diff --git a/cloud/scope/cluster.go b/cloud/scope/cluster.go
index a99557394..484511ae5 100644
--- a/cloud/scope/cluster.go
+++ b/cloud/scope/cluster.go
@@ -91,9 +91,11 @@ func (s *ClusterScope) Close(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return s.PatchObject(ctx)
 }
 
-// AddFinalizer adds a finalizer and immediately patches the object to avoid any race conditions
+// AddFinalizer adds a finalizer if not present and immediately patches the
+// object to avoid any race conditions.
 func (s *ClusterScope) AddFinalizer(ctx context.Context) error {
-	controllerutil.AddFinalizer(s.LinodeCluster, infrav1alpha1.GroupVersion.String())
-
-	return s.Close(ctx)
+	if controllerutil.AddFinalizer(s.LinodeCluster, infrav1alpha1.GroupVersion.String()) {
+		return s.Close(ctx)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/cloud/scope/machine.go b/cloud/scope/machine.go
index 1857400d0..4b8bfdf78 100644
--- a/cloud/scope/machine.go
+++ b/cloud/scope/machine.go
@@ -85,11 +85,13 @@ func (s *MachineScope) Close(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return s.PatchObject(ctx)
 }
 
-// AddFinalizer adds a finalizer and immediately patches the object to avoid any race conditions
+// AddFinalizer adds a finalizer if not present and immediately patches the
+// object to avoid any race conditions.
 func (s *MachineScope) AddFinalizer(ctx context.Context) error {
-	controllerutil.AddFinalizer(s.LinodeMachine, infrav1alpha1.GroupVersion.String())
-
-	return s.Close(ctx)
+	if controllerutil.AddFinalizer(s.LinodeMachine, infrav1alpha1.GroupVersion.String()) {
+		return s.Close(ctx)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // GetBootstrapData returns the bootstrap data from the secret in the Machine's bootstrap.dataSecretName.
diff --git a/cloud/scope/vpc.go b/cloud/scope/vpc.go
index a5a68c208..823eb154b 100644
--- a/cloud/scope/vpc.go
+++ b/cloud/scope/vpc.go
@@ -84,9 +84,11 @@ func (s *VPCScope) Close(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return s.PatchObject(ctx)
 }
 
-// AddFinalizer adds a finalizer and immediately patches the object to avoid any race conditions
+// AddFinalizer adds a finalizer if not present and immediately patches the
+// object to avoid any race conditions.
 func (s *VPCScope) AddFinalizer(ctx context.Context) error {
-	controllerutil.AddFinalizer(s.LinodeVPC, infrav1alpha1.GroupVersion.String())
-
-	return s.Close(ctx)
+	if controllerutil.AddFinalizer(s.LinodeVPC, infrav1alpha1.GroupVersion.String()) {
+		return s.Close(ctx)
+	}
+	return nil
 }