diff --git a/federation/pkg/federation-controller/util/deletionhelper/deletion_helper.go b/federation/pkg/federation-controller/util/deletionhelper/deletion_helper.go
index 5ea2ad1dc36..461e47082cf 100644
--- a/federation/pkg/federation-controller/util/deletionhelper/deletion_helper.go
+++ b/federation/pkg/federation-controller/util/deletionhelper/deletion_helper.go
@@ -126,11 +126,11 @@ func (dh *DeletionHelper) HandleObjectInUnderlyingClusters(obj runtime.Object) (
 		// If the obj has FinalizerOrphan finalizer, then we need to orphan the
 		// corresponding objects in underlying clusters.
 		// Just remove both the finalizers in that case.
-		obj, err := dh.removeFinalizerFunc(obj, api_v1.FinalizerOrphan)
+		obj, err := dh.removeFinalizerFunc(obj, FinalizerDeleteFromUnderlyingClusters)
 		if err != nil {
 			return obj, err
 		}
-		return dh.removeFinalizerFunc(obj, FinalizerDeleteFromUnderlyingClusters)
+		return dh.removeFinalizerFunc(obj, api_v1.FinalizerOrphan)
 	}
 
 	glog.V(2).Infof("Deleting obj %s from underlying clusters", objName)