diff --git a/controllers/controller_shared.go b/controllers/controller_shared.go
index b8a45a72e..6605ba81f 100644
--- a/controllers/controller_shared.go
+++ b/controllers/controller_shared.go
@@ -84,9 +84,12 @@ func GetScopedMatchingInstances(log logr.Logger, ctx context.Context, k8sClient
 
 	var list v1beta1.GrafanaList
 	err := k8sClient.List(ctx, &list, opts...)
-	if err != nil || len(list.Items) == 0 {
+	if err != nil {
 		return []v1beta1.Grafana{}, err
 	}
+	if len(list.Items) == 0 {
+		return []v1beta1.Grafana{}, nil
+	}
 
 	selectedList := []v1beta1.Grafana{}
 	var unready_instances []string
@@ -124,9 +127,12 @@ func GetAllMatchingInstances(ctx context.Context, k8sClient client.Client, cr v1
 
 	var list v1beta1.GrafanaList
 	err := k8sClient.List(ctx, &list, client.MatchingLabels(instanceSelector.MatchLabels))
-	if err != nil || len(list.Items) == 0 {
+	if err != nil {
 		return []v1beta1.Grafana{}, err
 	}
+	if len(list.Items) == 0 {
+		return []v1beta1.Grafana{}, nil
+	}
 
 	selectedList := []v1beta1.Grafana{}
 	for _, instance := range list.Items {