diff --git a/hypershift-operator/controllers/nodepool/nodepool_controller.go b/hypershift-operator/controllers/nodepool/nodepool_controller.go
index 8d4a1acaebe..8e1c878743c 100644
--- a/hypershift-operator/controllers/nodepool/nodepool_controller.go
+++ b/hypershift-operator/controllers/nodepool/nodepool_controller.go
@@ -1799,7 +1799,7 @@ func (r *NodePoolReconciler) listMachineSets(nodePool *hyperv1.NodePool) ([]clie
 		}
 	default:
 		// need a default path that returns a value that does not cause the hypershift operator to crash
-		// if no explicit machineTemplate is defined safe to assume none exist
+		// if no explicit machineSet is defined safe to assume none exist
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 	machineSetList.SetGroupVersionKind(schema.GroupVersionKind{
@@ -1811,9 +1811,9 @@ func (r *NodePoolReconciler) listMachineSets(nodePool *hyperv1.NodePool) ([]clie
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to list MachineSets: %w", err)
 	}
 	var filtered []client.Object
-	for i, machineTemplate := range machineSetList.Items {
-		if machineTemplate.GetAnnotations() != nil {
-			if annotation, ok := machineTemplate.GetAnnotations()[nodePoolAnnotation]; ok &&
+	for i, machineSet := range machineSetList.Items {
+		if machineSet.GetAnnotations() != nil {
+			if annotation, ok := machineSet.GetAnnotations()[nodePoolAnnotation]; ok &&
 				annotation == client.ObjectKeyFromObject(nodePool).String() {
 				filtered = append(filtered, &machineSetList.Items[i])
 			}