diff --git a/pkg/client/cache/shared_informer.go b/pkg/client/cache/shared_informer.go
index 65da513a495..be68b87f5f7 100644
--- a/pkg/client/cache/shared_informer.go
+++ b/pkg/client/cache/shared_informer.go
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ func (s *sharedIndexInformer) LastSyncResourceVersion() string {
 	s.startedLock.Lock()
 	defer s.startedLock.Unlock()
 
-	if s.controller == nil {
+	if s.controller == nil || s.controller.reflector == nil {
 		return ""
 	}
 	return s.controller.reflector.LastSyncResourceVersion()