diff --git a/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/csi.go b/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/csi.go
index e2bb3fc5cac..def28682f0b 100644
--- a/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/csi.go
+++ b/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/csi.go
@@ -180,6 +180,14 @@ func (pl *CSILimits) filterAttachableVolumes(
 		pvc, err := pl.pvcLister.PersistentVolumeClaims(pod.Namespace).Get(pvcName)
 
 		if err != nil {
+			if newPod {
+				// The PVC is required to proceed with
+				// scheduling of a new pod because it cannot
+				// run without it. Bail out immediately.
+				return fmt.Errorf("looking up PVC %s/%s: %v", pod.Namespace, pvcName, err)
+			}
+			// If the PVC is invalid, we don't count the volume because
+			// there's no guarantee that it belongs to the running predicate.
 			klog.V(5).InfoS("Unable to look up PVC info", "PVC", fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", pod.Namespace, pvcName))
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/csi_test.go b/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/csi_test.go
index ef3f7782c9a..f94808d2a86 100644
--- a/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/csi_test.go
+++ b/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/csi_test.go
@@ -559,6 +559,7 @@ func TestCSILimits(t *testing.T) {
 			ephemeralEnabled: true,
 			driverNames:      []string{ebsCSIDriverName},
 			test:             "ephemeral volume missing",
+			wantStatus:       framework.NewStatus(framework.Error, `looking up PVC test/abc-xyz: persistentvolumeclaim "abc-xyz" not found`),
 		},
 		{
 			newPod:           ephemeralVolumePod,
diff --git a/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/non_csi.go b/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/non_csi.go
index 63c95049d82..78e8458b794 100644
--- a/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/non_csi.go
+++ b/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/non_csi.go
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func (pl *nonCSILimits) Filter(ctx context.Context, _ *framework.CycleState, pod
 	}
 
 	newVolumes := make(sets.String)
-	if err := pl.filterVolumes(pod, newVolumes); err != nil {
+	if err := pl.filterVolumes(pod, true /* new pod */, newVolumes); err != nil {
 		return framework.AsStatus(err)
 	}
 
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ func (pl *nonCSILimits) Filter(ctx context.Context, _ *framework.CycleState, pod
 	// count unique volumes
 	existingVolumes := make(sets.String)
 	for _, existingPod := range nodeInfo.Pods {
-		if err := pl.filterVolumes(existingPod.Pod, existingVolumes); err != nil {
+		if err := pl.filterVolumes(existingPod.Pod, false /* existing pod */, existingVolumes); err != nil {
 			return framework.AsStatus(err)
 		}
 	}
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ func (pl *nonCSILimits) Filter(ctx context.Context, _ *framework.CycleState, pod
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (pl *nonCSILimits) filterVolumes(pod *v1.Pod, filteredVolumes sets.String) error {
+func (pl *nonCSILimits) filterVolumes(pod *v1.Pod, newPod bool, filteredVolumes sets.String) error {
 	volumes := pod.Spec.Volumes
 	for i := range volumes {
 		vol := &volumes[i]
@@ -319,6 +319,12 @@ func (pl *nonCSILimits) filterVolumes(pod *v1.Pod, filteredVolumes sets.String)
 
 		pvc, err := pl.pvcLister.PersistentVolumeClaims(pod.Namespace).Get(pvcName)
 		if err != nil {
+			if newPod {
+				// The PVC is required to proceed with
+				// scheduling of a new pod because it cannot
+				// run without it. Bail out immediately.
+				return fmt.Errorf("looking up PVC %s/%s: %v", pod.Namespace, pvcName, err)
+			}
 			// If the PVC is invalid, we don't count the volume because
 			// there's no guarantee that it belongs to the running predicate.
 			klog.V(4).InfoS("Unable to look up PVC info, assuming PVC doesn't match predicate when counting limits", "PVC", fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", pod.Namespace, pvcName), "err", err)
diff --git a/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/non_csi_test.go b/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/non_csi_test.go
index 55adccf89f6..a4ebd9113bc 100644
--- a/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/non_csi_test.go
+++ b/pkg/scheduler/framework/plugins/nodevolumelimits/non_csi_test.go
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ func TestEphemeralLimits(t *testing.T) {
 			newPod:           ephemeralVolumePod,
 			ephemeralEnabled: true,
 			test:             "volume missing",
+			wantStatus:       framework.NewStatus(framework.Error, `looking up PVC test/abc-xyz: persistentvolumeclaim "abc-xyz" not found`),
 		},
 		{
 			newPod:           ephemeralVolumePod,