diff --git a/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/cloud/mock/mock.go b/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/cloud/mock/mock.go
index 7018f352f09..21ba74da706 100644
--- a/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/cloud/mock/mock.go
+++ b/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/cloud/mock/mock.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
+	alpha "google.golang.org/api/compute/v0.alpha"
 	ga "google.golang.org/api/compute/v1"
 	"google.golang.org/api/googleapi"
 	cloud "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/cloud"
@@ -74,3 +75,21 @@ func RemoveInstanceHook(ctx context.Context, key *meta.Key, req *ga.TargetPoolsR
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// GetAlphaFwdRuleHook mocks getting an AlphaForwardingRule. ForwardingRules
+// are expected to default to Premium tier if no NetworkTier is specified.
+func GetAlphaFwdRuleHook(ctx context.Context, key *meta.Key, m *cloud.MockAlphaForwardingRules) (bool, *alpha.ForwardingRule, error) {
+	if obj, ok := m.Objects[*key]; ok {
+		typedObj := obj.ToAlpha()
+		if typedObj.NetworkTier == "" {
+			typedObj.NetworkTier = "PREMIUM"
+		}
+		return true, typedObj, nil
+	}
+
+	err := &googleapi.Error{
+		Code: http.StatusNotFound,
+	}
+
+	return false, nil, err
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/gce_loadbalancer_external_test.go b/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/gce_loadbalancer_external_test.go
index 07d4e1c11d9..8d034f4b05e 100644
--- a/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/gce_loadbalancer_external_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/gce_loadbalancer_external_test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/cloud"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/cloudprovider/providers/gce/cloud/mock"
@@ -296,6 +297,7 @@ func fakeGCECloud() (*GCECloud, error) {
 	cloud := cloud.NewMockGCE(&gceProjectRouter{gce})
 	cloud.MockTargetPools.AddInstanceHook = mock.AddInstanceHook
 	cloud.MockTargetPools.RemoveInstanceHook = mock.RemoveInstanceHook
+	cloud.MockAlphaForwardingRules.GetHook = mock.GetAlphaFwdRuleHook
 
 	gce.c = cloud
 
@@ -501,3 +503,54 @@ func TestEnsureExternalLoadBalancerDeleted(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Nil(t, fwdRule)
 }
+
+func TestLoadBalancerWrongTierResourceDeletion(t *testing.T) {
+	gce, err := fakeGCECloud()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Enable the NetworkTiers feature
+	gce.AlphaFeatureGate.features[AlphaFeatureNetworkTiers] = true
+	apiService.Annotations = map[string]string{NetworkTierAnnotationKey: "Premium"}
+
+	// NetworkTier defaults to Premium
+	desiredTier, err := gce.getServiceNetworkTier(apiService)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, NetworkTierPremium, desiredTier)
+
+	lbName := cloudprovider.GetLoadBalancerName(apiService)
+	serviceName := types.NamespacedName{Namespace: apiService.Namespace, Name: apiService.Name}
+
+	// create ForwardingRule and Address with the wrong tier
+	err = createForwardingRule(
+		gce,
+		lbName,
+		serviceName.String(),
+		gceRegion,
+		"",
+		gce.targetPoolURL(lbName),
+		apiService.Spec.Ports,
+		NetworkTierStandard,
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	addressObj := &computealpha.Address{
+		Name:        lbName,
+		Description: serviceName.String(),
+		NetworkTier: NetworkTierStandard.ToGCEValue(),
+	}
+
+	err = gce.ReserveAlphaRegionAddress(addressObj, gceRegion)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = createExternalLoadBalancer(gce)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Expect forwarding rule tier to not be Standard
+	tier, err := gce.getNetworkTierFromForwardingRule(lbName, gceRegion)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, NetworkTierDefault.ToGCEValue(), tier)
+
+	// Expect address to be deleted
+	_, err = gce.GetRegionAddress(lbName, gceRegion)
+	assert.True(t, isNotFound(err))
+}