diff --git a/pkg/operator/controllers/gameserver_controller.go b/pkg/operator/controllers/gameserver_controller.go
index 6722f8c5..98595c93 100644
--- a/pkg/operator/controllers/gameserver_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/operator/controllers/gameserver_controller.go
@@ -155,7 +155,11 @@ func (r *GameServerReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request)
 			}
 			// updating GameServer with the new state
 			if err := r.Status().Patch(ctx, &gs, patch); err != nil {
-				return ctrl.Result{}, err
+				// there is a chance that we have arrived here while the GameServer has been deleted
+				// in this case, .Patch will fail with NotFound error and we can safely ignore it
+				if !apierrors.IsNotFound(err) {
+					return ctrl.Result{}, err
+				}
 			}
 			return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 		}