diff --git a/src/internal/controller/machineuser_controller.go b/src/internal/controller/machineuser_controller.go
index ca2e28f..264293a 100644
--- a/src/internal/controller/machineuser_controller.go
+++ b/src/internal/controller/machineuser_controller.go
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ func (wr *wrappedMachineUserReconciler) reconcileUserGrants(ctx context.Context,
 			var existingProjectGrant *project.GrantedProject
 			for _, existingGrantedProject := range grantedProjects.Result {
 				if existingGrantedProject.ProjectId == userGrantedProject.Status.ProjectId {
-					existingGrantedProject = existingGrantedProject
+					existingProjectGrant = existingGrantedProject
 				}
 			}
 			if existingProjectGrant == nil {