diff --git a/pkg/controller/pxc/backup.go b/pkg/controller/pxc/backup.go
index fa54c92a1..29af995c7 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/pxc/backup.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/pxc/backup.go
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ func (r *ReconcilePerconaXtraDBCluster) reconcileBackups(ctx context.Context, cr
 			if err != nil {
 				return errors.Errorf("get binlog collector deployment for cluster '%s': %v", cr.Name, err)
 			}
+			err = setControllerReference(cr, &binlogCollector, r.scheme)
+			if err != nil {
+				return errors.Wrapf(err, "set controller reference for binlog collector deployment '%s'", binlogCollector.Name)
+			}
 
 			currentCollector := appsv1.Deployment{}
 			err = r.client.Get(context.TODO(), types.NamespacedName{Name: binlogCollector.Name, Namespace: binlogCollector.Namespace}, &currentCollector)