diff --git a/cmd/machine-config-server/start.go b/cmd/machine-config-server/start.go
index ae056e8ed7..c05cea586f 100644
--- a/cmd/machine-config-server/start.go
+++ b/cmd/machine-config-server/start.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	"k8s.io/klog/v2"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/log"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -36,6 +37,9 @@ func runStartCmd(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
 	flag.Set("logtostderr", "true")
 	flag.Parse()
 
+	// Initialize controller-runtime logger before any controller-runtime components are used
+	log.SetLogger(klog.NewKlogr())
+
 	// To help debugging, immediately log version
 	klog.Infof("Version: %+v (%s)", version.Raw, version.Hash)
 
diff --git a/pkg/server/api.go b/pkg/server/api.go
index 77b294b011..9171d1bf1c 100644
--- a/pkg/server/api.go
+++ b/pkg/server/api.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/coreos/go-semver/semver"
 	"k8s.io/klog/v2"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/certwatcher"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/log"
 
 	ctrlcommon "github.com/openshift/machine-config-operator/pkg/controller/common"
 )
@@ -80,7 +79,6 @@ func (a *APIServer) Serve() {
 		mcs.TLSConfig.GetCertificate = certWatcher.GetCertificate
 
 		go func() {
-			log.SetLogger(klog.NewKlogr())
 			if err := certWatcher.Start(context.Background()); err != nil {
 				klog.Fatalf("Certificate watcher failed to start: %v", err)
 			}