diff --git a/pkg/neg/controller.go b/pkg/neg/controller.go
index 6de2c3cd8b..d8baa80134 100644
--- a/pkg/neg/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/neg/controller.go
@@ -683,11 +683,18 @@ func (c *Controller) syncNegStatusAnnotation(namespace, name string, portMap neg
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	coreClient := c.client.CoreV1()
-	service, err := coreClient.Services(namespace).Get(context.TODO(), name, metav1.GetOptions{})
+	obj, exists, err := c.serviceLister.GetByKey(getServiceKey(namespace, name).Key())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	if !exists {
+		// Service no longer exists so doesn't require any update.
+		return nil
+	}
+	service, ok := obj.(*apiv1.Service)
+	if !ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot convert obj to Service; obj=%T", obj)
+	}
 
 	// Remove NEG Status Annotation when no NEG is needed
 	if len(portMap) == 0 {
@@ -695,7 +702,7 @@ func (c *Controller) syncNegStatusAnnotation(namespace, name string, portMap neg
 			newSvcObjectMeta := service.ObjectMeta.DeepCopy()
 			delete(newSvcObjectMeta.Annotations, annotations.NEGStatusKey)
 			klog.V(2).Infof("Removing NEG status annotation from service: %s/%s", namespace, name)
-			return patch.PatchServiceObjectMetadata(coreClient, service, *newSvcObjectMeta)
+			return patch.PatchServiceObjectMetadata(c.client.CoreV1(), service, *newSvcObjectMeta)
 		}
 		// service doesn't have the expose NEG annotation and doesn't need update
 		return nil
@@ -717,7 +724,7 @@ func (c *Controller) syncNegStatusAnnotation(namespace, name string, portMap neg
 	}
 	newSvcObjectMeta.Annotations[annotations.NEGStatusKey] = annotation
 	klog.V(2).Infof("Updating NEG visibility annotation %q on service %s/%s.", annotation, namespace, name)
-	return patch.PatchServiceObjectMetadata(coreClient, service, *newSvcObjectMeta)
+	return patch.PatchServiceObjectMetadata(c.client.CoreV1(), service, *newSvcObjectMeta)
 }
 
 // syncDestinationRuleNegStatusAnnotation syncs the destinationrule related neg status annotation
diff --git a/pkg/neg/controller_test.go b/pkg/neg/controller_test.go
index c4dfd4e03e..eaf7a09284 100644
--- a/pkg/neg/controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/neg/controller_test.go
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ func TestSyncNegAnnotation(t *testing.T) {
 	controller := newTestController(fake.NewSimpleClientset())
 	defer controller.stop()
 	svcClient := controller.client.CoreV1().Services(testServiceNamespace)
-	newTestService(controller, false, []int32{})
+	svc := newTestService(controller, false, []int32{})
 	namespace := testServiceNamespace
 	name := testServiceName
 	namer := controller.namer
@@ -732,6 +732,7 @@ func TestSyncNegAnnotation(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
 		t.Run(tc.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
+			controller.serviceLister.Add(svc)
 			controller.syncNegStatusAnnotation(namespace, name, tc.previousPortMap)
 			svc, _ := svcClient.Get(context.TODO(), name, metav1.GetOptions{})
 
@@ -741,6 +742,10 @@ func TestSyncNegAnnotation(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			validateServiceStateAnnotation(t, svc, oldSvcPorts, controller.namer)
 
+			// Mimic any Update calls to the API Server by manually updating the
+			// informer cache.
+			controller.serviceLister.Update(svc)
+
 			controller.syncNegStatusAnnotation(namespace, name, tc.portMap)
 			svc, _ = svcClient.Get(context.TODO(), name, metav1.GetOptions{})
 
@@ -749,6 +754,9 @@ func TestSyncNegAnnotation(t *testing.T) {
 				svcPorts = append(svcPorts, port.ServicePort)
 			}
 			validateServiceStateAnnotation(t, svc, svcPorts, controller.namer)
+
+			// Reset state of controller for the next test run.
+			controller.serviceLister.Delete(svc)
 		})
 	}
 }