diff --git a/pkg/cloudprovider/nodecontroller/nodecontroller.go b/pkg/cloudprovider/nodecontroller/nodecontroller.go
index e519608b738..e15f20f0ff8 100644
--- a/pkg/cloudprovider/nodecontroller/nodecontroller.go
+++ b/pkg/cloudprovider/nodecontroller/nodecontroller.go
@@ -409,13 +409,14 @@ func (nc *NodeController) monitorNodeStatus() error {
 				}
 				if _, err := instances.ExternalID(node.Name); err != nil && err == cloudprovider.InstanceNotFound {
 					glog.Infof("Deleting node (no longer present in cloud provider): %s", node.Name)
+					if err := nc.deletePods(node.Name); err != nil {
+						glog.Errorf("Unable to delete pods from node %s: %v", node.Name, err)
+						continue
+					}
 					if err := nc.kubeClient.Nodes().Delete(node.Name); err != nil {
 						glog.Errorf("Unable to delete node %s: %v", node.Name, err)
 						continue
 					}
-					if err := nc.deletePods(node.Name); err != nil {
-						glog.Errorf("Unable to delete pods from node %s: %v", node.Name, err)
-					}
 				}
 			}
 		}