diff --git a/internal/controller/eventing/subscription/eventmesh/reconciler.go b/internal/controller/eventing/subscription/eventmesh/reconciler.go
index 4ff806b5..7552b74e 100644
--- a/internal/controller/eventing/subscription/eventmesh/reconciler.go
+++ b/internal/controller/eventing/subscription/eventmesh/reconciler.go
@@ -185,18 +185,15 @@ func (r *Reconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req kctrl.Request) (kctrl.Re
 }
 
 func (r *Reconciler) handleSubscriptionValidation(ctx context.Context, desiredSubscription *eventingv1alpha2.Subscription) error {
-	if validationErr := r.validateSubscriptionSpec(ctx, desiredSubscription); validationErr != nil {
+	var err error
+	if err = r.validateSubscriptionSpec(ctx, desiredSubscription); err != nil {
 		desiredSubscription.Status.SetNotReady()
 		desiredSubscription.Status.ClearTypes()
 		desiredSubscription.Status.ClearBackend()
 		desiredSubscription.Status.ClearConditions()
-		desiredSubscription.Status.SetSubscriptionSpecValidCondition(validationErr)
-		return reconcile.TerminalError(validationErr)
 	}
-
-	var noError error = nil
-	desiredSubscription.Status.SetSubscriptionSpecValidCondition(noError)
-	return noError
+	desiredSubscription.Status.SetSubscriptionSpecValidCondition(err)
+	return err
 }
 
 func (r *Reconciler) validateSubscriptionSpec(ctx context.Context, subscription *eventingv1alpha2.Subscription) error {
diff --git a/internal/controller/eventing/subscription/jetstream/reconciler.go b/internal/controller/eventing/subscription/jetstream/reconciler.go
index 60578080..e816d70d 100644
--- a/internal/controller/eventing/subscription/jetstream/reconciler.go
+++ b/internal/controller/eventing/subscription/jetstream/reconciler.go
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func (r *Reconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req kctrl.Request) (kctrl.Re
 		if updateErr := r.updateSubscriptionStatus(ctx, desiredSubscription, log); updateErr != nil {
 			return kctrl.Result{}, errors.Join(validationErr, updateErr)
 		}
-		return kctrl.Result{}, validationErr
+		return kctrl.Result{}, reconcile.TerminalError(validationErr)
 	}
 
 	// update the cleanEventTypes and config values in the subscription status, if changed
@@ -172,18 +172,15 @@ func (r *Reconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req kctrl.Request) (kctrl.Re
 }
 
 func (r *Reconciler) handleSubscriptionValidation(ctx context.Context, desiredSubscription *eventingv1alpha2.Subscription) error {
-	if validationErr := r.validateSubscriptionSpec(ctx, desiredSubscription); validationErr != nil {
+	var err error
+	if err = r.validateSubscriptionSpec(ctx, desiredSubscription); err != nil {
 		desiredSubscription.Status.SetNotReady()
 		desiredSubscription.Status.ClearTypes()
 		desiredSubscription.Status.ClearBackend()
 		desiredSubscription.Status.ClearConditions()
-		desiredSubscription.Status.SetSubscriptionSpecValidCondition(validationErr)
-		return reconcile.TerminalError(validationErr)
 	}
-
-	var noError error = nil
-	desiredSubscription.Status.SetSubscriptionSpecValidCondition(noError)
-	return noError
+	desiredSubscription.Status.SetSubscriptionSpecValidCondition(err)
+	return err
 }
 
 func (r *Reconciler) validateSubscriptionSpec(ctx context.Context, subscription *eventingv1alpha2.Subscription) error {