diff --git a/api/cluster/controller.go b/api/cluster/controller.go
index 570b46f18..d2754ac7f 100644
--- a/api/cluster/controller.go
+++ b/api/cluster/controller.go
@@ -223,10 +223,16 @@ func (c *controller) Deploy(ctx context.Context, modelService *models.Service) (
 		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, fmt.Sprintf("%v (%s)", ErrUnableToCreateInferenceService, isvcName))
 	}
 
-	s, err := c.kserveClient.InferenceServices(modelService.Namespace).Create(spec)
+	s, err := c.kserveClient.InferenceServices(modelService.Namespace).Get(modelService.Name, metav1.GetOptions{})
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("unable to create inference service %s: %v", isvcName, err)
-		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, fmt.Sprintf("%v (%s)", ErrUnableToCreateInferenceService, isvcName))
+		if !kerrors.IsNotFound(err) {
+			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "unable to check status of inference service: %s", s.Name)
+		}
+		s, err = c.kserveClient.InferenceServices(modelService.Namespace).Create(spec)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Errorf("unable to create inference service %s: %v", isvcName, err)
+			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, fmt.Sprintf("%v (%s)", ErrUnableToCreateInferenceService, isvcName))
+		}
 	}
 
 	if c.deploymentConfig.PodDisruptionBudget.Enabled {
diff --git a/api/cluster/controller_test.go b/api/cluster/controller_test.go
index e3f2f0e33..df2792cba 100644
--- a/api/cluster/controller_test.go
+++ b/api/cluster/controller_test.go
@@ -453,7 +453,10 @@ func TestController_DeployInferenceService(t *testing.T) {
 				nil,
 				errors.New("error creating inference service"),
 			},
-			checkResult:     nil,
+			checkResult: &inferenceServiceReactor{
+				nil,
+				kerrors.NewNotFound(schema.GroupResource{}, ""),
+			},
 			deployTimeout:   deployTimeout,
 			createPdbResult: &pdbReactor{pdb, nil},
 			createVsResult:  &vsReactor{vs, nil},
@@ -468,7 +471,7 @@ func TestController_DeployInferenceService(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			checkResult: &inferenceServiceReactor{
 				nil,
-				errors.New("error check"),
+				kerrors.NewNotFound(schema.GroupResource{}, ""),
 			},
 			deployTimeout:   deployTimeout,
 			createPdbResult: &pdbReactor{pdb, nil},
@@ -639,7 +642,6 @@ func TestController_DeployInferenceService(t *testing.T) {
 			kfClient.PrependReactor(createMethod, inferenceServiceResource, func(action ktesting.Action) (handled bool, ret runtime.Object, err error) {
 				return true, tt.createResult.isvc, tt.createResult.err
 			})
-
 			kfClient.PrependReactor(deleteMethod, inferenceServiceResource, func(action ktesting.Action) (handled bool, ret runtime.Object, err error) {
 				return true, nil, nil
 			})