanupIfRequired(ctx context.Context, svc *corev1.S
 	}
 	if sts != nil {
 		if !sts.GetDeletionTimestamp().IsZero() {
-			// Deletion in progress, check again later.
-			return reconcile.Result{RequeueAfter: time.Second}, nil
+			// Deletion in progress, check again later. We'll get another
+			// notification when the deletion is complete.
+			return reconcile.Result{}, nil
 		}
 		err := a.DeleteAllOf(ctx, &appsv1.StatefulSet{}, client.InNamespace(a.operatorNamespace), client.MatchingLabels(ml), client.PropagationPolicy(metav1.DeletePropagationForeground))
 		if err != nil {
 			return reconcile.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("deleting statefulset: %w", err)
 		}
-		return reconcile.Result{RequeueAfter: time.Second}, nil
+		return reconcile.Result{}, nil
 	}
 
 	id, _, err := a.getDeviceInfo(ctx, svc)
diff --git a/cmd/k8s-operator/operator_test.go b/cmd/k8s-operator/operator_test.go
index f06fa9258..8b559fddb 100644
--- a/cmd/k8s-operator/operator_test.go
+++ b/cmd/k8s-operator/operator_test.go
@@ -114,9 +114,9 @@ func TestLoadBalancerClass(t *testing.T) {
 	// synchronous StatefulSet deletion triggers a requeue. But, the StatefulSet
 	// didn't create any child resources since this is all faked, so the
 	// deletion goes through immediately.
-	expectRequeue(t, sr, "default", "test")
+	expectReconciled(t, sr, "default", "test")
 	expectMissing[appsv1.StatefulSet](t, fc, "operator-ns", shortName)
-	// Second time around, the rest of cleanup happens.
+	// The deletion triggers another reconcile, to finish the cleanup.
 	expectReconciled(t, sr, "default", "test")
 	expectMissing[appsv1.StatefulSet](t, fc, "operator-ns", shortName)
 	expectMissing[corev1.Service](t, fc, "operator-ns", shortName)
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ func TestAnnotations(t *testing.T) {
 	// synchronous StatefulSet deletion triggers a requeue. But, the StatefulSet
 	// didn't create any child resources since this is all faked, so the
 	// deletion goes through immediately.
-	expectRequeue(t, sr, "default", "test")
+	expectReconciled(t, sr, "default", "test")
 	expectMissing[appsv1.StatefulSet](t, fc, "operator-ns", shortName)
 	// Second time around, the rest of cleanup happens.
 	expectReconciled(t, sr, "default", "test")