diff --git a/pkg/reconciler/common/common.go b/pkg/reconciler/common/common.go
index 50f20a9e83..faaa501cdb 100644
--- a/pkg/reconciler/common/common.go
+++ b/pkg/reconciler/common/common.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func PipelineReady(informer informer.TektonPipelineInformer) (*v1alpha1.TektonPi
 		}
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if ppln.GetStatus() != nil && strings.Contains(ppln.GetStatus().GetCondition(apis.ConditionReady).Message, v1alpha1.UpgradePending) {
+	if isUpgradePending(ppln.GetStatus()) {
 		return nil, v1alpha1.DEPENDENCY_UPGRADE_PENDING_ERR
 	}
 	if !ppln.Status.IsReady() {
@@ -52,6 +52,18 @@ func PipelineReady(informer informer.TektonPipelineInformer) (*v1alpha1.TektonPi
 	return ppln, nil
 }
 
+// isUpgradePending checks if the component status indicates an upgrade is pending
+func isUpgradePending(status v1alpha1.TektonComponentStatus) bool {
+	if status == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	readyCondition := status.GetCondition(apis.ConditionReady)
+	if readyCondition == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return strings.Contains(readyCondition.Message, v1alpha1.UpgradePending)
+}
+
 func PipelineTargetNamspace(informer informer.TektonPipelineInformer) (string, error) {
 	ppln, err := getPipelineRes(informer)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/reconciler/common/targetnamespace.go b/pkg/reconciler/common/targetnamespace.go
index 5f3a67bcef..f5eb8fa89a 100644
--- a/pkg/reconciler/common/targetnamespace.go
+++ b/pkg/reconciler/common/targetnamespace.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func ReconcileTargetNamespace(ctx context.Context, labels map[string]string, ann
 		if namespace.Name == tektonComponent.GetSpec().GetTargetNamespace() && namespace.DeletionTimestamp == nil {
 			_targetNamespace := namespace.DeepCopy()
 			targetNamespace = _targetNamespace
-		} else {
+		} else if len(namespace.GetOwnerReferences()) > 0 {
 			// delete irrelevant namespaces if the owner is the same component
 			// if deletionTimestamp is not nil, that indicates, the namespace is in deletion state
 			ownerReferenceName := namespace.GetOwnerReferences()[0].Name
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ func ReconcileTargetNamespace(ctx context.Context, labels map[string]string, ann
 				logger.Debugf("'%v' namespace is in deletion state", namespace.Name)
 				namespaceDeletionInProgress = true
 			}
+		} else {
+			logger.Infof("'%v' namespace is not owned by any component", namespace.Name)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/reconciler/common/targetnamespace_test.go b/pkg/reconciler/common/targetnamespace_test.go
index cb35213910..2dd7af77fc 100644
--- a/pkg/reconciler/common/targetnamespace_test.go
+++ b/pkg/reconciler/common/targetnamespace_test.go
@@ -196,6 +196,32 @@ func TestReconcileTargetNamespace(t *testing.T) {
 			// ReconcileTargetNamespace requeue event for the namespace is in deletion state
 			err: v1alpha1.REQUEUE_EVENT_AFTER,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "verify-namespace-in-deletion-state-without-owner-reference",
+			component: &v1alpha1.TektonConfig{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "config"},
+				Spec:       v1alpha1.TektonConfigSpec{CommonSpec: v1alpha1.CommonSpec{TargetNamespace: namespaceTektonPipelines}},
+			},
+			additionalLabels: map[string]string{},
+			ownerReferences:  nil,
+			preFunc: func(t *testing.T, fakeClientset *fake.Clientset) {
+				// create a namespace with deletionTimestamp, it means the namespace is in deletion state
+				namespace := &corev1.Namespace{
+					ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+						Name: namespaceTektonPipelines,
+						Labels: map[string]string{
+							labelKeyTargetNamespace: "true",
+						},
+						OwnerReferences:   nil,
+						DeletionTimestamp: &metav1.Time{Time: time.Now()},
+					},
+				}
+				_, err := fakeClientset.CoreV1().Namespaces().Create(context.TODO(), namespace, metav1.CreateOptions{})
+				assert.NilError(t, err)
+			},
+			// ReconcileTargetNamespace requeue event for the namespace is in deletion state
+			err: v1alpha1.REQUEUE_EVENT_AFTER,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "verify-existing-namespace",
 			component: &v1alpha1.TektonConfig{