diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index b629d9fe..af9d055e 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ repos:
       entry: sh -c "make lint-fix"
       language: system
       require_serial: true
+    - id: make-nilaway-lint
+      name: make-nilaway-lint
+      entry: sh -c "make nilaway-lint"
+      language: system
+      require_serial: true
     - id: make-helm-lint
       name: make-helm-lint
       entry: sh -c "make helm-lint"
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9e2aeaad..2ff7d420 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ lint: golangci-lint ## Run golangci-lint linter & yamllint
 lint-fix: golangci-lint ## Run golangci-lint linter and perform fixes
 	$(GOLANGCI_LINT) run --fix
 
+.PHONY: nilaway-lint
+nilaway-lint: nilaway
+	$(NILAWAY_LINT) -include-pkgs=github.com/aenix-io/etcd-operator/api,github.com/aenix-io/etcd-operator/internal,github.com/aenix-io/etcd-operator/test ./...
+
 .PHONY: helm-lint
 helm-lint: helm ## Run helm lint over chart
 	$(HELM) lint charts/etcd-operator
@@ -221,6 +225,7 @@ KUSTOMIZE ?= $(LOCALBIN)/kustomize
 CONTROLLER_GEN ?= $(LOCALBIN)/controller-gen
 ENVTEST ?= $(LOCALBIN)/setup-envtest
 GOLANGCI_LINT ?= $(LOCALBIN)/golangci-lint
+NILAWAY_LINT ?= $(LOCALBIN)/nilaway
 KIND ?= $(LOCALBIN)/kind
 HELM ?= $(LOCALBIN)/helm
 HELM_DOCS ?= $(LOCALBIN)/helm-docs
@@ -270,6 +275,10 @@ golangci-lint: $(LOCALBIN)
 	@test -x $(GOLANGCI_LINT) && $(GOLANGCI_LINT) version | grep -q $(GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION) || \
 	GOBIN=$(LOCALBIN) go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/cmd/golangci-lint@$(GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION)
 
+.PHONY: nilaway
+nilaway: $(LOCALBIN)
+	@test -x $(NILAWAY_LINT) || GOBIN=$(LOCALBIN) go install go.uber.org/nilaway/cmd/nilaway@latest
+
 kind: $(LOCALBIN)
 	@test -x $(KIND) && $(KIND) version | grep -q $(KIND_VERSION) || \
 	GOBIN=$(LOCALBIN) go install sigs.k8s.io/kind@$(KIND_VERSION)
diff --git a/internal/controller/etcdcluster_controller.go b/internal/controller/etcdcluster_controller.go
index 1ca84255..0e7be751 100644
--- a/internal/controller/etcdcluster_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/etcdcluster_controller.go
@@ -99,7 +99,9 @@ func (r *EtcdClusterReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request)
 
 	// set cluster readiness condition
 	existingCondition := factory.GetCondition(instance, etcdaenixiov1alpha1.EtcdConditionReady)
-	if existingCondition.Reason == string(etcdaenixiov1alpha1.EtcdCondTypeWaitingForFirstQuorum) && !clusterReady {
+	if existingCondition != nil &&
+		existingCondition.Reason == string(etcdaenixiov1alpha1.EtcdCondTypeWaitingForFirstQuorum) &&
+		!clusterReady {
 		// if we are still "waiting for first quorum establishment" and the StatefulSet
 		// isn't ready yet, don't update the EtcdConditionReady, but circuit-break.
 		return r.updateStatus(ctx, instance)