diff --git a/k3k-kubelet/controller/webhook/pod.go b/k3k-kubelet/controller/webhook/pod.go
index 9fa94dbb..440bee46 100644
--- a/k3k-kubelet/controller/webhook/pod.go
+++ b/k3k-kubelet/controller/webhook/pod.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rancher/k3k/pkg/log"
 	admissionregistrationv1 "k8s.io/api/admissionregistration/v1"
 	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	apierrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
@@ -56,7 +57,9 @@ func AddPodMutatorWebhook(ctx context.Context, mgr manager.Manager, hostClient c
 		return err
 	}
 	if err := handler.client.Create(ctx, config); err != nil {
-		return err
+		if !apierrors.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 	// register webhook with the manager
 	return ctrl.NewWebhookManagedBy(mgr).For(&v1.Pod{}).WithDefaulter(&handler).Complete()
diff --git a/k3k-kubelet/kubelet.go b/k3k-kubelet/kubelet.go
index fac1719a..73cf0058 100644
--- a/k3k-kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/k3k-kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/virtual-kubelet/virtual-kubelet/node/nodeutil"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
 	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
-	apierrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/authentication/user"
@@ -129,9 +128,7 @@ func newKubelet(ctx context.Context, c *config, logger *k3klog.Logger) (*kubelet
 	}
 	logger.Info("adding pod mutator webhook")
 	if err := k3kwebhook.AddPodMutatorWebhook(ctx, virtualMgr, hostClient, c.ClusterName, c.ClusterNamespace, c.NodeName, logger); err != nil {
-		if !apierrors.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
-			return nil, errors.New("unable to add pod mutator webhook for virtual cluster: " + err.Error())
-		}
+		return nil, errors.New("unable to add pod mutator webhook for virtual cluster: " + err.Error())
 	}
 
 	logger.Info("adding service syncer controller")