diff --git a/pkg/controller/core/leader_aware_reconciler.go b/pkg/controller/core/leader_aware_reconciler.go
index 9a3367f601..7da7766583 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/core/leader_aware_reconciler.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/core/leader_aware_reconciler.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/reconcile"
 
@@ -42,14 +43,17 @@ import (
 //   - Transition to actually reconciling requests in the replica that may acquire
 //     the leader election lease, in case the previously leading replica failed to renew it.
 func WithLeadingManager(mgr ctrl.Manager, reconciler reconcile.Reconciler, cfg *config.Configuration) reconcile.Reconciler {
+	// Do not decorate the reconciler if leader election is disabled
+	if cfg.LeaderElection == nil || !ptr.Deref(cfg.LeaderElection.LeaderElect, false) {
+		return reconciler
+	}
+
 	// Default to the recommended lease duration, that's used for core components
 	requeueDuration := 15 * time.Second
 	// Otherwise used the configured lease duration for the manager
-	if le := cfg.LeaderElection; le != nil {
-		zero := metav1.Duration{}
-		if duration := le.LeaseDuration; duration != zero {
-			requeueDuration = duration.Duration
-		}
+	zero := metav1.Duration{}
+	if duration := cfg.LeaderElection.LeaseDuration; duration != zero {
+		requeueDuration = duration.Duration
 	}
 
 	return &leaderAwareReconciler{