diff --git a/pkg/kube/statuswait.go b/pkg/kube/statuswait.go
index 91eec30ef..28b7766d6 100644
--- a/pkg/kube/statuswait.go
+++ b/pkg/kube/statuswait.go
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/fluxcd/cli-utils/pkg/kstatus/watcher"
 	"github.com/fluxcd/cli-utils/pkg/object"
 	appsv1 "k8s.io/api/apps/v1"
+	apierrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/meta"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/dynamic"
 	watchtools "k8s.io/client-go/tools/watch"
@@ -62,6 +64,10 @@ type statusWaiter struct {
 // when they don't set a timeout.
 var DefaultStatusWatcherTimeout = 30 * time.Second
 
+// deleteVerificationTimeout bounds the live GETs used to confirm deletions that
+// the status watcher did not observe before WaitForDelete gave up.
+const deleteVerificationTimeout = 10 * time.Second
+
 func alwaysReady(_ *unstructured.Unstructured) (*status.Result, error) {
 	return &status.Result{
 		Status:  status.CurrentStatus,
@@ -162,16 +168,50 @@ func (w *statusWaiter) waitForDelete(ctx context.Context, resourceList ResourceL
 	}
 
 	errs := []error{}
+	// A cancelled caller context signals an external interruption, so only
+	// fall back to live GETs when the watcher stopped on its own or timed out.
+	verifyWithGet := !errors.Is(ctx.Err(), context.Canceled)
+	// ctx has usually expired by now, so keep its values but not its deadline,
+	// and bound all fallback GETs together by a single grace period.
+	getCtx, cancelGet := context.WithTimeout(context.WithoutCancel(ctx), deleteVerificationTimeout)
+	defer cancelGet()
+	unknown, confirmedGone := 0, 0
 	for _, id := range resources {
 		rs := statusCollector.ResourceStatuses[id]
-		if rs.Status == status.NotFoundStatus || rs.Status == status.UnknownStatus {
+		if rs.Status == status.NotFoundStatus {
+			continue
+		}
+		if rs.Status == status.UnknownStatus {
+			unknown++
 			continue
 		}
+		// The watcher may have missed the deletion event (e.g. due to a
+		// connection drop or informer lag). Verify with a live GET before
+		// reporting the resource as still existing.
+		if verifyWithGet {
+			gone, err := w.isResourceGone(getCtx, id)
+			if err != nil {
+				errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("resource %s/%s/%s may still exist. status: %s, message: %s: unable to verify deletion: %w",
+					rs.Identifier.GroupKind.Kind, rs.Identifier.Namespace, rs.Identifier.Name, rs.Status, rs.Message, err))
+				continue
+			}
+			if gone {
+				w.Logger().Debug("watcher reported resource as existing but live GET confirms deletion",
+					"kind", id.GroupKind.Kind, "namespace", id.Namespace, "name", id.Name)
+				confirmedGone++
+				continue
+			}
+		}
 		errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("resource %s/%s/%s still exists. status: %s, message: %s",
 			rs.Identifier.GroupKind.Kind, rs.Identifier.Namespace, rs.Identifier.Name, rs.Status, rs.Message))
 	}
 	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
-		errs = append(errs, err)
+		// The watcher timing out is not a failure when every resource it did not
+		// see deleted was confirmed gone by a live GET.
+		missedDeletesOnly := errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded) && confirmedGone > 0 && unknown == 0 && len(errs) == 0
+		if !missedDeletesOnly {
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+		}
 	}
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
 		return errors.Join(errs...)
@@ -179,6 +219,21 @@ func (w *statusWaiter) waitForDelete(ctx context.Context, resourceList ResourceL
 	return nil
 }
 
+// isResourceGone reports whether a live GET returns NotFound for the resource.
+// Any other GET error is returned so that callers do not mistake an inability to
+// verify deletion for the resource still existing.
+func (w *statusWaiter) isResourceGone(ctx context.Context, id object.ObjMetadata) (bool, error) {
+	mapping, err := w.restMapper.RESTMapping(id.GroupKind)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	_, err = w.client.Resource(mapping.Resource).Namespace(id.Namespace).Get(ctx, id.Name, metav1.GetOptions{})
+	if apierrors.IsNotFound(err) {
+		return true, nil
+	}
+	return false, err
+}
+
 func (w *statusWaiter) wait(ctx context.Context, resourceList ResourceList, sw watcher.StatusWatcher) error {
 	cancelCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	defer cancel()
diff --git a/pkg/kube/statuswait_test.go b/pkg/kube/statuswait_test.go
index 5f5f5d051..cd7015fdc 100644
--- a/pkg/kube/statuswait_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kube/statuswait_test.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 	"strings"
+	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -375,6 +376,158 @@ func TestStatusWaitForDeleteNonExistentObject(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, statusWaiter.WaitForDelete(resourceList, timeout))
 }
 
+func TestWaitForDeleteWithMissedWatchEvent(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	c := newTestClient(t)
+	fakeClient := dynamicfake.NewSimpleDynamicClient(scheme.Scheme)
+	fakeMapper := testutil.NewFakeRESTMapper(
+		v1.SchemeGroupVersion.WithKind("Pod"),
+	)
+	// Return a watcher with no events to simulate a missed deletion notification.
+	// The watch starts after the initial list, so signal that the watcher has
+	// seen the resource before deleting it.
+	watchStarted := make(chan struct{})
+	var once sync.Once
+	fakeClient.PrependWatchReactor("pods", func(_ clienttesting.Action) (bool, watch.Interface, error) {
+		once.Do(func() { close(watchStarted) })
+		return true, watch.NewFake(), nil
+	})
+	sw := statusWaiter{
+		restMapper: fakeMapper,
+		client:     fakeClient,
+	}
+	sw.SetLogger(slog.Default().Handler())
+	objs := getRuntimeObjFromManifests(t, []string{podCurrentManifest})
+	gvrs := make([]schema.GroupVersionResource, 0, len(objs))
+	for _, obj := range objs {
+		u := obj.(*unstructured.Unstructured)
+		gvr := getGVR(t, fakeMapper, u)
+		err := fakeClient.Tracker().Create(gvr, u, u.GetNamespace())
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		gvrs = append(gvrs, gvr)
+	}
+	// Delete the resource once the watch has started. The watcher will miss
+	// this deletion because watch events are suppressed, but a live GET should
+	// confirm the resource is gone.
+	deleteErrs := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		<-watchStarted
+		var errs []error
+		for i, obj := range objs {
+			u := obj.(*unstructured.Unstructured)
+			errs = append(errs, fakeClient.Tracker().Delete(gvrs[i], u.GetNamespace(), u.GetName()))
+		}
+		deleteErrs <- errors.Join(errs...)
+	}()
+	resourceList := getResourceListFromRuntimeObjs(t, c, objs)
+	err := sw.WaitForDelete(resourceList, 500*time.Millisecond)
+	require.NoError(t, <-deleteErrs)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+func TestWaitForDeleteWithMissedWatchEventGetError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	c := newTestClient(t)
+	fakeClient := dynamicfake.NewSimpleDynamicClient(scheme.Scheme)
+	fakeMapper := testutil.NewFakeRESTMapper(
+		v1.SchemeGroupVersion.WithKind("Pod"),
+	)
+	fakeClient.PrependWatchReactor("pods", func(_ clienttesting.Action) (bool, watch.Interface, error) {
+		return true, watch.NewFake(), nil
+	})
+	// The live GET cannot verify the deletion, so the resource must not be
+	// reported as simply still existing, nor as deleted.
+	fakeClient.PrependReactor("get", "pods", func(_ clienttesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
+		return true, nil, apierrors.NewForbidden(schema.GroupResource{Resource: "pods"}, "current-pod", errors.New("get not allowed"))
+	})
+	sw := statusWaiter{
+		restMapper: fakeMapper,
+		client:     fakeClient,
+	}
+	sw.SetLogger(slog.Default().Handler())
+	objs := getRuntimeObjFromManifests(t, []string{podCurrentManifest})
+	for _, obj := range objs {
+		u := obj.(*unstructured.Unstructured)
+		gvr := getGVR(t, fakeMapper, u)
+		err := fakeClient.Tracker().Create(gvr, u, u.GetNamespace())
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+	}
+	resourceList := getResourceListFromRuntimeObjs(t, c, objs)
+	err := sw.WaitForDelete(resourceList, 500*time.Millisecond)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, apierrors.IsForbidden(err), "expected the GET error to be wrapped, got: %v", err)
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, context.DeadlineExceeded)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "resource Pod/ns/current-pod may still exist. status: Current")
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "unable to verify deletion")
+}
+
+func TestIsResourceGone(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		getErr    error
+		exists    bool
+		expected  bool
+		expectErr func(error) bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:     "not found",
+			expected: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "still exists",
+			exists: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "forbidden",
+			getErr:    apierrors.NewForbidden(schema.GroupResource{Resource: "pods"}, "current-pod", errors.New("get not allowed")),
+			expectErr: apierrors.IsForbidden,
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "timeout",
+			getErr:    context.DeadlineExceeded,
+			expectErr: func(err error) bool { return errors.Is(err, context.DeadlineExceeded) },
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			fakeClient := dynamicfake.NewSimpleDynamicClient(scheme.Scheme)
+			fakeMapper := testutil.NewFakeRESTMapper(
+				v1.SchemeGroupVersion.WithKind("Pod"),
+			)
+			if tt.getErr != nil {
+				fakeClient.PrependReactor("get", "pods", func(_ clienttesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
+					return true, nil, tt.getErr
+				})
+			}
+			sw := statusWaiter{
+				restMapper: fakeMapper,
+				client:     fakeClient,
+			}
+			sw.SetLogger(slog.Default().Handler())
+			if tt.exists {
+				u := getRuntimeObjFromManifests(t, []string{podCurrentManifest})[0].(*unstructured.Unstructured)
+				err := fakeClient.Tracker().Create(getGVR(t, fakeMapper, u), u, u.GetNamespace())
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+			}
+			id := object.ObjMetadata{
+				GroupKind: v1.SchemeGroupVersion.WithKind("Pod").GroupKind(),
+				Namespace: "ns",
+				Name:      "current-pod",
+			}
+			gone, err := sw.isResourceGone(t.Context(), id)
+			if tt.expectErr != nil {
+				require.Error(t, err)
+				assert.True(t, tt.expectErr(err), "unexpected error: %v", err)
+			} else {
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+			}
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.expected, gone)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestStatusWait(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	tests := []struct {