diff --git a/pkg/controller/pod.go b/pkg/controller/pod.go
index 0ff2ab17a47..4bbf87643f4 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/pod.go
@@ -1267,7 +1267,11 @@ func isStatefulSetPodToDel(c kubernetes.Interface, pod *v1.Pod, statefulSetName
 		return false
 	}
 	// down scaled
-	if index >= int64(*sts.Spec.Replicas) {
+	var ordinalsStart int64
+	if sts.Spec.Ordinals != nil {
+		ordinalsStart = int64(sts.Spec.Ordinals.Start)
+	}
+	if index >= ordinalsStart+int64(*sts.Spec.Replicas) {
 		klog.Infof("statefulset %s is down scaled", statefulSetName)
 		return true
 	}