diff --git a/charts/openstack-hypervisor-operator/templates/manager-rbac.yaml b/charts/openstack-hypervisor-operator/templates/manager-rbac.yaml
index 53af34e..da15994 100644
--- a/charts/openstack-hypervisor-operator/templates/manager-rbac.yaml
+++ b/charts/openstack-hypervisor-operator/templates/manager-rbac.yaml
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ rules:
   - get
   - list
   - patch
-  - update
   - watch
 - apiGroups:
   - ""
diff --git a/config/rbac/role.yaml b/config/rbac/role.yaml
index 528d2cb..d769277 100644
--- a/config/rbac/role.yaml
+++ b/config/rbac/role.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ rules:
   - get
   - list
   - patch
-  - update
   - watch
 - apiGroups:
   - ""
diff --git a/internal/controller/gardener_node_lifecycle_controller.go b/internal/controller/gardener_node_lifecycle_controller.go
index fb1a113..0f30146 100644
--- a/internal/controller/gardener_node_lifecycle_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/gardener_node_lifecycle_controller.go
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import (
 	corev1ac "k8s.io/client-go/applyconfigurations/core/v1"
 	v1 "k8s.io/client-go/applyconfigurations/meta/v1"
 	policyv1ac "k8s.io/client-go/applyconfigurations/policy/v1"
-	"k8s.io/client-go/util/retry"
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
 	k8sclient "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client/apiutil"
@@ -51,14 +50,13 @@ const (
 	labelDeployment           = "cobaltcore-maintenance-controller"
 	maintenancePodsNamespace  = "kube-system"
 	labelCriticalComponent    = "node.gardener.cloud/critical-component"
-	valueReasonTerminating    = "terminating"
 	MaintenanceControllerName = "maintenance"
 )
 
 // The counter-side in gardener is here:
 // https://github.com/gardener/machine-controller-manager/blob/rel-v0.56/pkg/util/provider/machinecontroller/machine.go#L646
 
-// +kubebuilder:rbac:groups="",resources=nodes,verbs=get;list;watch;patch;update;watch
+// +kubebuilder:rbac:groups=kvm.cloud.sap,resources=hypervisors,verbs=get;list;watch;update;patch
 // +kubebuilder:rbac:groups="apps",resources=deployments,verbs=create;delete;get;list;patch;update;watch
 // +kubebuilder:rbac:groups="policy",resources=poddisruptionbudgets,verbs=create;delete;get;list;patch;update;watch
 
@@ -66,63 +64,45 @@ func (r *GardenerNodeLifecycleController) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctr
 	log := logger.FromContext(ctx).WithName(req.Name)
 	ctx = logger.IntoContext(ctx, log)
 
-	node := &corev1.Node{}
-	if err := r.Get(ctx, req.NamespacedName, node); err != nil {
-		// ignore not found errors, could be deleted
+	hv := &kvmv1.Hypervisor{}
+	if err := r.Get(ctx, req.NamespacedName, hv); err != nil {
 		return ctrl.Result{}, k8sclient.IgnoreNotFound(err)
 	}
 
-	hv := kvmv1.Hypervisor{}
-	if err := r.Get(ctx, k8sclient.ObjectKey{Name: req.Name}, &hv); k8sclient.IgnoreNotFound(err) != nil {
-		return ctrl.Result{}, err
-	}
 	if !hv.Spec.LifecycleEnabled {
 		// Nothing to be done
 		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 	}
 
-	if isTerminating(node) {
-		changed, err := setNodeLabels(ctx, r.Client, node, map[string]string{labelEvictionRequired: valueReasonTerminating})
-		if changed || err != nil {
-			return ctrl.Result{}, err
-		}
-	}
-
-	// We do not care about the particular value, as long as it isn't an error
-	var minAvailable int32 = 1
-	evictionValue, found := node.Labels[labelEvictionApproved]
-	if found && evictionValue != "false" {
-		minAvailable = 0
+	var minAvailable int32 = 0
+	if !meta.IsStatusConditionFalse(hv.Status.Conditions, kvmv1.ConditionTypeEvicting) {
+		// Evicting condition is either not present or is true (i.e. ongoing)
+		minAvailable = 1 // Do not allow draining of the pod
 	}
 
-	if err := retry.RetryOnConflict(retry.DefaultRetry, func() error {
-		return r.ensureBlockingPodDisruptionBudget(ctx, node, minAvailable)
-	}); err != nil {
+	if err := r.ensureBlockingPodDisruptionBudget(ctx, hv, minAvailable); err != nil {
 		return ctrl.Result{}, err
 	}
 
 	onboardingCompleted := meta.IsStatusConditionFalse(hv.Status.Conditions, ConditionTypeOnboarding)
-
-	if err := retry.RetryOnConflict(retry.DefaultRetry, func() error {
-		return r.ensureSignallingDeployment(ctx, node, minAvailable, onboardingCompleted)
-	}); err != nil {
+	if err := r.ensureSignallingDeployment(ctx, hv, minAvailable, onboardingCompleted); err != nil {
 		return ctrl.Result{}, err
 	}
 
 	return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 }
 
-func (r *GardenerNodeLifecycleController) ensureBlockingPodDisruptionBudget(ctx context.Context, node *corev1.Node, minAvailable int32) error {
-	name := nameForNode(node)
-	nodeLabels := labelsForNode(node)
-	gvk, err := apiutil.GVKForObject(node, r.Scheme)
+func (r *GardenerNodeLifecycleController) ensureBlockingPodDisruptionBudget(ctx context.Context, hypervisor *kvmv1.Hypervisor, minAvailable int32) error {
+	name := nameForHypervisor(hypervisor)
+	nodeLabels := labelsForHypervisor(hypervisor)
+	gvk, err := apiutil.GVKForObject(hypervisor, r.Scheme)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	podDisruptionBudget := policyv1ac.PodDisruptionBudget(name, maintenancePodsNamespace).
 		WithLabels(nodeLabels).
-		WithOwnerReferences(OwnerReference(node, &gvk)).
+		WithOwnerReferences(OwnerReference(hypervisor, &gvk)).
 		WithSpec(policyv1ac.PodDisruptionBudgetSpec().
 			WithMinAvailable(intstr.FromInt32(minAvailable)).
 			WithSelector(v1.LabelSelector().WithMatchLabels(nodeLabels)))
@@ -130,35 +110,19 @@ func (r *GardenerNodeLifecycleController) ensureBlockingPodDisruptionBudget(ctx
 	return r.Apply(ctx, podDisruptionBudget, k8sclient.FieldOwner(MaintenanceControllerName))
 }
 
-func isTerminating(node *corev1.Node) bool {
-	conditions := node.Status.Conditions
-	if conditions == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-
-	// See: https://github.com/gardener/machine-controller-manager/blob/rel-v0.56/pkg/util/provider/machinecontroller/machine.go#L658-L659
-	for _, condition := range conditions {
-		if condition.Type == "Terminating" {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-
-	return false
-}
-
-func nameForNode(node *corev1.Node) string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("maint-%v", node.Name)
+func nameForHypervisor(hypervisor *kvmv1.Hypervisor) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("maint-%v", hypervisor.Name)
 }
 
-func labelsForNode(node *corev1.Node) map[string]string {
+func labelsForHypervisor(hypervisor *kvmv1.Hypervisor) map[string]string {
 	return map[string]string{
-		labelDeployment: nameForNode(node),
+		labelDeployment: nameForHypervisor(hypervisor),
 	}
 }
 
-func (r *GardenerNodeLifecycleController) ensureSignallingDeployment(ctx context.Context, node *corev1.Node, scale int32, ready bool) error {
-	name := nameForNode(node)
-	labels := labelsForNode(node)
+func (r *GardenerNodeLifecycleController) ensureSignallingDeployment(ctx context.Context, hypervisor *kvmv1.Hypervisor, scale int32, ready bool) error {
+	name := nameForHypervisor(hypervisor)
+	labels := labelsForHypervisor(hypervisor)
 
 	podLabels := maps.Clone(labels)
 	podLabels[labelCriticalComponent] = "true"
@@ -170,13 +134,13 @@ func (r *GardenerNodeLifecycleController) ensureSignallingDeployment(ctx context
 		command = "/bin/false"
 	}
 
-	gvk, err := apiutil.GVKForObject(node, r.Scheme)
+	gvk, err := apiutil.GVKForObject(hypervisor, r.Scheme)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	deployment := apps1ac.Deployment(name, maintenancePodsNamespace).
-		WithOwnerReferences(OwnerReference(node, &gvk)).
+		WithOwnerReferences(OwnerReference(hypervisor, &gvk)).
 		WithLabels(labels).
 		WithSpec(apps1ac.DeploymentSpec().
 			WithReplicas(scale).
@@ -191,7 +155,7 @@ func (r *GardenerNodeLifecycleController) ensureSignallingDeployment(ctx context
 				WithSpec(corev1ac.PodSpec().
 					WithHostNetwork(true).
 					WithNodeSelector(map[string]string{
-						corev1.LabelHostname: node.Labels[corev1.LabelHostname],
+						corev1.LabelHostname: hypervisor.Labels[corev1.LabelHostname],
 					}).
 					WithTerminationGracePeriodSeconds(1).
 					WithTolerations(
@@ -225,7 +189,7 @@ func (r *GardenerNodeLifecycleController) SetupWithManager(mgr ctrl.Manager, nam
 
 	return ctrl.NewControllerManagedBy(mgr).
 		Named(MaintenanceControllerName).
-		For(&corev1.Node{}).
+		For(&kvmv1.Hypervisor{}).
 		Owns(&appsv1.Deployment{}). // trigger the r.Reconcile whenever an Own-ed deployment is created/updated/deleted
 		Owns(&policyv1.PodDisruptionBudget{}).
 		Complete(r)
diff --git a/internal/controller/gardener_node_lifecycle_controller_test.go b/internal/controller/gardener_node_lifecycle_controller_test.go
index fdfafad..0cea528 100644
--- a/internal/controller/gardener_node_lifecycle_controller_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/gardener_node_lifecycle_controller_test.go
@@ -18,18 +18,27 @@ limitations under the License.
 package controller
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
-	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	appsv1 "k8s.io/api/apps/v1"
+	policyv1 "k8s.io/api/policy/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/meta"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+
+	kvmv1 "github.com/cobaltcore-dev/openstack-hypervisor-operator/api/v1"
 )
 
-var _ = Describe("Gardener Maintenance Controller", func() {
-	const nodeName = "node-test"
-	var controller *GardenerNodeLifecycleController
+var _ = Describe("GardenerNodeLifecycleController", func() {
+	var (
+		controller     *GardenerNodeLifecycleController
+		hypervisorName = types.NamespacedName{Name: "hv-test"}
+		podName        = types.NamespacedName{Name: fmt.Sprintf("maint-%v", hypervisorName.Name), Namespace: "kube-system"}
+	)
 
 	BeforeEach(func() {
 		controller = &GardenerNodeLifecycleController{
@@ -37,35 +46,99 @@ var _ = Describe("Gardener Maintenance Controller", func() {
 			Scheme: k8sClient.Scheme(),
 		}
 
-		By("creating the namespace for the reconciler")
-		ns := &corev1.Namespace{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "monsoon3"}}
-		Expect(client.IgnoreAlreadyExists(k8sClient.Create(ctx, ns))).To(Succeed())
-
-		By("creating the core resource for the Kind Node")
-		resource := &corev1.Node{
+		By("Creating a Hypervisor resource with LifecycleEnabled")
+		hypervisor := &kvmv1.Hypervisor{
 			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
-				Name:   nodeName,
-				Labels: map[string]string{labelEvictionRequired: "true"},
+				Name:      hypervisorName.Name,
+				Namespace: hypervisorName.Namespace,
+			},
+			Spec: kvmv1.HypervisorSpec{
+				LifecycleEnabled: true,
 			},
 		}
-		Expect(k8sClient.Create(ctx, resource)).To(Succeed())
+		Expect(k8sClient.Create(ctx, hypervisor)).To(Succeed())
+		DeferCleanup(func(ctx context.Context) {
+			By("Deleting the Hypervisor resource")
+			hypervisor := &kvmv1.Hypervisor{}
+			Expect(k8sClient.Get(ctx, hypervisorName, hypervisor)).To(Succeed())
+			Expect(k8sClient.Delete(ctx, hypervisor)).To(Succeed())
+		})
+	})
+
+	// After the setup in JustBefore, we want to reconcile
+	JustBeforeEach(func(ctx context.Context) {
+		req := ctrl.Request{NamespacedName: hypervisorName}
+		for range 3 {
+			_, err := controller.Reconcile(ctx, req)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		}
 	})
 
-	AfterEach(func() {
-		node := &corev1.Node{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: nodeName}}
-		By("Cleanup the specific node")
-		Expect(client.IgnoreNotFound(k8sClient.Delete(ctx, node))).To(Succeed())
+	Context("setting the pod disruption budget", func() {
+		When("not evicted", func() {
+			It("should set the pdb to minimum 1", func() {
+				pdb := &policyv1.PodDisruptionBudget{}
+				Expect(k8sClient.Get(ctx, podName, pdb)).To(Succeed())
+				Expect(pdb.Spec.MinAvailable).To(HaveValue(HaveField("IntVal", BeEquivalentTo(1))))
+			})
+		})
+		When("evicted", func() {
+			BeforeEach(func() {
+				hv := &kvmv1.Hypervisor{}
+				Expect(k8sClient.Get(ctx, hypervisorName, hv)).To(Succeed())
+				meta.SetStatusCondition(&hv.Status.Conditions, metav1.Condition{
+					Type:    kvmv1.ConditionTypeEvicting,
+					Status:  metav1.ConditionFalse,
+					Reason:  "dontcare",
+					Message: "dontcare",
+				})
+				Expect(k8sClient.Status().Update(ctx, hv)).To(Succeed())
+			})
+
+			It("should set the pdb to minimum 0", func() {
+				pdb := &policyv1.PodDisruptionBudget{}
+				Expect(k8sClient.Get(ctx, podName, pdb)).To(Succeed())
+				Expect(pdb.Spec.MinAvailable).To(HaveValue(HaveField("IntVal", BeEquivalentTo(0))))
+			})
+		})
 	})
 
-	Context("When reconciling a node", func() {
-		It("should successfully reconcile the resource", func() {
-			req := ctrl.Request{
-				NamespacedName: types.NamespacedName{Name: nodeName},
-			}
+	Context("create a signalling deployment", func() {
+		When("onboarding not completed", func() {
+			It("should create a failing deployment for the node", func() {
+				deployment := &appsv1.Deployment{}
+				Expect(k8sClient.Get(ctx, podName, deployment)).To(Succeed())
+				Expect(deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers).To(
+					ContainElement(
+						HaveField("StartupProbe",
+							HaveField("ProbeHandler",
+								HaveField("Exec",
+									HaveField("Command", ContainElements("/bin/false")))))))
+			})
+		})
+		When("onboarding is completed", func() {
+			BeforeEach(func() {
+				hv := &kvmv1.Hypervisor{}
+				Expect(k8sClient.Get(ctx, hypervisorName, hv)).To(Succeed())
+				meta.SetStatusCondition(&hv.Status.Conditions, metav1.Condition{
+					Type:    ConditionTypeOnboarding,
+					Status:  metav1.ConditionFalse,
+					Reason:  "dontcare",
+					Message: "dontcare",
+				})
+				Expect(k8sClient.Status().Update(ctx, hv)).To(Succeed())
+			})
 
-			By("Reconciling the created resource")
-			_, err := controller.Reconcile(ctx, req)
-			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+			It("should create a succeeding deployment for the node", func() {
+				deployment := &appsv1.Deployment{}
+				Expect(k8sClient.Get(ctx, podName, deployment)).To(Succeed())
+				Expect(deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers).To(
+					ContainElement(
+						HaveField("StartupProbe",
+							HaveField("ProbeHandler",
+								HaveField("Exec",
+									HaveField("Command", ContainElements("/bin/true")))))))
+			})
 		})
 	})
 })
diff --git a/internal/controller/utils.go b/internal/controller/utils.go
index 5548684..9c9e3b3 100644
--- a/internal/controller/utils.go
+++ b/internal/controller/utils.go
@@ -19,11 +19,9 @@ package controller
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"maps"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"slices"
@@ -32,22 +30,10 @@ import (
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
 	v1ac "k8s.io/client-go/applyconfigurations/meta/v1"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 
 	kvmv1 "github.com/cobaltcore-dev/openstack-hypervisor-operator/api/v1"
 )
 
-// setNodeLabels sets the labels on the node.
-func setNodeLabels(ctx context.Context, writer client.Writer, node *corev1.Node, labels map[string]string) (bool, error) {
-	newNode := node.DeepCopy()
-	maps.Copy(newNode.Labels, labels)
-	if maps.Equal(node.Labels, newNode.Labels) {
-		return false, nil
-	}
-
-	return true, writer.Patch(ctx, newNode, client.MergeFrom(node))
-}
-
 func InstanceHaUrl(region, zone, hostname string) string {
 	if haURL, found := os.LookupEnv("KVM_HA_SERVICE_URL"); found {
 		return haURL