diff --git a/pkg/controller/volume/attachdetach/reconciler/reconciler_test.go b/pkg/controller/volume/attachdetach/reconciler/reconciler_test.go
index 02995c0d4bd..8e1aec04ed7 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/volume/attachdetach/reconciler/reconciler_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/volume/attachdetach/reconciler/reconciler_test.go
@@ -750,17 +750,15 @@ func Test_Run_OneVolumeDetachFailNodeWithReadWriteOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	// The first detach will be triggered after at least 50ms (maxWaitForUnmountDuration in test).
 	// Right before detach operation is performed, the volume will be first removed from being reported
 	// as attached on node status (RemoveVolumeFromReportAsAttached). After detach operation which is expected to fail,
-	// controller then added the volume back as attached.
+	// controller then treats the attachment as Uncertain.
 	// Here it sleeps 100ms so that detach should be triggered already at this point.
-	// verifyVolumeReportedAsAttachedToNode will check volume is in the list of volume attached that needs to be updated
-	// in node status. By calling this function (GetVolumesToReportAttached), node status should be updated, and the volume
-	// will not need to be updated until new changes are applied (detach is triggered again)
 	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
-	verifyVolumeAttachedToNode(t, generatedVolumeName, nodeName1, cache.AttachStateAttached, asw)
-	verifyVolumeReportedAsAttachedToNode(t, logger, generatedVolumeName, nodeName1, true, asw, volumeAttachedCheckTimeout)
+	verifyVolumeAttachedToNode(t, generatedVolumeName, nodeName1, cache.AttachStateUncertain, asw)
+	verifyVolumeReportedAsAttachedToNode(t, logger, generatedVolumeName, nodeName1, false, asw, volumeAttachedCheckTimeout)
 
 	// Add a second pod which tries to attach the volume to the same node.
-	// After adding pod to the same node, detach will not be triggered any more.
+	// After adding pod to the same node, detach will not be triggered any more,
+	// the volume gets attached and reported as attached to the node.
 	generatedVolumeName, podAddErr = dsw.AddPod(types.UniquePodName(podName2), controllervolumetesting.NewPod(podName2, podName2), volumeSpec, nodeName1)
 	if podAddErr != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("AddPod failed. Expected: <no error> Actual: <%v>", podAddErr)
@@ -768,6 +766,7 @@ func Test_Run_OneVolumeDetachFailNodeWithReadWriteOnce(t *testing.T) {
 	// Sleep 1s to verify no detach are triggered after second pod is added in the future.
 	time.Sleep(1000 * time.Millisecond)
 	verifyVolumeAttachedToNode(t, generatedVolumeName, nodeName1, cache.AttachStateAttached, asw)
+	verifyVolumeReportedAsAttachedToNode(t, logger, generatedVolumeName, nodeName1, true, asw, volumeAttachedCheckTimeout)
 	// verifyVolumeNoStatusUpdateNeeded(t, logger, generatedVolumeName, nodeName1, asw)
 
 	// Add a third pod which tries to attach the volume to a different node.
diff --git a/pkg/volume/util/operationexecutor/operation_generator.go b/pkg/volume/util/operationexecutor/operation_generator.go
index bd59e865cbe..3ba7de985a0 100644
--- a/pkg/volume/util/operationexecutor/operation_generator.go
+++ b/pkg/volume/util/operationexecutor/operation_generator.go
@@ -506,9 +506,13 @@ func (og *operationGenerator) GenerateDetachVolumeFunc(
 		migrated := getMigratedStatusBySpec(volumeToDetach.VolumeSpec)
 
 		if err != nil {
-			// On failure, add volume back to ReportAsAttached list
-			actualStateOfWorld.AddVolumeToReportAsAttached(
-				logger, volumeToDetach.VolumeName, volumeToDetach.NodeName)
+			// On failure, mark the volume as uncertain. Attach() must succeed before adding the volume back
+			// to node status as attached.
+			uncertainError := actualStateOfWorld.MarkVolumeAsUncertain(
+				logger, volumeToDetach.VolumeName, volumeToDetach.VolumeSpec, volumeToDetach.NodeName)
+			if uncertainError != nil {
+				klog.Errorf("DetachVolume.MarkVolumeAsUncertain failed to add the volume %q to actual state after detach error: %s", volumeToDetach.VolumeName, uncertainError)
+			}
 			eventErr, detailedErr := volumeToDetach.GenerateError("DetachVolume.Detach failed", err)
 			return volumetypes.NewOperationContext(eventErr, detailedErr, migrated)
 		}