diff --git a/pkg/controller/priorityqueue/priorityqueue.go b/pkg/controller/priorityqueue/priorityqueue.go
index 49942186c0..f702600fc9 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/priorityqueue/priorityqueue.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/priorityqueue/priorityqueue.go
@@ -290,9 +290,18 @@ func (w *priorityqueue[T]) GetWithPriority() (_ T, priority int, shutdown bool)
 
 	w.notifyItemOrWaiterAdded()
 
-	item := <-w.get
-
-	return item.Key, item.Priority, w.shutdown.Load()
+	select {
+	case <-w.done:
+		// Return if the queue was shutdown while we were already waiting for an item here.
+		// For example controller workers are continuously calling GetWithPriority and
+		// GetWithPriority is blocking the workers if there are no items in the queue.
+		// If the controller and accordingly the queue is then shut down, without this code
+		// branch the controller workers remain blocked here and are unable to shut down.
+		var zero T
+		return zero, 0, true
+	case item := <-w.get:
+		return item.Key, item.Priority, w.shutdown.Load()
+	}
 }
 
 func (w *priorityqueue[T]) Get() (item T, shutdown bool) {
diff --git a/pkg/controller/priorityqueue/priorityqueue_test.go b/pkg/controller/priorityqueue/priorityqueue_test.go
index 13cf59b7e8..6127cd99ba 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/priorityqueue/priorityqueue_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/priorityqueue/priorityqueue_test.go
@@ -321,6 +321,32 @@ var _ = Describe("Controllerworkqueue", func() {
 		Expect(isShutDown).To(BeTrue())
 	})
 
+	It("Get from priority queue should get unblocked when the priority queue is shut down", func() {
+		q, _ := newQueue()
+
+		getUnblocked := make(chan struct{})
+
+		go func() {
+			defer GinkgoRecover()
+			defer close(getUnblocked)
+
+			item, priority, isShutDown := q.GetWithPriority()
+			Expect(item).To(Equal(""))
+			Expect(priority).To(Equal(0))
+			Expect(isShutDown).To(BeTrue())
+		}()
+
+		// Verify the go routine above is now waiting for an item.
+		Eventually(q.(*priorityqueue[string]).waiters.Load).Should(Equal(int64(1)))
+		Consistently(getUnblocked).ShouldNot(BeClosed())
+
+		// shut down
+		q.ShutDown()
+
+		// Verify the shutdown unblocked the go routine.
+		Eventually(getUnblocked).Should(BeClosed())
+	})
+
 	It("items are included in Len() and the queueDepth metric once they are ready", func() {
 		q, metrics := newQueue()
 		defer q.ShutDown()