diff --git a/pkg/controller/placementrule/manifestwork.go b/pkg/controller/placementrule/manifestwork.go
index 7f1401cbc..2f3bb935b 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/placementrule/manifestwork.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/placementrule/manifestwork.go
@@ -103,8 +103,10 @@ func createManifestWork(client client.Client, clusterNamespace string,
 	manifests = injectIntoWork(manifests, secret)
 
 	//create image pull secret
-	pull := getPullSecret(imagePullSecret)
-	manifests = injectIntoWork(manifests, pull)
+	if imagePullSecret != nil {
+		pull := getPullSecret(imagePullSecret)
+		manifests = injectIntoWork(manifests, pull)
+	}
 
 	// inject the hub info secret
 	hubInfo, err := newHubInfoSecret(client, mco.Namespace, spokeNameSpace, clusterName)
diff --git a/pkg/controller/placementrule/placementrule_controller.go b/pkg/controller/placementrule/placementrule_controller.go
index e7d71b805..f4949b022 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/placementrule/placementrule_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/placementrule/placementrule_controller.go
@@ -290,8 +290,12 @@ func (r *ReconcilePlacementRule) Reconcile(request reconcile.Request) (reconcile
 				Namespace: request.Namespace,
 			}, imagePullSecret)
 		if err != nil {
-			// Error reading the object - requeue the request.
-			return reconcile.Result{}, err
+			if errors.IsNotFound(err) {
+				imagePullSecret = nil
+			} else {
+				// Error reading the object - requeue the request.
+				return reconcile.Result{}, err
+			}
 		}
 		mco.Namespace = watchNamespace
 		// Fetch the PlacementRule instance