diff --git a/pkg/manager/internal.go b/pkg/manager/internal.go
index 66a2d277f7..040b3c5b82 100644
--- a/pkg/manager/internal.go
+++ b/pkg/manager/internal.go
@@ -351,6 +351,16 @@ func (cm *controllerManager) Start(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	// Initialize the internal context.
 	cm.internalCtx, cm.internalCancel = context.WithCancel(ctx)
 
+	// Leader elector must be created before defer that contains engageStopProcedure function
+	// https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/controller-runtime/issues/2873
+	var leaderElector *leaderelection.LeaderElector
+	if cm.resourceLock != nil {
+		leaderElector, err = cm.initLeaderElector()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed during initialization leader election process: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	// This chan indicates that stop is complete, in other words all runnables have returned or timeout on stop request
 	stopComplete := make(chan struct{})
 	defer close(stopComplete)
@@ -433,19 +443,22 @@ func (cm *controllerManager) Start(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 	{
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 		cm.leaderElectionCancel = cancel
-		go func() {
-			if cm.resourceLock != nil {
-				if err := cm.startLeaderElection(ctx); err != nil {
-					cm.errChan <- err
-				}
-			} else {
+		if leaderElector != nil {
+			// Start the leader elector process
+			go func() {
+				leaderElector.Run(ctx)
+				<-ctx.Done()
+				close(cm.leaderElectionStopped)
+			}()
+		} else {
+			go func() {
 				// Treat not having leader election enabled the same as being elected.
 				if err := cm.startLeaderElectionRunnables(); err != nil {
 					cm.errChan <- err
 				}
 				close(cm.elected)
-			}
-		}()
+			}()
+		}
 	}
 
 	ready = true
@@ -564,12 +577,8 @@ func (cm *controllerManager) engageStopProcedure(stopComplete <-chan struct{}) e
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (cm *controllerManager) startLeaderElectionRunnables() error {
-	return cm.runnables.LeaderElection.Start(cm.internalCtx)
-}
-
-func (cm *controllerManager) startLeaderElection(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
-	l, err := leaderelection.NewLeaderElector(leaderelection.LeaderElectionConfig{
+func (cm *controllerManager) initLeaderElector() (*leaderelection.LeaderElector, error) {
+	leaderElector, err := leaderelection.NewLeaderElector(leaderelection.LeaderElectionConfig{
 		Lock:          cm.resourceLock,
 		LeaseDuration: cm.leaseDuration,
 		RenewDeadline: cm.renewDeadline,
@@ -599,16 +608,14 @@ func (cm *controllerManager) startLeaderElection(ctx context.Context) (err error
 		Name:            cm.leaderElectionID,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Start the leader elector process
-	go func() {
-		l.Run(ctx)
-		<-ctx.Done()
-		close(cm.leaderElectionStopped)
-	}()
-	return nil
+	return leaderElector, nil
+}
+
+func (cm *controllerManager) startLeaderElectionRunnables() error {
+	return cm.runnables.LeaderElection.Start(cm.internalCtx)
 }
 
 func (cm *controllerManager) Elected() <-chan struct{} {
diff --git a/pkg/manager/manager_test.go b/pkg/manager/manager_test.go
index 1683013b3f..b3383edf88 100644
--- a/pkg/manager/manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/manager/manager_test.go
@@ -1165,6 +1165,23 @@ var _ = Describe("manger.Manager", func() {
 					cm.onStoppedLeading = func() {}
 				},
 			)
+
+			It("should return an error if leader election param incorrect", func() {
+				renewDeadline := time.Second * 20
+				m, err := New(cfg, Options{
+					LeaderElection:          true,
+					LeaderElectionID:        "controller-runtime",
+					LeaderElectionNamespace: "default",
+					newResourceLock:         fakeleaderelection.NewResourceLock,
+					RenewDeadline:           &renewDeadline,
+				})
+				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+				ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second*10)
+				defer cancel()
+				err = m.Start(ctx)
+				Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded)).NotTo(BeTrue())
+			})
 		})
 
 		Context("should start serving metrics", func() {