diff --git a/operator/internal/controller/podcliqueset/components/podcliquesetreplica/gangterminate.go b/operator/internal/controller/podcliqueset/components/podcliquesetreplica/gangterminate.go
index 23379906b..7dafd2f99 100644
--- a/operator/internal/controller/podcliqueset/components/podcliquesetreplica/gangterminate.go
+++ b/operator/internal/controller/podcliqueset/components/podcliquesetreplica/gangterminate.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func (r _resource) getPCSReplicaDeletionWork(ctx context.Context, logger logr.Lo
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		breachedPCLQNames, minPCLQWaitFor, skipPCSReplicaIndex, err := r.getMinAvailableBreachedPCLQsNotInPCSG(ctx, pcs, pcsReplicaIndex, now)
+		breachedPCLQNames, minPCLQWaitFor, skipPCSReplicaIndex, err := r.getMinAvailableBreachedPCLQsNotInPCSG(ctx, logger, pcs, pcsReplicaIndex, now)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func (r _resource) getMinAvailableBreachedPCSGs(ctx context.Context, pcsObjKey c
 }
 
 // getMinAvailableBreachedPCLQsNotInPCSG retrieves standalone PCLQs that have breached MinAvailable.
-func (r _resource) getMinAvailableBreachedPCLQsNotInPCSG(ctx context.Context, pcs *grovecorev1alpha1.PodCliqueSet, pcsReplicaIndex int, since time.Time) (breachedPCLQNames []string, minWaitFor time.Duration, skipPCSReplica bool, err error) {
+func (r _resource) getMinAvailableBreachedPCLQsNotInPCSG(ctx context.Context, logger logr.Logger, pcs *grovecorev1alpha1.PodCliqueSet, pcsReplicaIndex int, since time.Time) (breachedPCLQNames []string, minWaitFor time.Duration, skipPCSReplica bool, err error) {
 	pclqFQNsNotInPCSG := make([]string, 0, len(pcs.Spec.Template.Cliques))
 	for _, pclqTemplateSpec := range pcs.Spec.Template.Cliques {
 		if !isPCLQInPCSG(pclqTemplateSpec.Name, pcs.Spec.Template.PodCliqueScalingGroupConfigs) {
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ func (r _resource) getMinAvailableBreachedPCLQsNotInPCSG(ctx context.Context, pc
 		return
 	}
 	if len(notFoundPCLQFQNs) > 0 {
+		logger.Info("PodClique(s) expected by PodCliqueSet replica not yet present; skipping MinAvailable evaluation for this replica index", "pcsName", pcs.Name, "replicaIndex", pcsReplicaIndex, "missingPodCliques", notFoundPCLQFQNs)
 		skipPCSReplica = true
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/operator/internal/controller/utils/reconciler.go b/operator/internal/controller/utils/reconciler.go
index 47921ea1f..787a94a94 100644
--- a/operator/internal/controller/utils/reconciler.go
+++ b/operator/internal/controller/utils/reconciler.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func GetPodCliqueSet(ctx context.Context, cl client.Client, logger logr.Logger,
 func GetPodClique(ctx context.Context, cl client.Client, logger logr.Logger, objectKey client.ObjectKey, pclq *v1alpha1.PodClique, ignoreNotFound bool) grovectrl.ReconcileStepResult {
 	if err := cl.Get(ctx, objectKey, pclq); err != nil {
 		if ignoreNotFound && apierrors.IsNotFound(err) {
-			logger.Info("PodClique not found", "objectKey", objectKey)
+			logger.V(1).Info("PodClique not found", "objectKey", objectKey)
 			return grovectrl.DoNotRequeue()
 		}
 		return grovectrl.ReconcileWithErrors("error getting PodClique", err)
diff --git a/operator/internal/controller/utils/reconciler_test.go b/operator/internal/controller/utils/reconciler_test.go
index 213206b29..53676a0fa 100644
--- a/operator/internal/controller/utils/reconciler_test.go
+++ b/operator/internal/controller/utils/reconciler_test.go
@@ -153,15 +153,15 @@ func TestGetPodClique(t *testing.T) {
 			expectedNeedsRequeue: false,
 		},
 		{
-			// Tests when PodClique is not found
-			name: "not_found",
+			// Tests when PodClique is not found and ignoreNotFound is true — logs at debug level and returns DoNotRequeue
+			name: "not_found_ignore",
 			namespacedName: types.NamespacedName{
 				Name:      "test-pclq",
 				Namespace: "default",
 			},
 			existingPCLQ:         nil,
 			notFound:             true,
-			expectedNeedsRequeue: false, // When ignoreNotFound is true and not found, returns DoNotRequeue()
+			expectedNeedsRequeue: false,
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -192,6 +192,22 @@ func TestGetPodClique(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestGetPodCliqueIgnoreNotFoundFalse tests that GetPodClique propagates the error when ignoreNotFound is false.
+func TestGetPodCliqueIgnoreNotFoundFalse(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	logger := logr.Discard()
+
+	scheme := runtime.NewScheme()
+	require.NoError(t, grovecorev1alpha1.AddToScheme(scheme))
+	fakeClient := fake.NewClientBuilder().WithScheme(scheme).Build()
+
+	pclq := &grovecorev1alpha1.PodClique{}
+	result := GetPodClique(ctx, fakeClient, logger, types.NamespacedName{Name: "missing", Namespace: "default"}, pclq, false)
+
+	assert.True(t, result.NeedsRequeue(), "should requeue on error when ignoreNotFound is false")
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, result.GetErrors(), "should carry error when ignoreNotFound is false")
+}
+
 // TestGetPodCliqueScalingGroup tests the GetPodCliqueScalingGroup function
 func TestGetPodCliqueScalingGroup(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {