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Scenario #396
Storage
Kubernetes v1.22, CSI driver

Stuck Finalizers on Deleted PVCs Blocking Namespace Deletion

Finalizers on PVCs blocked namespace deletion for hours.

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What Happened

Namespace was stuck in Terminating due to PVCs with finalizers not being properly removed.

Diagnosis Steps
  • 1Checked PVC YAML: finalizers section present.
  • 2Logs: CSI controller error during cleanup.
Root Cause

CSI cleanup failed due to stale volume handles.

Fix/Workaround
• Patched PVCs to remove finalizers manually.
Lessons Learned

Finalizers can hang namespace deletion.

How to Avoid
  • 1Monitor PVCs with stuck finalizers.
  • 2Regularly validate volume plugin cleanup.
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