diff --git a/pkg/controller/namespace/namespace_controller.go b/pkg/controller/namespace/namespace_controller.go
index 0ca9ad7be..af2a2c331 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/namespace/namespace_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/namespace/namespace_controller.go
@@ -192,11 +192,12 @@ func (r *Reconciler) bindWorkspace(ctx context.Context, logger logr.Logger, name
 }
 
 func (r *Reconciler) unbindWorkspace(ctx context.Context, logger logr.Logger, namespace *corev1.Namespace) error {
-	if k8sutil.IsControlledBy(namespace.OwnerReferences, tenantv1alpha1.ResourceKindWorkspace, "") || len(namespace.Labels) > 0 {
+	_, hasWorkspaceLabel := namespace.Labels[tenantv1alpha1.WorkspaceLabel]
+	if hasWorkspaceLabel || k8sutil.IsControlledBy(namespace.OwnerReferences, tenantv1alpha1.ResourceKindWorkspace, "") {
 		ns := namespace.DeepCopy()
 
 		wsName := k8sutil.GetWorkspaceOwnerName(ns.OwnerReferences)
-		if _, ok := namespace.Labels[tenantv1alpha1.WorkspaceLabel]; ok {
+		if hasWorkspaceLabel {
 			wsName = namespace.Labels[tenantv1alpha1.WorkspaceLabel]
 		}
 
diff --git a/pkg/controller/workspacetemplate/workspacetemplate_controller.go b/pkg/controller/workspacetemplate/workspacetemplate_controller.go
index 5135b8fcb..a4a6a9879 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/workspacetemplate/workspacetemplate_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/workspacetemplate/workspacetemplate_controller.go
@@ -125,10 +125,7 @@ func (r *Reconciler) Reconcile(req ctrl.Request) (ctrl.Result, error) {
 
 			// remove our finalizer from the list and update it.
 			workspaceTemplate.ObjectMeta.Finalizers = sliceutil.RemoveString(workspaceTemplate.ObjectMeta.Finalizers, func(item string) bool {
-				return item == workspaceTemplateFinalizer
-			})
-			workspaceTemplate.ObjectMeta.Finalizers = sliceutil.RemoveString(workspaceTemplate.ObjectMeta.Finalizers, func(item string) bool {
-				return item == orphanFinalizer
+				return item == workspaceTemplateFinalizer || item == orphanFinalizer
 			})
 
 			logger.V(4).Info("update workspace template")