diff --git a/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/nodeversion_controller.go b/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/nodeversion_controller.go
index b4d83afd6..b38d21ed0 100644
--- a/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/nodeversion_controller.go
+++ b/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/nodeversion_controller.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func NewNodeVersionReconciler(nodeReplacer nodeReplacer, etcdRemover etcdRemover
 //+kubebuilder:rbac:groups="",resources=nodes/status,verbs=get
 //+kubebuilder:rbac:groups="",resources=configmaps,verbs=list;get
 
-// Reconcile replaces outdated nodes (using an old image) with new nodes (using a new image) as specified in the NodeVersion spec.
+// Reconcile replaces outdated nodes with new nodes as specified in the NodeVersion spec.
 func (r *NodeVersionReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (ctrl.Result, error) {
 	logr := log.FromContext(ctx)
 	logr.Info("Reconciling NodeVersion")
diff --git a/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/nodeversion_controller_env_test.go b/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/nodeversion_controller_env_test.go
index a75cc4f69..dc2bc5808 100644
--- a/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/nodeversion_controller_env_test.go
+++ b/operators/constellation-node-operator/controllers/nodeversion_controller_env_test.go
@@ -26,6 +26,39 @@ import (
 )
 
 var _ = Describe("NodeVersion controller", func() {
+	AfterEach(func() {
+		// cleanup all nodes
+		nodeList := &corev1.NodeList{}
+		Expect(k8sClient.List(context.Background(), nodeList)).To(Succeed())
+		for _, node := range nodeList.Items {
+			Expect(k8sClient.Delete(context.Background(), &node)).To(Succeed())
+		}
+		// cleanup all node versions
+		nodeVersionList := &updatev1alpha1.NodeVersionList{}
+		Expect(k8sClient.List(context.Background(), nodeVersionList)).To(Succeed())
+		for _, nodeVersion := range nodeVersionList.Items {
+			Expect(k8sClient.Delete(context.Background(), &nodeVersion)).To(Succeed())
+		}
+		// cleanup all scaling groups
+		scalingGroupList := &updatev1alpha1.ScalingGroupList{}
+		Expect(k8sClient.List(context.Background(), scalingGroupList)).To(Succeed())
+		for _, scalingGroup := range scalingGroupList.Items {
+			Expect(k8sClient.Delete(context.Background(), &scalingGroup)).To(Succeed())
+		}
+		// cleanup all pending nodes
+		pendingNodeList := &updatev1alpha1.PendingNodeList{}
+		Expect(k8sClient.List(context.Background(), pendingNodeList)).To(Succeed())
+		for _, pendingNode := range pendingNodeList.Items {
+			Expect(k8sClient.Delete(context.Background(), &pendingNode)).To(Succeed())
+		}
+		// cleanup all joining nodes
+		joiningNodeList := &updatev1alpha1.JoiningNodeList{}
+		Expect(k8sClient.List(context.Background(), joiningNodeList)).To(Succeed())
+		for _, joiningNode := range joiningNodeList.Items {
+			Expect(k8sClient.Delete(context.Background(), &joiningNode)).To(Succeed())
+		}
+	})
+
 	// Define utility constants for object names and testing timeouts/durations and intervals.
 	const (
 		nodeVersionResourceName = "nodeversion"