diff --git a/cloud/scope/machine.go b/cloud/scope/machine.go
index 3bacb706b..9ee388794 100644
--- a/cloud/scope/machine.go
+++ b/cloud/scope/machine.go
@@ -334,6 +334,10 @@ func (m *MachineScope) DeleteVPCLoadBalancerPoolMember() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	if m.IBMVPCMachine.Status.InstanceID == "" {
+		m.Info("instance is not created, ignore deleting load balancer pool member")
+		return nil
+	}
 	instance, _, err := m.IBMVPCClient.GetInstance(&vpcv1.GetInstanceOptions{
 		ID: core.StringPtr(m.IBMVPCMachine.Status.InstanceID),
 	})