diff --git a/images/dvcr-artifact/cmd/dvcr-cleaner/cmd/gc.go b/images/dvcr-artifact/cmd/dvcr-cleaner/cmd/gc.go
index b827981abb..4e62233214 100644
--- a/images/dvcr-artifact/cmd/dvcr-cleaner/cmd/gc.go
+++ b/images/dvcr-artifact/cmd/dvcr-cleaner/cmd/gc.go
@@ -146,6 +146,14 @@ func autoCleanupHandler(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		errs = multierror.Append(errs, cleanupErr)
 	}
 
+	// Testing: sleep and print errors if present.
+	time.Sleep(time.Second * 30)
+	err = errs.ErrorOrNil()
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("Error while cleaning up stale images after cleanup: %v\n", err)
+	}
+	// Testing end.
+
 	result := map[string]any{
 		"result":     "success",
 		"startedAt":  started,
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/dvcr-garbage-collection/internal/life_cycle.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/dvcr-garbage-collection/internal/life_cycle.go
index 6f5a428616..00295f00c3 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/dvcr-garbage-collection/internal/life_cycle.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/dvcr-garbage-collection/internal/life_cycle.go
@@ -88,7 +88,10 @@ func (h LifeCycleHandler) Handle(ctx context.Context, req reconcile.Request, dep
 			// Put full result JSON into annotation on deployment.
 			annotations.AddAnnotation(deploy, annotations.AnnDVCRGarbageCollectionResult, h.dvcrService.GetGarbageCollectionResult(secret))
 			// It is now possible to delete a secret.
-			return reconcile.Result{}, h.dvcrService.DeleteGarbageCollectionSecret(ctx)
+			// Test: add delay to catch race condition delete secret -> hook change values -> helm apply new version of deploy/dvcr.
+			err = h.dvcrService.DeleteGarbageCollectionSecret(ctx)
+			time.Sleep(time.Second * 10)
+			return reconcile.Result{}, err
 		}
 
 		if h.dvcrService.IsGarbageCollectionStarted(secret) {