diff --git a/workflow/controller/operator.go b/workflow/controller/operator.go
index 3df0829bd120..f540b18d9840 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/operator.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/operator.go
@@ -530,6 +530,7 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) requeue() {
 	woc.controller.wfQueue.Add(key)
 }
 
+// processNodeRetries updates the retry node state based on the child node state and the retry strategy and returns the node.
 func (woc *wfOperationCtx) processNodeRetries(node *wfv1.NodeStatus, retryStrategy wfv1.RetryStrategy) (*wfv1.NodeStatus, error) {
 	if node.Completed() {
 		return node, nil
@@ -1161,33 +1162,26 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) executeTemplate(nodeName string, orgTmpl wfv1.Templat
 		}
 		processedRetryParentNode, err := woc.processNodeRetries(retryParentNode, *processedTmpl.RetryStrategy)
 		if err != nil {
-			woc.log.Errorf("Error: %+v", err)
 			return woc.markNodeError(retryNodeName, err), err
 		}
 		retryParentNode = processedRetryParentNode
 		// The retry node might have completed by now.
 		if retryParentNode.Completed() {
-			woc.log.Errorf("Error: %+v", err)
 			return retryParentNode, nil
 		}
 		lastChildNode, err := woc.getLastChildNode(retryParentNode)
 		if err != nil {
-			woc.log.Errorf("Error: %+v", err)
 			return woc.markNodeError(retryNodeName, err), err
 		}
-		if lastChildNode != nil {
-			if !lastChildNode.Completed() {
-				// Last child node is still running.
-				return retryParentNode, nil
-			}
-			// All work is done in a child
-			nodeName = lastChildNode.Name
-			node = lastChildNode
-		} else {
-			// This is the first try.
-			nodeName = fmt.Sprintf("%s(%d)", retryNodeName, len(retryParentNode.Children))
-			node = nil
+		if lastChildNode != nil && !lastChildNode.Completed() {
+			// Last child node is still running.
+			return retryParentNode, nil
 		}
+		// This is the case the child node has been done,
+		//  but the retry node state is still running.
+		//  Create another child node.
+		nodeName = fmt.Sprintf("%s(%d)", retryNodeName, len(retryParentNode.Children))
+		node = nil
 	}
 
 	// Initialize node based on the template type.
@@ -1429,6 +1423,7 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) markNodePhase(nodeName string, phase wfv1.NodePhase,
 
 // markNodeError is a convenience method to mark a node with an error and set the message from the error
 func (woc *wfOperationCtx) markNodeError(nodeName string, err error) *wfv1.NodeStatus {
+	woc.log.Errorf("Mark error node %s: %+v", nodeName, err)
 	return woc.markNodePhase(nodeName, wfv1.NodeError, err.Error())
 }