diff --git a/internal/controller/pod_controller.go b/internal/controller/pod_controller.go
index 5cd86cf0..12733818 100644
--- a/internal/controller/pod_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/pod_controller.go
@@ -74,7 +74,13 @@ func (r *PodReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (result
 
 	modelValidationName, ok := pod.Labels[constants.ModelValidationLabel]
 	if !ok || modelValidationName == "" {
-		// Try to remove the pod in case it was previously tracked but label was removed
+		if controllerutil.ContainsFinalizer(pod, constants.ModelValidationFinalizer) {
+			controllerutil.RemoveFinalizer(pod, constants.ModelValidationFinalizer)
+			if err := r.Update(ctx, pod); err != nil {
+				logger.Error(err, "Failed to remove finalizer from unlabeled pod", "pod", req.NamespacedName)
+				return reconcile.Result{}, err
+			}
+		}
 		if err := r.Tracker.RemovePodByName(ctx, req.NamespacedName); err != nil {
 			logger.Error(err, "Failed to remove pod without label from tracking", "pod", req.NamespacedName)
 			return reconcile.Result{}, err
diff --git a/internal/controller/pod_controller_test.go b/internal/controller/pod_controller_test.go
index 06a39f92..51fa76ee 100644
--- a/internal/controller/pod_controller_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/pod_controller_test.go
@@ -59,6 +59,38 @@ var _ = Describe("PodReconciler", func() {
 			Expect(removeByNameCalls[0].Namespace).To(Equal("default"))
 		})
 
+		It("should remove finalizer when label is removed from a previously injected pod", func() {
+			pod := testutil.CreateTestPod(testutil.TestPodOptions{
+				Name:       "unlabeled-pod",
+				Namespace:  "default",
+				Finalizers: []string{constants.ModelValidationFinalizer},
+			})
+
+			fakeClient := testutil.SetupFakeClientWithObjects(pod)
+
+			reconciler = &PodReconciler{
+				Client:  fakeClient,
+				Scheme:  runtime.NewScheme(),
+				Tracker: mockTracker,
+			}
+
+			req := testutil.CreateReconcileRequest(pod.Namespace, pod.Name)
+
+			result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(ctx, req)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+
+			updatedPod := &corev1.Pod{}
+			err = fakeClient.Get(ctx, req.NamespacedName, updatedPod)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(updatedPod.Finalizers).NotTo(ContainElement(constants.ModelValidationFinalizer),
+				"Finalizer must be removed when label is absent")
+
+			removeByNameCalls := mockTracker.GetRemovePodByNameCalls()
+			Expect(removeByNameCalls).To(HaveLen(1))
+			Expect(removeByNameCalls[0].Name).To(Equal("unlabeled-pod"))
+		})
+
 		It("should process pods with finalizer but not being deleted", func() {
 			pod := testutil.CreateTestPod(testutil.TestPodOptions{
 				Name:       "test-pod",