diff --git a/api/cluster/controller.go b/api/cluster/controller.go
index 723bdf1a1..468524f28 100644
--- a/api/cluster/controller.go
+++ b/api/cluster/controller.go
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ func (c *controller) Deploy(ctx context.Context, modelService *models.Service) (
 	s, err := c.kserveClient.InferenceServices(modelService.Namespace).Get(modelService.Name, metav1.GetOptions{})
 	if err != nil {
 		if !kerrors.IsNotFound(err) {
-			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "unable to check status of inference service: %s", s.Name)
+			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "unable to check status of inference service: %s", modelService.Name)
 		}
 		s, err = c.kserveClient.InferenceServices(modelService.Namespace).Create(spec)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/api/cluster/controller_test.go b/api/cluster/controller_test.go
index df2792cba..1071a689c 100644
--- a/api/cluster/controller_test.go
+++ b/api/cluster/controller_test.go
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ func TestController_DeployInferenceService(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			checkResult: &inferenceServiceReactor{
 				nil,
-				kerrors.NewNotFound(schema.GroupResource{}, ""),
+				errors.New("error check"),
 			},
 			deployTimeout:   deployTimeout,
 			createPdbResult: &pdbReactor{pdb, nil},