diff --git a/internal/controller/drplacementcontrol.go b/internal/controller/drplacementcontrol.go
index 8eee6d53b2..89583afb89 100644
--- a/internal/controller/drplacementcontrol.go
+++ b/internal/controller/drplacementcontrol.go
@@ -1850,10 +1850,6 @@ func (d *DRPCInstance) ensureVRGManifestWorkOnClusterDeleted(clusterName string)
 
 	d.log.Info("Request not complete yet", "cluster", clusterName)
 
-	if d.instance.Spec.ProtectedNamespaces != nil && len(*d.instance.Spec.ProtectedNamespaces) > 0 {
-		d.setProgression(rmn.ProgressionWaitOnUserToCleanUp)
-	}
-
 	// IF we get here, either the VRG has not transitioned to secondary (yet) or delete didn't succeed. In either cases,
 	// we need to make sure that the VRG object is deleted. IOW, we still have to wait
 	return !done, nil
@@ -1915,6 +1911,10 @@ func (d *DRPCInstance) ensureVRGIsSecondaryOnCluster(clusterName string) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
+	if d.instance.Spec.ProtectedNamespaces != nil && len(*d.instance.Spec.ProtectedNamespaces) > 0 {
+		d.setProgression(rmn.ProgressionWaitOnUserToCleanUp)
+	}
+
 	return true
 }