diff --git a/pkg/controller/kubelet-config/kubelet_config_controller.go b/pkg/controller/kubelet-config/kubelet_config_controller.go
index 838b2c0be9..fceeb3b812 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/kubelet-config/kubelet_config_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/kubelet-config/kubelet_config_controller.go
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ func (ctrl *Controller) generateOriginalKubeletConfig(role string) (*ignv2_2type
 }
 
 func (ctrl *Controller) syncStatusOnly(cfg *mcfgv1.KubeletConfig, err error, args ...interface{}) error {
-	return retry.RetryOnConflict(updateBackoff, func() error {
+	statusUpdateError := retry.RetryOnConflict(updateBackoff, func() error {
 		newcfg, getErr := ctrl.mckLister.Get(cfg.Name)
 		if getErr != nil {
 			return getErr
@@ -342,6 +342,10 @@ func (ctrl *Controller) syncStatusOnly(cfg *mcfgv1.KubeletConfig, err error, arg
 		_, lerr := ctrl.client.MachineconfigurationV1().KubeletConfigs().UpdateStatus(newcfg)
 		return lerr
 	})
+	if statusUpdateError != nil {
+		glog.Warningf("error updating kubeletconfig status: %v", statusUpdateError)
+	}
+	return err
 }
 
 // syncKubeletConfig will sync the kubeletconfig with the given key.