diff --git a/controllers/serviceaccount_controller.go b/controllers/serviceaccount_controller.go
index 7d9c69901b..2631d9449d 100644
--- a/controllers/serviceaccount_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/serviceaccount_controller.go
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ func (r *ServiceAccountReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req reconcile.
 	// Create the patch helper.
 	patchHelper, err := patch.NewHelper(vsphereCluster, r.Client)
 	if err != nil {
-		return reconcile.Result{}, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to initialize patch helper")
+		return reconcile.Result{}, err
 	}
 
 	// Create the cluster context for this request.
diff --git a/controllers/servicediscovery_controller.go b/controllers/servicediscovery_controller.go
index c9832e79a6..47bc18aaf6 100644
--- a/controllers/servicediscovery_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/servicediscovery_controller.go
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func (r *serviceDiscoveryReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req reconcil
 	// Create the patch helper.
 	patchHelper, err := patch.NewHelper(vsphereCluster, r.Client)
 	if err != nil {
-		return reconcile.Result{}, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to initialize patch helper")
+		return reconcile.Result{}, err
 	}
 
 	// Create the cluster context for this request.
diff --git a/controllers/vmware/vspherecluster_reconciler.go b/controllers/vmware/vspherecluster_reconciler.go
index 23ae472f9b..26513c178f 100644
--- a/controllers/vmware/vspherecluster_reconciler.go
+++ b/controllers/vmware/vspherecluster_reconciler.go
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func (r *ClusterReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (_
 	// Build the patch helper.
 	patchHelper, err := patch.NewHelper(vsphereCluster, r.Client)
 	if err != nil {
-		return reconcile.Result{}, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialize patch helper")
+		return reconcile.Result{}, err
 	}
 
 	// Build the cluster context.
diff --git a/controllers/vspherecluster_reconciler.go b/controllers/vspherecluster_reconciler.go
index b11c643c95..7d2391e007 100644
--- a/controllers/vspherecluster_reconciler.go
+++ b/controllers/vspherecluster_reconciler.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func (r *clusterReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (_
 	// Create the patch helper.
 	patchHelper, err := patch.NewHelper(vsphereCluster, r.Client)
 	if err != nil {
-		return reconcile.Result{}, pkgerrors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialize patch helper")
+		return reconcile.Result{}, err
 	}
 
 	// Create the cluster context for this request.
@@ -264,12 +264,8 @@ func (r *clusterReconciler) reconcileIdentitySecret(ctx context.Context, cluster
 	if !ctrlutil.ContainsFinalizer(secret, infrav1.SecretIdentitySetFinalizer) {
 		ctrlutil.AddFinalizer(secret, infrav1.SecretIdentitySetFinalizer)
 	}
-	err = helper.Patch(ctx, secret)
-	if err != nil {
-		return pkgerrors.Wrapf(err, "Failed to patch secret %s", klog.KObj(secret))
-	}
 
-	return nil
+	return helper.Patch(ctx, secret)
 }
 
 func (r *clusterReconciler) reconcileVCenterConnectivity(ctx context.Context, clusterCtx *capvcontext.ClusterContext) (*session.Session, error) {
diff --git a/controllers/vsphereclusteridentity_controller.go b/controllers/vsphereclusteridentity_controller.go
index 1ab5446d16..86d2305786 100644
--- a/controllers/vsphereclusteridentity_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/vsphereclusteridentity_controller.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func (r clusterIdentityReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req reconcile.
 	// Create the patch helper.
 	patchHelper, err := patch.NewHelper(identity, r.Client)
 	if err != nil {
-		return reconcile.Result{}, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialize patch helper")
+		return reconcile.Result{}, err
 	}
 
 	defer func() {
diff --git a/controllers/vspheredeploymentzone_controller.go b/controllers/vspheredeploymentzone_controller.go
index 4b50396057..8932cc6097 100644
--- a/controllers/vspheredeploymentzone_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/vspheredeploymentzone_controller.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func (r vsphereDeploymentZoneReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, request
 
 	patchHelper, err := patch.NewHelper(vsphereDeploymentZone, r.Client)
 	if err != nil {
-		return reconcile.Result{}, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialize patch helper")
+		return reconcile.Result{}, err
 	}
 
 	vsphereDeploymentZoneContext := &capvcontext.VSphereDeploymentZoneContext{
@@ -287,17 +287,14 @@ func (r vsphereDeploymentZoneReconciler) reconcileDelete(ctx context.Context, de
 func updateOwnerReferences(ctx context.Context, obj client.Object, client client.Client, ownerRefFunc func() []metav1.OwnerReference) error {
 	patchHelper, err := patch.NewHelper(obj, client)
 	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to init patch helper for %s %s",
-			obj.GetObjectKind(),
-			obj.GetName())
+		return err
 	}
 
 	obj.SetOwnerReferences(ownerRefFunc())
 	if err := patchHelper.Patch(ctx, obj); err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to patch object %s %s",
-			obj.GetObjectKind(),
-			obj.GetName())
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to update OwnerReferences")
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/controllers/vspheremachine_controller.go b/controllers/vspheremachine_controller.go
index 8faa2f5626..9eaa124142 100644
--- a/controllers/vspheremachine_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/vspheremachine_controller.go
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ func (r *machineReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (_
 	// Create the patch helper.
 	patchHelper, err := patch.NewHelper(machineContext.GetVSphereMachine(), r.Client)
 	if err != nil {
-		return reconcile.Result{}, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialize patch helper")
+		return reconcile.Result{}, err
 	}
 	machineContext.SetBaseMachineContext(&capvcontext.BaseMachineContext{
 		Cluster:     cluster,
diff --git a/controllers/vspherevm_controller.go b/controllers/vspherevm_controller.go
index 9fb85579f1..c71050e998 100644
--- a/controllers/vspherevm_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/vspherevm_controller.go
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ func (r vmReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (_ ctrl.R
 	// Create the patch helper.
 	patchHelper, err := patch.NewHelper(vsphereVM, r.Client)
 	if err != nil {
-		return reconcile.Result{}, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to initialize patch helper")
+		return reconcile.Result{}, err
 	}
 
 	authSession, err := r.retrieveVcenterSession(ctx, vsphereVM)
diff --git a/pkg/services/govmomi/service.go b/pkg/services/govmomi/service.go
index cafe48e869..92256bf2a5 100644
--- a/pkg/services/govmomi/service.go
+++ b/pkg/services/govmomi/service.go
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ func (vms *VMService) DestroyVM(ctx context.Context, vmCtx *capvcontext.VMContex
 
 		virtualMachineCtx.VSphereVM.Status.TaskRef = task.Reference().Value
 		if err = virtualMachineCtx.Patch(ctx); err != nil {
-			return reconcile.Result{}, vm, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to patch VSphereVM")
+			return reconcile.Result{}, vm, err
 		}
 
 		log.Info("Wait for VM to be powered off")
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ func (vms *VMService) reconcilePowerState(ctx context.Context, virtualMachineCtx
 		// Update the VSphereVM.Status.TaskRef to track the power-on task.
 		virtualMachineCtx.VSphereVM.Status.TaskRef = task.Reference().Value
 		if err = virtualMachineCtx.Patch(ctx); err != nil {
-			return false, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to patch VSphereVM")
+			return false, err
 		}
 
 		// Once the VM is successfully powered on, a reconcile request should be