diff --git a/pkg/tnf/pkg/pacemaker/healthcheck.go b/pkg/tnf/pkg/pacemaker/healthcheck.go
index 684f9ee540..842b7bbb96 100644
--- a/pkg/tnf/pkg/pacemaker/healthcheck.go
+++ b/pkg/tnf/pkg/pacemaker/healthcheck.go
@@ -245,6 +245,13 @@ func (c *HealthCheck) sync(ctx context.Context, syncCtx factory.SyncContext) err
 
 	c.recordHealthCheckEvents(currentStatus, previousStatus)
 
+	// Only mark as processed after status was successfully updated
+	if currentStatus.OverallStatus != statusUnknown {
+		c.previousMu.Lock()
+		c.previous = currentStatus
+		c.previousMu.Unlock()
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -324,13 +331,6 @@ func (c *HealthCheck) getPacemakerStatus(ctx context.Context) (*HealthStatus, *H
 	currentStatus := c.buildHealthStatusFromCR(pacemakerCR)
 	currentStatus.CRLastUpdated = crLastUpdated
 
-	// Only update previous for non-Unknown status (preserves last valid for grace period)
-	if currentStatus.OverallStatus != statusUnknown {
-		c.previousMu.Lock()
-		c.previous = currentStatus
-		c.previousMu.Unlock()
-	}
-
 	return currentStatus, previous, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/tnf/pkg/pacemaker/healthcheck_test.go b/pkg/tnf/pkg/pacemaker/healthcheck_test.go
index 3d87e7183a..e598aa3c4e 100644
--- a/pkg/tnf/pkg/pacemaker/healthcheck_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tnf/pkg/pacemaker/healthcheck_test.go
@@ -347,6 +347,9 @@ func TestHealthCheck_getPacemakerStatus_UnchangedTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotNil(t, current1, "First call should return a status")
 	require.Equal(t, statusHealthy, current1.OverallStatus, "First call should return healthy status")
 
+	// Simulate what sync() does after successful updateOperatorStatus
+	controller.previous = current1
+
 	// Second call with same timestamp should return nil (no change)
 	current2, _, err2 := controller.getPacemakerStatus(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err2, "Second getPacemakerStatus should not return an error")