diff --git a/controllers/external/util.go b/controllers/external/util.go
index fde450016080..e43cc2ae7e3e 100644
--- a/controllers/external/util.go
+++ b/controllers/external/util.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // Get uses the client and reference to get an external, unstructured object.
-func Get(ctx context.Context, c client.Client, ref *corev1.ObjectReference, namespace string) (*unstructured.Unstructured, error) {
+func Get(ctx context.Context, c client.Reader, ref *corev1.ObjectReference, namespace string) (*unstructured.Unstructured, error) {
 	if ref == nil {
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("cannot get object - object reference not set")
 	}
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func Get(ctx context.Context, c client.Client, ref *corev1.ObjectReference, name
 }
 
 // Delete uses the client and reference to delete an external, unstructured object.
-func Delete(ctx context.Context, c client.Client, ref *corev1.ObjectReference) error {
+func Delete(ctx context.Context, c client.Writer, ref *corev1.ObjectReference) error {
 	obj := new(unstructured.Unstructured)
 	obj.SetAPIVersion(ref.APIVersion)
 	obj.SetKind(ref.Kind)