diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/9498-sseago b/changelogs/unreleased/9498-sseago
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..80443a34f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/9498-sseago
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove backup from running list when backup fails validation
diff --git a/pkg/controller/backup_controller.go b/pkg/controller/backup_controller.go
index 37faafd68..496308a6e 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/backup_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/backup_controller.go
@@ -307,6 +307,16 @@ func (b *backupReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (ctr
 
 	backupScheduleName := request.GetLabels()[velerov1api.ScheduleNameLabel]
 
+	b.backupTracker.Add(request.Namespace, request.Name)
+	defer func() {
+		switch request.Status.Phase {
+		case velerov1api.BackupPhaseCompleted, velerov1api.BackupPhasePartiallyFailed, velerov1api.BackupPhaseFailed, velerov1api.BackupPhaseFailedValidation:
+			b.backupTracker.Delete(request.Namespace, request.Name)
+		case velerov1api.BackupPhaseWaitingForPluginOperations, velerov1api.BackupPhaseWaitingForPluginOperationsPartiallyFailed, velerov1api.BackupPhaseFinalizing, velerov1api.BackupPhaseFinalizingPartiallyFailed:
+			b.backupTracker.AddPostProcessing(request.Namespace, request.Name)
+		}
+	}()
+
 	if request.Status.Phase == velerov1api.BackupPhaseFailedValidation {
 		log.Debug("failed to validate backup status")
 		b.metrics.RegisterBackupValidationFailure(backupScheduleName)
@@ -318,16 +328,6 @@ func (b *backupReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (ctr
 	// store ref to just-updated item for creating patch
 	original = request.Backup.DeepCopy()
 
-	b.backupTracker.Add(request.Namespace, request.Name)
-	defer func() {
-		switch request.Status.Phase {
-		case velerov1api.BackupPhaseCompleted, velerov1api.BackupPhasePartiallyFailed, velerov1api.BackupPhaseFailed, velerov1api.BackupPhaseFailedValidation:
-			b.backupTracker.Delete(request.Namespace, request.Name)
-		case velerov1api.BackupPhaseWaitingForPluginOperations, velerov1api.BackupPhaseWaitingForPluginOperationsPartiallyFailed, velerov1api.BackupPhaseFinalizing, velerov1api.BackupPhaseFinalizingPartiallyFailed:
-			b.backupTracker.AddPostProcessing(request.Namespace, request.Name)
-		}
-	}()
-
 	log.Debug("Running backup")
 
 	b.metrics.RegisterBackupAttempt(backupScheduleName)
diff --git a/pkg/controller/backup_controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/backup_controller_test.go
index e0b554ff1..386498900 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/backup_controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/backup_controller_test.go
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ func TestProcessBackupValidationFailures(t *testing.T) {
 				clock:                 &clock.RealClock{},
 				formatFlag:            formatFlag,
 				metrics:               metrics.NewServerMetrics(),
+				backupTracker:         NewBackupTracker(),
 			}
 
 			require.NotNil(t, test.backup)