diff --git a/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_adapter.go b/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_adapter.go
index 449fe9ca4..4b45f1512 100644
--- a/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_adapter.go
+++ b/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_adapter.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import (
 	clienterrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/meta"
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller/controllerutil"
 
 	applicationapiv1alpha1 "github.com/konflux-ci/application-api/api/v1alpha1"
 	"github.com/konflux-ci/integration-service/api/v1beta2"
@@ -522,18 +521,8 @@ func (a *Adapter) EnsureOverrideSnapshotValid() (controller.OperationResult, err
 		return controller.ContinueProcessing()
 	}
 
-	var err error
-	if !controllerutil.HasControllerReference(a.snapshot) {
-		a.snapshot, err = gitops.SetOwnerReference(a.context, a.client, a.snapshot, a.application)
-		if err != nil {
-			a.logger.Error(err, fmt.Sprintf("Failed to set owner reference for snapshot %s/%s", a.snapshot.Namespace, a.snapshot.Name))
-			return controller.RequeueWithError(err)
-		}
-		a.logger.Info("Owner reference has been set to snapshot")
-	}
-
 	// validate all snapshotComponents' containerImages/source in snapshot, make all errors joined
-	var errsForSnapshot error
+	var err, errsForSnapshot error
 	for _, snapshotComponent := range a.snapshot.Spec.Components {
 		snapshotComponent := snapshotComponent //G601
 		_, err := a.loader.GetComponent(a.context, a.client, snapshotComponent.Name, a.snapshot.Namespace)
diff --git a/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_adapter_test.go b/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_adapter_test.go
index d28aa5919..6c44afcef 100644
--- a/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_adapter_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_adapter_test.go
@@ -1925,7 +1925,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Snapshot Adapter", Ordered, func() {
 			result, err := adapter.EnsureOverrideSnapshotValid()
 			Expect(result.CancelRequest).To(BeFalse())
 			Expect(result.RequeueRequest).To(BeFalse())
-			Expect(controllerutil.HasControllerReference(hasInvalidOverrideSnapshot)).To(BeTrue())
 			Expect(buf.String()).Should(ContainSubstring("Snapshot has been marked as invalid"))
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
diff --git a/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_controller.go b/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_controller.go
index f907cea21..61fa1c34a 100644
--- a/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_controller.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/retry"
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller/controllerutil"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/predicate"
 )
 
@@ -112,6 +113,16 @@ func (r *Reconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (ctrl.Resu
 		return helpers.HandleLoaderError(logger, err, "Application", "Snapshot")
 	}
 
+	if !controllerutil.HasControllerReference(snapshot) {
+		snapshot, err = gitops.SetOwnerReference(ctx, r.Client, snapshot, application)
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Error(err, fmt.Sprintf("Failed to set owner reference for snapshot %s/%s", snapshot.Namespace, snapshot.Name))
+			return ctrl.Result{}, err
+		}
+		logger.LogAuditEvent(fmt.Sprintf("Application %s has been set as a Controller OwnerReference on Snapshot %s", application.Name, snapshot.Name),
+			snapshot, helpers.LogActionUpdate)
+	}
+
 	logger = logger.WithApp(*application)
 
 	adapter := NewAdapter(ctx, snapshot, application, logger, loader, r.Client)
diff --git a/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_controller_test.go b/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_controller_test.go
index 7e0f257e8..de5e5a716 100644
--- a/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_controller_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/snapshot/snapshot_controller_test.go
@@ -178,6 +178,30 @@ var _ = Describe("SnapshotController", func() {
 		Expect(err).To(BeNil())
 	})
 
+	It("can add the Application as a Controller OwnerReference on Snapshot", func() {
+		Expect(hasSnapshot.ObjectMeta.OwnerReferences).To(BeNil())
+
+		req := ctrl.Request{
+			NamespacedName: types.NamespacedName{
+				Name:      hasSnapshot.Name,
+				Namespace: "default",
+			},
+		}
+		result, err := snapshotReconciler.Reconcile(ctx, req)
+		Expect(reflect.TypeOf(result)).To(Equal(reflect.TypeOf(reconcile.Result{})))
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+		Eventually(func() bool {
+			err := k8sClient.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{
+				Namespace: hasSnapshot.Namespace,
+				Name:      hasSnapshot.Name,
+			}, hasSnapshot)
+			return err == nil
+		}).Should(BeTrue())
+		Expect(hasSnapshot.ObjectMeta.OwnerReferences).ToNot(BeNil())
+		Expect(hasSnapshot.ObjectMeta.GetOwnerReferences()[0].Name).To(Equal(hasApp.Name))
+	})
+
 	It("Does not return an error if the component cannot be found", func() {
 		err := k8sClient.Delete(ctx, hasComp)
 		Eventually(func() bool {