diff --git a/providers/cncf/kubernetes/src/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py b/providers/cncf/kubernetes/src/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
index 9f59fcb66d368..c26817cd25e4b 100644
--- a/providers/cncf/kubernetes/src/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
+++ b/providers/cncf/kubernetes/src/airflow/providers/cncf/kubernetes/operators/pod.py
@@ -1337,7 +1337,18 @@ def is_istio_enabled(self, pod: V1Pod) -> bool:
         if not pod:
             return False
 
-        remote_pod = self.pod_manager.read_pod(pod)
+        try:
+            remote_pod = self.pod_manager.read_pod(pod)
+        except ApiException as e:
+            if e.status == 404:
+                # Pod was likely GC'd between the trigger firing and re-entry
+                log.warning(
+                    "Pod %s/%s not found during istio check.",
+                    pod.metadata.namespace,
+                    pod.metadata.name,
+                )
+                return False
+            raise e
 
         return any(container.name == self.ISTIO_CONTAINER_NAME for container in remote_pod.spec.containers)