diff --git a/lib/resourceutil/util.go b/lib/resourceutil/util.go
index 50b8c5ea..567541fb 100644
--- a/lib/resourceutil/util.go
+++ b/lib/resourceutil/util.go
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ func GetConfigureWorkflowCompletedConditionStatus(obj *unstructured.Unstructured
 	return condition.Status
 }
 
+func GetDeleteWorkflowCompletedConditionStatus(obj *unstructured.Unstructured) v1.ConditionStatus {
+	condition := GetCondition(obj, DeleteWorkflowCompletedCondition)
+	if condition == nil {
+		return v1.ConditionUnknown
+	}
+	return condition.Status
+}
+
 func MarkConfigureWorkflowAsRunning(logger logr.Logger, obj *unstructured.Unstructured) {
 	SetCondition(obj, &clusterv1.Condition{
 		Type:               ConfigureWorkflowCompletedCondition,
@@ -65,6 +73,17 @@ func MarkConfigureWorkflowAsFailed(logger logr.Logger, obj *unstructured.Unstruc
 	logging.Warn(logger, "marking configure workflow as failed", "condition", ConfigureWorkflowCompletedCondition, "value", v1.ConditionFalse, "reason", ConfigureWorkflowCompletedFailedReason)
 }
 
+func MarkDeleteWorkflowAsRunning(logger logr.Logger, obj *unstructured.Unstructured) {
+	SetCondition(obj, &clusterv1.Condition{
+		Type:               DeleteWorkflowCompletedCondition,
+		Status:             v1.ConditionFalse,
+		Message:            "Pipelines are still in progress",
+		Reason:             "PipelinesInProgress",
+		LastTransitionTime: metav1.NewTime(time.Now()),
+	})
+	logging.Info(logger, "marking delete workflow as running", "condition", DeleteWorkflowCompletedCondition, "value", v1.ConditionFalse, "reason", "PipelinesInProgress")
+}
+
 func MarkResourceRequestAsWorksFailed(obj *unstructured.Unstructured, works []string) {
 	SetCondition(obj, &clusterv1.Condition{
 		Type:               WorksSucceededCondition,
diff --git a/lib/workflow/reconciler.go b/lib/workflow/reconciler.go
index d01ccba4..3dd55457 100644
--- a/lib/workflow/reconciler.go
+++ b/lib/workflow/reconciler.go
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ func ReconcileDelete(opts Opts) (bool, error) {
 }
 
 func createDeletePipeline(opts Opts, pipeline v1alpha1.PipelineJobResources) (abort bool, err error) {
+	updated, err := setDeleteWorkflowCompletedConditionStatus(opts, opts.parentObject)
+	if err != nil || updated {
+		return updated, err
+	}
+
 	logging.Debug(opts.logger, "creating delete pipeline; execution will commence")
 	if isManualReconciliation(opts.parentObject.GetLabels()) {
 		if err := removeManualReconciliationLabel(opts); err != nil {
@@ -507,6 +512,26 @@ func setConfigureWorkflowCompletedConditionStatus(opts Opts, isTheFirstPipeline
 	}
 }
 
+func setDeleteWorkflowCompletedConditionStatus(opts Opts, obj *unstructured.Unstructured) (bool, error) {
+	if opts.SkipConditions {
+		return false, nil
+	}
+	switch resourceutil.GetDeleteWorkflowCompletedConditionStatus(obj) {
+	case v1.ConditionTrue:
+		fallthrough
+	case v1.ConditionUnknown:
+		resourceutil.MarkDeleteWorkflowAsRunning(opts.logger, obj)
+		err := opts.client.Status().Update(opts.ctx, obj)
+		if err != nil {
+			logging.Error(opts.logger, err, "failed to update object status")
+			return false, err
+		}
+		return true, nil
+	default:
+		return false, nil
+	}
+}
+
 func getMostRecentDeletePipelineJob(opts Opts, namespace string, pipeline v1alpha1.PipelineJobResources) (*batchv1.Job, error) {
 	labels := getLabelsForPipelineJob(pipeline)
 	jobs, err := getJobsWithLabels(opts, labels, namespace)
diff --git a/lib/workflow/reconciler_test.go b/lib/workflow/reconciler_test.go
index 1d285b11..155112af 100644
--- a/lib/workflow/reconciler_test.go
+++ b/lib/workflow/reconciler_test.go
@@ -1863,15 +1863,38 @@ var _ = Describe("Workflow Reconciler", func() {
 		})
 
 		When("there are pipelines to reconcile", func() {
-			It("reconciles the first pipeline", func() {
+			It("updates the DeleteWorkflowCompleted condition to indicate pipelines are in progress", func() {
 				opts := workflow.NewOpts(ctx, fakeK8sClient, eventRecorder, logger, uPromise, workflowPipelines, "promise", 5, namespace)
 				requeue, err := workflow.ReconcileDelete(opts)
 				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 				Expect(requeue).To(BeTrue())
-				jobList := listJobs(namespace)
-				Expect(jobList).To(HaveLen(1))
 
-				Expect(findByName(jobList, workflowPipelines[0].Job.Name)).To(BeTrue())
+				Expect(fakeK8sClient.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: promise.Name}, &promise)).To(Succeed())
+				deleteWorkflowCond := apimeta.FindStatusCondition(promise.Status.Conditions, string(resourceutil.DeleteWorkflowCompletedCondition))
+				Expect(deleteWorkflowCond).NotTo(BeNil())
+				Expect(deleteWorkflowCond.Message).To(Equal("Pipelines are still in progress"))
+				Expect(deleteWorkflowCond.Reason).To(Equal("PipelinesInProgress"))
+				Expect(string(deleteWorkflowCond.Status)).To(Equal("False"))
+			})
+
+			It("reconciles the first pipeline", func() {
+				opts := workflow.NewOpts(ctx, fakeK8sClient, eventRecorder, logger, uPromise, workflowPipelines, "promise", 5, namespace)
+
+				By("first updating the delete workflow condition", func() {
+					requeue, err := workflow.ReconcileDelete(opts)
+					Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+					Expect(requeue).To(BeTrue())
+				})
+
+				By("then creating the job on subsequent reconcile", func() {
+					requeue, err := workflow.ReconcileDelete(opts)
+					Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+					Expect(requeue).To(BeTrue())
+					jobList := listJobs(namespace)
+					Expect(jobList).To(HaveLen(1))
+
+					Expect(findByName(jobList, workflowPipelines[0].Job.Name)).To(BeTrue())
+				})
 
 				By("not returning completed until the job is marked as completed", func() {
 					requeue, err := workflow.ReconcileDelete(opts)
@@ -1960,9 +1983,14 @@ var _ = Describe("Workflow Reconciler", func() {
 						labelPromiseForManualReconciliation("redis")
 						newWorkflowPipelines, uPromise = setupTest(promise, pipelines)
 						opts := workflow.NewOpts(ctx, fakeK8sClient, eventRecorder, logger, uPromise, newWorkflowPipelines, "promise", 5, namespace)
+						// First call updates the delete workflow condition
 						abort, err := workflow.ReconcileDelete(opts)
 						Expect(abort).To(BeTrue())
 						Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+						// Second call creates the job
+						abort, err = workflow.ReconcileDelete(opts)
+						Expect(abort).To(BeTrue())
+						Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 					})
 
 					It("re-triggers the pipeline in the workflow", func() {