diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/Controller.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/Controller.java
index da9843ec40..491ac7fb01 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/Controller.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/Controller.java
@@ -194,8 +194,9 @@ public DeleteControl execute() throws Exception {
               WorkflowCleanupResult workflowCleanupResult = null;
 
               // The cleanup is called also when explicit invocation is true, but the cleaner is not
-              // implemented
-              if (managedWorkflow.hasCleaner() || !explicitWorkflowInvocation) {
+              // implemented, also in case when explicit invocation is false, but there is cleaner
+              // implemented.
+              if (managedWorkflow.hasCleaner() && (!explicitWorkflowInvocation || !isCleaner)) {
                 workflowCleanupResult = managedWorkflow.cleanup(resource, context);
               }
 
diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ControllerTest.java b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ControllerTest.java
index 36fdc2dee8..a81f524326 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ControllerTest.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/ControllerTest.java
@@ -1,19 +1,33 @@
 package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing;
 
+import java.util.Optional;
+
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.CsvSource;
 
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Secret;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.MockKubernetesClient;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.BaseConfigurationService;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.ConfigurationService;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.MockControllerConfiguration;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.config.workflow.WorkflowSpec;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Cleaner;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.DefaultContext;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.DeleteControl;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Reconciler;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.workflow.ManagedWorkflow;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.workflow.ManagedWorkflowFactory;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.workflow.Workflow;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.processing.dependent.workflow.WorkflowCleanupResult;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.sample.simple.TestCustomResource;
 
+import static io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.monitoring.Metrics.NOOP;
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.any;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.never;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.times;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.withSettings;
@@ -61,4 +75,59 @@ void usesFinalizerIfThereIfReconcilerImplementsCleaner() {
 
     assertThat(controller.useFinalizer()).isTrue();
   }
+
+  @ParameterizedTest
+  @CsvSource({
+      "true, true, true, false",
+      "true, true, false, true",
+      "false, true, true, true",
+      "false, true, false, true",
+      "true, false, true, false",
+  })
+  void callsCleanupOnWorkflowWhenHasCleanerAndReconcilerIsNotCleaner(boolean reconcilerIsCleaner,
+      boolean workflowIsCleaner,
+      boolean isExplicitWorkflowInvocation,
+      boolean workflowCleanerExecuted) throws Exception {
+
+    Reconciler reconciler;
+    if (reconcilerIsCleaner) {
+      reconciler = mock(Reconciler.class, withSettings().extraInterfaces(Cleaner.class));
+    } else {
+      reconciler = mock(Reconciler.class);
+    }
+
+    final var configuration = MockControllerConfiguration.forResource(Secret.class);
+
+    if (reconciler instanceof Cleaner<?> cleaner) {
+      when(cleaner.cleanup(any(), any())).thenReturn(DeleteControl.noFinalizerRemoval());
+    }
+
+    var configurationService = mock(ConfigurationService.class);
+    var mockWorkflowFactory = mock(ManagedWorkflowFactory.class);
+    var mockManagedWorkflow = mock(ManagedWorkflow.class);
+
+    when(configuration.getConfigurationService()).thenReturn(configurationService);
+    var workflowSpec = mock(WorkflowSpec.class);
+    when(workflowSpec.isExplicitInvocation()).thenReturn(isExplicitWorkflowInvocation);
+    when(configuration.getWorkflowSpec()).thenReturn(Optional.of(workflowSpec));
+    when(configurationService.getMetrics()).thenReturn(NOOP);
+    when(configurationService.getWorkflowFactory()).thenReturn(mockWorkflowFactory);
+    when(mockWorkflowFactory.workflowFor(any())).thenReturn(mockManagedWorkflow);
+    var managedWorkflowMock = workflow(workflowIsCleaner);
+    when(mockManagedWorkflow.resolve(any(), any())).thenReturn(managedWorkflowMock);
+
+    final var controller = new Controller<Secret>(reconciler, configuration,
+        MockKubernetesClient.client(Secret.class));
+
+    controller.cleanup(new Secret(), new DefaultContext<>(null, controller, new Secret()));
+
+    verify(managedWorkflowMock, times(workflowCleanerExecuted ? 1 : 0)).cleanup(any(), any());
+  }
+
+  private Workflow workflow(boolean hasCleaner) {
+    var workflow = mock(Workflow.class);
+    when(workflow.cleanup(any(), any())).thenReturn(mock(WorkflowCleanupResult.class));
+    when(workflow.hasCleaner()).thenReturn(hasCleaner);
+    return workflow;
+  }
 }