diff --git a/controlplane/controllers/const.go b/controlplane/controllers/const.go
index d3b0cfd4..c8224515 100644
--- a/controlplane/controllers/const.go
+++ b/controlplane/controllers/const.go
@@ -31,5 +31,9 @@ const (
 	// dependent certificates have been created.
 	dependentCertRequeueAfter = 30 * time.Second
 
+	// etcdRemovalRequeueAfter is how long to wait before checking again to see if
+	// etcd member is successfully removed.
+	etcdRemovalRequeueAfter = 30 * time.Second
+
 	k3sHookName = "k3s"
 )
diff --git a/controlplane/controllers/kthreescontrolplane_controller.go b/controlplane/controllers/kthreescontrolplane_controller.go
index 98515d7e..34ee91f0 100644
--- a/controlplane/controllers/kthreescontrolplane_controller.go
+++ b/controlplane/controllers/kthreescontrolplane_controller.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func (r *KThreesControlPlaneReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.
 	}
 	if cluster == nil {
 		logger.Info("Cluster Controller has not yet set OwnerRef")
-		return ctrl.Result{Requeue: true}, nil
+		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 	}
 	logger = logger.WithValues("cluster", cluster.Name)
 
diff --git a/controlplane/controllers/machine_controller.go b/controlplane/controllers/machine_controller.go
index 4c9c39e7..60625af3 100644
--- a/controlplane/controllers/machine_controller.go
+++ b/controlplane/controllers/machine_controller.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func (r *MachineReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (ct
 			}
 			if !etcdRemoved {
 				logger.Info("wait k3s embedded etcd controller to remove etcd")
-				return ctrl.Result{Requeue: true}, err
+				return ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: etcdRemovalRequeueAfter}, nil
 			}
 
 			nodeName := ""