diff --git a/pkg/neg/syncers/transaction.go b/pkg/neg/syncers/transaction.go
index 01a2f38dfc..ebe4d34502 100644
--- a/pkg/neg/syncers/transaction.go
+++ b/pkg/neg/syncers/transaction.go
@@ -329,11 +329,20 @@ func (s *transactionSyncer) syncInternalImpl() error {
 // it returns false if the pod:
 // 1. doesn't exist
 // 2. is in terminal state
+// 3. corresponds to a non-existent node
 func (s *transactionSyncer) isValidPod(pod *apiv1.Pod) bool {
 	// Terminal Pod means a pod is in PodFailed or PodSucceeded phase
 	if pod.Status.Phase == corev1.PodFailed || pod.Status.Phase == corev1.PodSucceeded {
 		return false
 	}
+	obj, exists, err := s.nodeLister.GetByKey(pod.Spec.NodeName)
+	if err != nil || !exists {
+		return false
+	}
+	_, isNode := obj.(*apiv1.Node)
+	if !isNode {
+		return false
+	}
 	return true
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/neg/syncers/transaction_test.go b/pkg/neg/syncers/transaction_test.go
index 76d13badff..1873c83c3a 100644
--- a/pkg/neg/syncers/transaction_test.go
+++ b/pkg/neg/syncers/transaction_test.go
@@ -2352,6 +2352,13 @@ func TestIsValidEPBatch(t *testing.T) {
 func TestIsValidPod(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	_, ts := newTestTransactionSyncer(negtypes.NewAdapter(gce.NewFakeGCECloud(gce.DefaultTestClusterValues())), negtypes.VmIpPortEndpointType, false, true)
+	testNode1 := "node1"
+	testNodeNonExistent := "node-non-existent"
+	ts.nodeLister.Add(&corev1.Node{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+			Name: testNode1,
+		},
+	})
 
 	testCases := []struct {
 		desc   string
@@ -2368,6 +2375,9 @@ func TestIsValidPod(t *testing.T) {
 				Status: corev1.PodStatus{
 					Phase: corev1.PodRunning,
 				},
+				Spec: corev1.PodSpec{
+					NodeName: testNode1,
+				},
 			},
 			expect: true,
 		},
@@ -2381,6 +2391,9 @@ func TestIsValidPod(t *testing.T) {
 				Status: corev1.PodStatus{
 					Phase: corev1.PodFailed,
 				},
+				Spec: corev1.PodSpec{
+					NodeName: testNode1,
+				},
 			},
 			expect: false,
 		},
@@ -2394,6 +2407,25 @@ func TestIsValidPod(t *testing.T) {
 				Status: corev1.PodStatus{
 					Phase: corev1.PodSucceeded,
 				},
+				Spec: corev1.PodSpec{
+					NodeName: testNode1,
+				},
+			},
+			expect: false,
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "pod from non-existent pod",
+			pod: &corev1.Pod{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Namespace: testNamespace,
+					Name:      "pod4",
+				},
+				Status: corev1.PodStatus{
+					Phase: corev1.PodSucceeded,
+				},
+				Spec: corev1.PodSpec{
+					NodeName: testNodeNonExistent,
+				},
 			},
 			expect: false,
 		},