diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/workflow/WorkflowReconcileExecutor.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/workflow/WorkflowReconcileExecutor.java
index 9121cf4e07..d0d2435347 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/workflow/WorkflowReconcileExecutor.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/workflow/WorkflowReconcileExecutor.java
@@ -246,6 +246,10 @@ private void markDependentsForDelete(
     // so if the activation condition was false, this node is not meant to be deleted.
     var dependents = dependentResourceNode.getParents();
     if (activationConditionMet) {
+      // make sure we register the dependent's event source if it hasn't been added already
+      // this might be needed in corner cases such as
+      // https://github.com/operator-framework/java-operator-sdk/issues/3249
+      registerOrDeregisterEventSourceBasedOnActivation(true, dependentResourceNode);
       createOrGetResultFor(dependentResourceNode).markForDelete();
       if (dependents.isEmpty()) {
         bottomNodes.add(dependentResourceNode);
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/AlwaysFailingPrecondition.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/AlwaysFailingPrecondition.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c21fc019d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/AlwaysFailingPrecondition.java
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Java Operator SDK Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.workflow.bulkactivationcondition;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ConfigMap;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Context;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.dependent.DependentResource;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.workflow.Condition;
+
+/** Reconcile precondition that always fails, simulating e.g. a missing prerequisite resource. */
+public class AlwaysFailingPrecondition
+    implements Condition<ConfigMap, BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> {
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isMet(
+      DependentResource<ConfigMap, BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> dependentResource,
+      BulkActivationConditionCustomResource primary,
+      Context<BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> context) {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/AlwaysTrueActivation.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/AlwaysTrueActivation.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bc3b70bbb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/AlwaysTrueActivation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Java Operator SDK Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.workflow.bulkactivationcondition;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Secret;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Context;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.dependent.DependentResource;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.workflow.Condition;
+
+/** Activation condition that always returns true — event source should always be registered. */
+public class AlwaysTrueActivation
+    implements Condition<Secret, BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> {
+
+  @Override
+  public boolean isMet(
+      DependentResource<Secret, BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> dependentResource,
+      BulkActivationConditionCustomResource primary,
+      Context<BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> context) {
+    return true;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/BulkActivationConditionCustomResource.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/BulkActivationConditionCustomResource.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..da5d22f482
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/BulkActivationConditionCustomResource.java
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Java Operator SDK Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.workflow.bulkactivationcondition;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Namespaced;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.CustomResource;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.model.annotation.Group;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.model.annotation.Kind;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.model.annotation.Version;
+
+@Group("sample.javaoperatorsdk")
+@Version("v1")
+@Kind("BulkActivationCondition")
+public class BulkActivationConditionCustomResource extends CustomResource<Void, Void>
+    implements Namespaced {}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/BulkActivationConditionIT.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/BulkActivationConditionIT.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0370927fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/BulkActivationConditionIT.java
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Java Operator SDK Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.workflow.bulkactivationcondition;
+
+import java.time.Duration;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.extension.RegisterExtension;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ObjectMetaBuilder;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.annotation.Sample;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.junit.LocallyRunOperatorExtension;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.awaitility.Awaitility.await;
+
+/**
+ * Reproducer for the bug where NodeDeleteExecutor fires for a BulkDependentResource whose
+ * activationCondition-gated event source has never been registered.
+ *
+ * <p>Workflow under test:
+ *
+ * <pre>
+ * ConfigMapDependentResource  (reconcilePrecondition = AlwaysFailingPrecondition)
+ *   └── SecretBulkDependentResource  (activationCondition = AlwaysTrueActivation)
+ * </pre>
+ *
+ * <p>On first reconciliation the ConfigMap precondition fails → JOSDK calls
+ * markDependentsForDelete() → NodeDeleteExecutor fires for SecretBulkDependent →
+ * SecretBulkDependent.getSecondaryResources() calls eventSourceRetriever.getEventSourceFor() → the
+ * Secret event source was never registered (NodeReconcileExecutor never ran) →
+ * NoEventSourceForClassException.
+ *
+ * <p>This test FAILS on unfixed JOSDK, demonstrating the bug.
+ */
+@Sample(
+    tldr = "Bulk Dependent Resource with Activation Condition Bug Reproducer",
+    description =
+        """
+        Reproducer for a bug where NodeDeleteExecutor fires for a BulkDependentResource \
+        with an activationCondition before its event source has been registered, \
+        causing NoEventSourceForClassException. Triggered when a parent dependent \
+        has a failing reconcilePrecondition on first reconciliation.
+        """)
+public class BulkActivationConditionIT {
+
+  static final BulkActivationConditionReconciler reconciler =
+      new BulkActivationConditionReconciler();
+
+  @RegisterExtension
+  static LocallyRunOperatorExtension extension =
+      LocallyRunOperatorExtension.builder().withReconciler(reconciler).build();
+
+  @BeforeEach
+  void reset() {
+    reconciler.lastError.set(null);
+    reconciler.callCount.set(0);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void nodeDeleteExecutorShouldNotThrowWhenEventSourceNotYetRegistered() {
+    var primary = new BulkActivationConditionCustomResource();
+    primary.setMetadata(
+        new ObjectMetaBuilder()
+            .withName("test-primary")
+            .withNamespace(extension.getNamespace())
+            .build());
+    extension.create(primary);
+
+    // Wait for reconcile() to be called.
+    // If the bug is present, SecretBulkDependentResource will be in error and lastError will be set
+    await().atMost(Duration.ofSeconds(10)).until(() -> reconciler.callCount.get() == 1);
+
+    // On unfixed JOSDK this fails: lastError contains NoEventSourceForClassException.
+    assertThat(reconciler.lastError.get()).isNull();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/BulkActivationConditionReconciler.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/BulkActivationConditionReconciler.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f658942ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/BulkActivationConditionReconciler.java
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Java Operator SDK Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.workflow.bulkactivationcondition;
+
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
+
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.*;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.dependent.Dependent;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.retry.GradualRetry;
+
+/**
+ * Workflow:
+ *
+ * <pre>
+ * ConfigMapDependentResource  (reconcilePrecondition = AlwaysFailingPrecondition)
+ *   └── SecretBulkDependentResource  (activationCondition = AlwaysTrueActivation)
+ * </pre>
+ *
+ * <p>On first reconciliation: ConfigMap precondition fails → markDependentsForDelete cascades to
+ * SecretBulkDependentResource → NodeDeleteExecutor fires for Secret before its event source is ever
+ * registered → NoEventSourceForClassException.
+ */
+@Workflow(
+    dependents = {
+      @Dependent(
+          name = "configmap",
+          type = ConfigMapDependentResource.class,
+          reconcilePrecondition = AlwaysFailingPrecondition.class),
+      @Dependent(
+          name = SecretBulkDependentResource.NAME,
+          type = SecretBulkDependentResource.class,
+          activationCondition = AlwaysTrueActivation.class,
+          dependsOn = "configmap")
+    },
+    handleExceptionsInReconciler = true)
+@GradualRetry(maxAttempts = 0)
+@ControllerConfiguration(maxReconciliationInterval = @MaxReconciliationInterval(interval = 0))
+public class BulkActivationConditionReconciler
+    implements Reconciler<BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> {
+
+  /** Tracks how many times reconcile() or updateErrorStatus() has been called. */
+  final AtomicInteger callCount = new AtomicInteger();
+
+  /** Set when updateErrorStatus() is invoked; null means no error occurred. */
+  final AtomicReference<Exception> lastError = new AtomicReference<>();
+
+  @Override
+  public UpdateControl<BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> reconcile(
+      BulkActivationConditionCustomResource primary,
+      Context<BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> context) {
+    final var workflowResult =
+        context
+            .managedWorkflowAndDependentResourceContext()
+            .getWorkflowReconcileResult()
+            .orElseThrow();
+    final var erroredDependents = workflowResult.getErroredDependents();
+    if (!erroredDependents.isEmpty()) {
+      final var exception =
+          erroredDependents.get(
+              workflowResult
+                  .getDependentResourceByName(SecretBulkDependentResource.NAME)
+                  .orElseThrow());
+      lastError.set(exception);
+    }
+    callCount.incrementAndGet();
+    return UpdateControl.noUpdate();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/ConfigMapDependentResource.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/ConfigMapDependentResource.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..26b45af98a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/ConfigMapDependentResource.java
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Java Operator SDK Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.workflow.bulkactivationcondition;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ConfigMap;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ObjectMetaBuilder;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Context;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.kubernetes.CRUDKubernetesDependentResource;
+
+/**
+ * Parent dependent resource. Its reconcile precondition always fails, which causes JOSDK to call
+ * markDependentsForDelete() on its children — triggering NodeDeleteExecutor for SecretBulkDependent
+ * before that resource's event source has ever been registered.
+ */
+public class ConfigMapDependentResource
+    extends CRUDKubernetesDependentResource<ConfigMap, BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> {
+
+  @Override
+  protected ConfigMap desired(
+      BulkActivationConditionCustomResource primary,
+      Context<BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> context) {
+    var cm = new ConfigMap();
+    cm.setMetadata(
+        new ObjectMetaBuilder()
+            .withName(primary.getMetadata().getName())
+            .withNamespace(primary.getMetadata().getNamespace())
+            .build());
+    return cm;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/SecretBulkDependentResource.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/SecretBulkDependentResource.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d710a5a583
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/workflow/bulkactivationcondition/SecretBulkDependentResource.java
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Java Operator SDK Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.workflow.bulkactivationcondition;
+
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.function.Function;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ObjectMetaBuilder;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Secret;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Context;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.ResourceIDMapper;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.CRUDKubernetesBulkDependentResource;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.kubernetes.KubernetesDependentResource;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.event.ResourceID;
+
+/**
+ * Child bulk dependent resource with an activationCondition.
+ *
+ * <p>The bug: when NodeDeleteExecutor fires for this resource (because its parent
+ * ConfigMapDependentResource has a failing reconcilePrecondition), the event source for Secret has
+ * never been registered — NodeReconcileExecutor never ran for this node. NodeDeleteExecutor does
+ * NOT call registerOrDeregisterEventSourceBasedOnActivation() before calling delete(), so
+ * getSecondaryResources() → eventSourceRetriever.getEventSourceFor(Secret.class) throws
+ * NoEventSourceForClassException.
+ *
+ * <p>This implementation intentionally has no try/catch — it exposes the raw bug.
+ */
+public class SecretBulkDependentResource
+    extends KubernetesDependentResource<Secret, BulkActivationConditionCustomResource>
+    implements CRUDKubernetesBulkDependentResource<Secret, BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> {
+
+  static final String NAME = "secret";
+  static final String LABEL_KEY = "reproducer";
+  static final String LABEL_VALUE = "bulk-activation-condition";
+
+  @Override
+  public Map<ResourceID, Secret> desiredResources(
+      BulkActivationConditionCustomResource primary,
+      Context<BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> context) {
+    var secret = new Secret();
+    secret.setMetadata(
+        new ObjectMetaBuilder()
+            .withName(primary.getMetadata().getName())
+            .withNamespace(primary.getMetadata().getNamespace())
+            .withLabels(Map.of(LABEL_KEY, LABEL_VALUE))
+            .build());
+    return Map.of(ResourceIDMapper.kubernetesResourceIdMapper().idFor(secret), secret);
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Map<ResourceID, Secret> getSecondaryResources(
+      BulkActivationConditionCustomResource primary,
+      Context<BulkActivationConditionCustomResource> context) {
+    // Deliberately uses getEventSourceFor (singular) — not getSecondaryResourcesAsStream —
+    // because the singular variant throws NoEventSourceForClassException when the source is absent.
+    // This mirrors the Kroxylicious ClusterRouteDependentResource pattern and exposes the bug:
+    // on first reconciliation NodeDeleteExecutor fires before the event source is registered.
+    var secrets =
+        context
+            .eventSourceRetriever()
+            .getEventSourceFor(Secret.class)
+            .getSecondaryResources(primary);
+    return secrets.stream()
+        .collect(Collectors.toMap(ResourceID::fromResource, Function.identity()));
+  }
+}