diff --git a/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector.go b/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector.go
index 9d6410d95c1..9c19cb69c1b 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector.go
@@ -410,6 +410,7 @@ 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
diff --git a/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector_test.go b/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector_test.go
index 4909eac8c07..be1c900e629 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/garbagecollector/garbagecollector_test.go
@@ -298,8 +298,9 @@ func TestProcessEvent(t *testing.T) {
 				uidToNode: make(map[types.UID]*node),
 			},
 			gc: &GarbageCollector{
-				dirtyQueue: workqueue.NewTimedWorkQueue(),
-				clock:      clock.RealClock{},
+				dirtyQueue:       workqueue.NewTimedWorkQueue(),
+				clock:            clock.RealClock{},
+				absentOwnerCache: NewUIDCache(2),
 			},
 		}
 		for i := 0; i < len(scenario.events); i++ {