diff --git a/api/v1beta1/machine_webhook.go b/api/v1beta1/machine_webhook.go
index a07bf449267e..febaad1ee8ee 100644
--- a/api/v1beta1/machine_webhook.go
+++ b/api/v1beta1/machine_webhook.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func (m *Machine) SetupWebhookWithManager(mgr ctrl.Manager) error {
 }
 
 // +kubebuilder:webhook:verbs=create;update;delete,path=/validate-cluster-x-k8s-io-v1beta1-machine,mutating=false,failurePolicy=fail,matchPolicy=Equivalent,groups=cluster.x-k8s.io,resources=machines,versions=v1beta1,name=validation.machine.cluster.x-k8s.io,sideEffects=None,admissionReviewVersions=v1;v1beta1
-// +kubebuilder:webhook:verbs=create;update;delete,path=/mutate-cluster-x-k8s-io-v1beta1-machine,mutating=true,failurePolicy=fail,matchPolicy=Equivalent,groups=cluster.x-k8s.io,resources=machines,versions=v1beta1,name=default.machine.cluster.x-k8s.io,sideEffects=None,admissionReviewVersions=v1;v1beta1
+// +kubebuilder:webhook:verbs=create;update,path=/mutate-cluster-x-k8s-io-v1beta1-machine,mutating=true,failurePolicy=fail,matchPolicy=Equivalent,groups=cluster.x-k8s.io,resources=machines,versions=v1beta1,name=default.machine.cluster.x-k8s.io,sideEffects=None,admissionReviewVersions=v1;v1beta1
 
 var _ webhook.CustomValidator = &machineValidator{}
 var _ webhook.Defaulter = &Machine{}
@@ -79,27 +79,14 @@ func (m *Machine) Default() {
 
 // MachineValidator creates a new CustomValidator for Machines.
 func MachineValidator(scheme *runtime.Scheme) webhook.CustomValidator {
-	// Note: The error return parameter is always nil and will be dropped with the next CR release.
-	decoder, _ := admission.NewDecoder(scheme)
-	return &machineValidator{
-		decoder: decoder,
-	}
+	return &machineValidator{}
 }
 
 // machineValidator implements a defaulting webhook for Machine.
-type machineValidator struct {
-	decoder *admission.Decoder
-}
+type machineValidator struct{}
 
 // ValidateCreate implements webhook.Validator so a webhook will be registered for the type.
 func (*machineValidator) ValidateCreate(ctx context.Context, obj runtime.Object) error {
-	log := ctrl.LoggerFrom(ctx)
-
-	log.Info("Service account env is", "env", os.Getenv("POD_SERVICE_ACCOUNT"))
-	log.Info("Pod name env is", "env", os.Getenv("POD_NAME"))
-	log.Info("Pod namespace env is", "env", os.Getenv("POD_NAMESPACE"))
-	fmt.Printf("Service account env is %s\n", os.Getenv("POD_SERVICE_ACCOUNT"))
-
 	m, ok := obj.(*Machine)
 	if !ok {
 		return apierrors.NewBadRequest(fmt.Sprintf("expected a Machine but got a %T", obj))
diff --git a/exp/api/v1beta1/machinepool_types.go b/exp/api/v1beta1/machinepool_types.go
index ac2508f6093f..2634affe1db3 100644
--- a/exp/api/v1beta1/machinepool_types.go
+++ b/exp/api/v1beta1/machinepool_types.go
@@ -27,10 +27,6 @@ import (
 const (
 	// MachinePoolFinalizer is used to ensure deletion of dependencies (nodes, infra).
 	MachinePoolFinalizer = "machinepool.cluster.x-k8s.io"
-
-	// MachinePoolNameLabel is the label indicating the name of the MachinePool a Machine is controlled by.
-	// Note: The value of this label may be a hash if the MachinePool name is longer than 63 characters.
-	MachinePoolNameLabel = "cluster.x-k8s.io/pool-name"
 )
 
 // ANCHOR: MachinePoolSpec
diff --git a/exp/internal/controllers/machinepool_controller.go b/exp/internal/controllers/machinepool_controller.go
index b90d18d62a1f..732e48b95968 100644
--- a/exp/internal/controllers/machinepool_controller.go
+++ b/exp/internal/controllers/machinepool_controller.go
@@ -102,19 +102,6 @@ func (r *MachinePoolReconciler) SetupWithManager(ctx context.Context, mgr ctrl.M
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed setting up with a controller manager")
 	}
 
-	err = c.Watch(
-		&source.Kind{Type: &clusterv1.Cluster{}},
-		handler.EnqueueRequestsFromMapFunc(clusterToMachinePools),
-		// TODO: should this wait for Cluster.Status.InfrastructureReady similar to Infra Machine resources?
-		predicates.All(ctrl.LoggerFrom(ctx),
-			predicates.ClusterUnpaused(ctrl.LoggerFrom(ctx)),
-			predicates.ResourceHasFilterLabel(ctrl.LoggerFrom(ctx), r.WatchFilterValue),
-		),
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed adding Watch for Cluster to controller manager")
-	}
-
 	r.controller = c
 	r.recorder = mgr.GetEventRecorderFor("machinepool-controller")
 	return nil
diff --git a/exp/internal/controllers/machinepool_controller_phases.go b/exp/internal/controllers/machinepool_controller_phases.go
index 91f5411f4b27..c4885f6896d4 100644
--- a/exp/internal/controllers/machinepool_controller_phases.go
+++ b/exp/internal/controllers/machinepool_controller_phases.go
@@ -354,7 +354,6 @@ func (r *MachinePoolReconciler) reconcileMachinePoolMachines(ctx context.Context
 
 	// If one missing but not both, return error
 	if noKind != noSelector {
-		log.Info("Only one of infraMachineKind or infraMachineSelector found, this is unexpected")
 		return errors.Errorf("only one of infraMachineKind or infraMachineSelector found, both must be present")
 	}
 
@@ -433,8 +432,11 @@ func (r *MachinePoolReconciler) deleteDanglingMachines(ctx context.Context, mp *
 			// Until the InfraMachinePool populates its selector kind and selector labels, the MachinePool controller can't tell that it supports MachinePool Machines
 			// and will create fallback machines to begin with. When the selector fields gets populated, we want to clean up those fallback machines.
 			log.V(2).Info("Machine has an empty infraRef, this a fallback machine, will delete", "machine", machine.Name, "namespace", machine.Namespace)
+			if err := r.Client.Delete(ctx, machine); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 
-			return r.Client.Delete(ctx, machine)
+			continue
 		}
 
 		_, err := external.Get(ctx, r.Client, &infraRef, mp.Namespace)