diff --git a/controllers/certificaterequest_controller.go b/controllers/certificaterequest_controller.go
index aef3aed..31f7b60 100644
--- a/controllers/certificaterequest_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/certificaterequest_controller.go
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ func (r *CertificateRequestReconciler) reconcileStatusPatch(
 		isPermanentError := errors.As(err, &signer.PermanentError{})
 		pastMaxRetryDuration := r.Clock.Now().After(cr.CreationTimestamp.Add(r.MaxRetryDuration))
 		if !isPendingError && (isPermanentError || pastMaxRetryDuration) {
-			// fail permanently
+			// Fail permanently.
 			logger.V(1).Error(err, "Permanent CertificateRequest error. Marking as failed.")
 			_, failedAt := conditions.SetCertificateRequestStatusCondition(
 				r.Clock,
@@ -348,8 +348,14 @@ func (r *CertificateRequestReconciler) reconcileStatusPatch(
 			r.EventRecorder.Eventf(&cr, corev1.EventTypeWarning, "PermanentError", "Failed permanently to sign CertificateRequest: %s", err)
 			return result, crStatusPatch, reconcile.TerminalError(err) // done, apply patch
 		} else {
-			// retry
-			logger.V(1).Error(err, "Retryable CertificateRequest error.")
+			// Signing is pending, wait more.
+			//
+			// The PendingError has a misleading name: although it is an error,
+			// it isn't an error. It just means that we should poll again later.
+			// Its message gives the reason why the signing process is still in
+			// progress. Thus, we don't log any error.
+			reason := err.Error()
+			logger.V(1).WithValues("reason", reason).Info("Signing of CertificateRequest is in still in progress. ")
 			conditions.SetCertificateRequestStatusCondition(
 				r.Clock,
 				cr.Status.Conditions,
@@ -357,7 +363,7 @@ func (r *CertificateRequestReconciler) reconcileStatusPatch(
 				cmapi.CertificateRequestConditionReady,
 				cmmeta.ConditionFalse,
 				cmapi.CertificateRequestReasonPending,
-				fmt.Sprintf("Failed to sign CertificateRequest, will retry: %s", err),
+				fmt.Sprintf("Signing of CertificateRequest is still in progress, will retry: %s", err),
 			)
 
 			r.EventRecorder.Eventf(&cr, corev1.EventTypeWarning, "RetryableError", "Failed to sign CertificateRequest, will retry: %s", err)