diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index 83e9bbd21..5976cdc8c 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -177,8 +177,8 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	// nsxClient is used to interact with NSX API.
-	nsxClient := nsx.GetClient(cf)
-	if nsxClient == nil {
+	nsxClient, err := nsx.GetClient(cf)
+	if err != nil {
 		log.Error(err, "failed to get nsx client")
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/clean/clean.go b/pkg/clean/clean.go
index eb8b5b3c9..35553d444 100644
--- a/pkg/clean/clean.go
+++ b/pkg/clean/clean.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ package clean
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
 
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/retry"
 
@@ -38,10 +37,6 @@ func Clean(cf *config.NSXOperatorConfig) error {
 	if err := cf.ValidateConfigFromCmd(); err != nil {
 		return errors.Join(ValidationFailed, err)
 	}
-	nsxClient := nsx.GetClient(cf)
-	if nsxClient == nil {
-		return GetNSXClientFailed
-	}
 	if cleanupService, err := InitializeCleanupService(cf); err != nil {
 		return errors.Join(InitCleanupServiceFailed, err)
 	} else if cleanupService.err != nil {
@@ -72,9 +67,9 @@ func Clean(cf *config.NSXOperatorConfig) error {
 func InitializeCleanupService(cf *config.NSXOperatorConfig) (*CleanupService, error) {
 	cleanupService := NewCleanupService()
 
-	nsxClient := nsx.GetClient(cf)
-	if nsxClient == nil {
-		return cleanupService, fmt.Errorf("failed to get nsx client")
+	nsxClient, err := nsx.GetClient(cf)
+	if err != nil {
+		return cleanupService, GetNSXClientFailed
 	}
 
 	var commonService = common.Service{
diff --git a/pkg/nsx/client.go b/pkg/nsx/client.go
index bba1f19ad..0443415c0 100644
--- a/pkg/nsx/client.go
+++ b/pkg/nsx/client.go
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ func restConnector(c *Cluster) *client.RestConnector {
 	return connector
 }
 
-func GetClient(cf *config.NSXOperatorConfig) *Client {
+func GetClient(cf *config.NSXOperatorConfig) (*Client, error) {
 	// Set log level for vsphere-automation-sdk-go
 	logger := logrus.New()
 	vspherelog.SetLogger(logger)
@@ -215,14 +215,17 @@ func GetClient(cf *config.NSXOperatorConfig) *Client {
 	if !nsxClient.NSXCheckVersion(SecurityPolicy) {
 		err := errors.New("SecurityPolicy feature support check failed")
 		log.Error(err, "initial NSX version check for SecurityPolicy got error")
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	if !nsxClient.NSXCheckVersion(ServiceAccount) {
 		err := errors.New("NSXServiceAccount feature support check failed")
 		log.Error(err, "initial NSX version check for NSXServiceAccount got error")
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	if !nsxClient.NSXCheckVersion(ServiceAccountRestore) {
 		err := errors.New("NSXServiceAccountRestore feature support check failed")
 		log.Error(err, "initial NSX version check for NSXServiceAccountRestore got error")
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	if !nsxClient.NSXCheckVersion(VpcAviRule) {
 		err := errors.New("VpcAviRule feature support check failed")
@@ -233,7 +236,7 @@ func GetClient(cf *config.NSXOperatorConfig) *Client {
 		log.Error(err, "initial NSX version check for ServiceAccountCertRotation got error")
 	}
 
-	return nsxClient
+	return nsxClient, nil
 }
 
 func (client *Client) NSXCheckVersion(feature int) bool {
diff --git a/pkg/nsx/client_test.go b/pkg/nsx/client_test.go
index c305d8614..1cae38f65 100644
--- a/pkg/nsx/client_test.go
+++ b/pkg/nsx/client_test.go
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ func TestNSXHealthChecker_CheckNSXHealth(t *testing.T) {
 func TestGetClient(t *testing.T) {
 	cf := config.NSXOperatorConfig{NsxConfig: &config.NsxConfig{NsxApiUser: "1", NsxApiPassword: "1"}}
 	cf.VCConfig = &config.VCConfig{}
-	client := GetClient(&cf)
-	assert.True(t, client != nil)
+	_, err := GetClient(&cf)
+	assert.True(t, err == nil)
 
 	cluster := &Cluster{}
 	patches := gomonkey.ApplyMethod(reflect.TypeOf(cluster), "GetVersion", func(_ *Cluster) (*NsxVersion, error) {
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ func TestGetClient(t *testing.T) {
 		return nsxVersion, nil
 	})
 
-	client = GetClient(&cf)
+	client, err := GetClient(&cf)
 	patches.Reset()
-	assert.True(t, client != nil)
+	assert.True(t, err == nil)
 	securityPolicySupported := client.NSXCheckVersion(SecurityPolicy)
 	assert.True(t, securityPolicySupported == false)
 	assert.False(t, client.NSXCheckVersion(ServiceAccount))
@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@ func TestGetClient(t *testing.T) {
 		nsxVersion := &NsxVersion{NodeVersion: "3.2.1"}
 		return nsxVersion, nil
 	})
-	client = GetClient(&cf)
+	client, err = GetClient(&cf)
 	patches.Reset()
-	assert.True(t, client != nil)
+	assert.True(t, err == nil)
 	securityPolicySupported = client.NSXCheckVersion(SecurityPolicy)
 	assert.True(t, securityPolicySupported == true)
 	assert.False(t, client.NSXCheckVersion(ServiceAccount))
@@ -99,9 +99,9 @@ func TestGetClient(t *testing.T) {
 		nsxVersion := &NsxVersion{NodeVersion: "4.1.0"}
 		return nsxVersion, nil
 	})
-	client = GetClient(&cf)
+	client, err = GetClient(&cf)
 	patches.Reset()
-	assert.True(t, client != nil)
+	assert.True(t, err == nil)
 	securityPolicySupported = client.NSXCheckVersion(SecurityPolicy)
 	assert.True(t, securityPolicySupported == true)
 	assert.True(t, client.NSXCheckVersion(ServiceAccount))
@@ -112,9 +112,9 @@ func TestGetClient(t *testing.T) {
 		nsxVersion := &NsxVersion{NodeVersion: "4.1.2"}
 		return nsxVersion, nil
 	})
-	client = GetClient(&cf)
+	client, err = GetClient(&cf)
 	patches.Reset()
-	assert.True(t, client != nil)
+	assert.True(t, err == nil)
 	securityPolicySupported = client.NSXCheckVersion(SecurityPolicy)
 	assert.True(t, securityPolicySupported == true)
 	assert.True(t, client.NSXCheckVersion(ServiceAccount))
@@ -125,9 +125,9 @@ func TestGetClient(t *testing.T) {
 		nsxVersion := &NsxVersion{NodeVersion: "4.1.3"}
 		return nsxVersion, nil
 	})
-	client = GetClient(&cf)
+	client, err = GetClient(&cf)
 	patches.Reset()
-	assert.True(t, client != nil)
+	assert.True(t, err == nil)
 	securityPolicySupported = client.NSXCheckVersion(SecurityPolicy)
 	assert.True(t, securityPolicySupported == true)
 	assert.True(t, client.NSXCheckVersion(ServiceAccount))
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func IsInstanceOf(objectPtr, typePtr interface{}) bool {
 func TestSRGetClient(t *testing.T) {
 	cf := config.NSXOperatorConfig{NsxConfig: &config.NsxConfig{NsxApiUser: "admin", NsxApiPassword: "Admin!23Admin", NsxApiManagers: []string{"10.173.82.128"}}}
 	cf.VCConfig = &config.VCConfig{}
-	client := GetClient(&cf)
+	client, _ := GetClient(&cf)
 	st, error := client.StaticRouteClient.Get("default", "project-1", "vpc-2", "site1")
 	if error == nil {
 		fmt.Printf("sr %v\n", *st.ResourceType)
diff --git a/test/e2e/nsxclient.go b/test/e2e/nsxclient.go
index d96592bbe..dee315f5d 100644
--- a/test/e2e/nsxclient.go
+++ b/test/e2e/nsxclient.go
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ func NewNSXClient(configFile string) (*NSXClient, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	client := nsx.GetClient(cf)
-	if client == nil {
+	client, err := nsx.GetClient(cf)
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get nsx client")
 	}
 	nsxClient := &NSXClient{}