diff --git a/pkg/actuators/machine/reconciler.go b/pkg/actuators/machine/reconciler.go
index 125a0d427e..dc95fda0bf 100644
--- a/pkg/actuators/machine/reconciler.go
+++ b/pkg/actuators/machine/reconciler.go
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func (r *Reconciler) update() error {
 
 	existingLen := len(existingInstances)
 	if existingLen == 0 {
-		if r.machine.Spec.ProviderID != nil && *r.machine.Spec.ProviderID != "" && len(r.machine.Status.Addresses) == 0 {
+		if r.machine.Spec.ProviderID != nil && *r.machine.Spec.ProviderID != "" && len(r.machine.Status.Addresses) == 0 && (r.machine.Status.LastUpdated == nil || r.machine.Status.LastUpdated.Add(requeueAfterSeconds*time.Second).After(time.Now())) {
 			klog.Infof("%s: Possible eventual-consistency discrepancy; returning an error to requeue", r.machine.Name)
 			return &machinecontroller.RequeueAfterError{RequeueAfter: requeueAfterSeconds * time.Second}
 		}
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ func (r *Reconciler) exists() (bool, error) {
 	}
 
 	if len(existingInstances) == 0 {
-		if r.machine.Spec.ProviderID != nil && *r.machine.Spec.ProviderID != "" && len(r.machine.Status.Addresses) == 0 {
+		if r.machine.Spec.ProviderID != nil && *r.machine.Spec.ProviderID != "" && len(r.machine.Status.Addresses) == 0 && (r.machine.Status.LastUpdated == nil || r.machine.Status.LastUpdated.Add(requeueAfterSeconds*time.Second).After(time.Now())) {
 			klog.Infof("%s: Possible eventual-consistency discrepancy; returning an error to requeue", r.machine.Name)
 			return false, &machinecontroller.RequeueAfterError{RequeueAfter: requeueAfterSeconds * time.Second}
 		}