diff --git a/pkg/controller/cloud/node_controller.go b/pkg/controller/cloud/node_controller.go
index b592ef74666..182e9bcd05d 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/cloud/node_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/cloud/node_controller.go
@@ -256,6 +256,13 @@ func (cnc *CloudNodeController) initializeNode(node *v1.Node) {
 			return err
 		}
 
+		cloudTaint := getCloudTaint(curNode.Spec.Taints)
+		if cloudTaint == nil {
+			// Node object received from event had the cloud taint but was outdated,
+			// the node has actually already been initialized.
+			return nil
+		}
+
 		if curNode.Spec.ProviderID == "" {
 			providerID, err := cloudprovider.GetInstanceProviderID(context.TODO(), cnc.cloud, types.NodeName(curNode.Name))
 			if err == nil {
@@ -312,14 +319,14 @@ func (cnc *CloudNodeController) initializeNode(node *v1.Node) {
 		// After adding, call UpdateNodeAddress to set the CloudProvider provided IPAddresses
 		// So that users do not see any significant delay in IP addresses being filled into the node
 		cnc.updateNodeAddress(curNode, instances)
+
+		klog.Infof("Successfully initialized node %s with cloud provider", node.Name)
 		return nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		utilruntime.HandleError(err)
 		return
 	}
-
-	klog.Infof("Successfully initialized node %s with cloud provider", node.Name)
 }
 
 func getCloudTaint(taints []v1.Taint) *v1.Taint {