diff --git a/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go b/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go
index 0f95807..d673e40 100644
--- a/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go
+++ b/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go
@@ -383,11 +383,13 @@ func (r *ZitadelClusterReconciler) reconcileDefaultInstance(ctx context.Context,
 			return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("Error listing instances: %v", err)
 		}
 		for _, instance := range resp.Result {
-			if instance.Id != zitadel.Status.DefaultInstanceId || instance.Id == "" {
-				fmt.Println("DELETING INSTANCE")
-				_, err := ztdClient.RemoveInstance(ctx, &pb.RemoveInstanceRequest{InstanceId: instance.Id})
-				if err != nil {
-					return ctrl.Result{}, err
+			if instance != nil {
+				if instance.Id != zitadel.Status.DefaultInstanceId || zitadel.Status.DefaultInstanceId == "" {
+					fmt.Println("DELETING INSTANCE")
+					_, err := ztdClient.RemoveInstance(ctx, &pb.RemoveInstanceRequest{InstanceId: instance.Id})
+					if err != nil {
+						return ctrl.Result{}, err
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}