diff --git a/pkg/api/validation/validation.go b/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
index 5e07a458729..5c24cd3f1ca 100644
--- a/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/api/validation/validation.go
@@ -3437,6 +3437,16 @@ func ValidateNodeUpdate(node, oldNode *api.Node) field.ErrorList {
 			allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Forbidden(field.NewPath("spec", "podCIDR"), "node updates may not change podCIDR except from \"\" to valid"))
 		}
 	}
+
+	// Allow controller manager updating provider ID when not set
+	if len(oldNode.Spec.ProviderID) == 0 {
+		oldNode.Spec.ProviderID = node.Spec.ProviderID
+	} else {
+		if oldNode.Spec.ProviderID != node.Spec.ProviderID {
+			allErrs = append(allErrs, field.Forbidden(field.NewPath("spec", "providerID"), "node updates may not change providerID except from \"\" to valid"))
+		}
+	}
+
 	// TODO: move reset function to its own location
 	// Ignore metadata changes now that they have been tested
 	oldNode.ObjectMeta = node.ObjectMeta
diff --git a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
index d7038753f30..d6603a00aab 100644
--- a/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/validation/validation_test.go
@@ -8245,6 +8245,33 @@ func TestValidateNodeUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		}, false},
+		{api.Node{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name: "update-provider-id-when-not-set",
+			},
+		}, api.Node{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name: "update-provider-id-when-not-set",
+			},
+			Spec: api.NodeSpec{
+				ProviderID: "provider:///new",
+			},
+		}, true},
+		{api.Node{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name: "update-provider-id-when-set",
+			},
+			Spec: api.NodeSpec{
+				ProviderID: "provider:///old",
+			},
+		}, api.Node{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name: "update-provider-id-when-set",
+			},
+			Spec: api.NodeSpec{
+				ProviderID: "provider:///new",
+			},
+		}, false},
 	}
 	for i, test := range tests {
 		test.oldNode.ObjectMeta.ResourceVersion = "1"