diff --git a/controllers/maasmachine_controller.go b/controllers/maasmachine_controller.go
index 678c77f..e4536ff 100644
--- a/controllers/maasmachine_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/maasmachine_controller.go
@@ -242,7 +242,6 @@ func (r *MaasMachineReconciler) reconcileDelete(_ context.Context, machineScope
 									}
 									// Fetch details to confirm and delete
 									if gm, ge := client.Machines().Machine(gid).Get(ctx); ge == nil {
-										_ = client.Machines().Machine(gm.SystemID()).Delete(ctx)
 										if derr := client.Machines().Machine(gm.SystemID()).Delete(ctx); derr != nil {
 											machineScope.Error(derr, "failed to delete guest VM during host release cleanup", "guestSystemID", gm.SystemID())
 										}