diff --git a/cmd/kyverno/main.go b/cmd/kyverno/main.go
index 1078747ab6..5e0c562262 100644
--- a/cmd/kyverno/main.go
+++ b/cmd/kyverno/main.go
@@ -661,9 +661,6 @@ func main() {
 		config.KyvernoPodName(),
 		func(ctx context.Context) {
 			logger := logger.WithName("leader")
-			// when losing the lead we just terminate the pod
-			// TODO: remove when we run the leader election loop continuously
-			defer signalCancel()
 			// validate config
 			// if err := webhookCfg.ValidateWebhookConfigurations(config.KyvernoNamespace(), config.KyvernoConfigMapName()); err != nil {
 			// 	logger.Error(err, "invalid format of the Kyverno init ConfigMap, please correct the format of 'data.webhooks'")