diff --git a/internal/ingress/controller/nginx.go b/internal/ingress/controller/nginx.go
index da0b05467..5b47407f0 100644
--- a/internal/ingress/controller/nginx.go
+++ b/internal/ingress/controller/nginx.go
@@ -571,9 +571,9 @@ func (n *NGINXController) OnUpdate(ingressCfg ingress.Configuration) error {
 		cmap, err := n.store.GetConfigMap(cfg.ProxySetHeaders)
 		if err != nil {
 			klog.Warningf("Error reading ConfigMap %q from local store: %v", cfg.ProxySetHeaders, err)
+		} else {
+			setHeaders = cmap.Data
 		}
-
-		setHeaders = cmap.Data
 	}
 
 	addHeaders := map[string]string{}
@@ -581,9 +581,9 @@ func (n *NGINXController) OnUpdate(ingressCfg ingress.Configuration) error {
 		cmap, err := n.store.GetConfigMap(cfg.AddHeaders)
 		if err != nil {
 			klog.Warningf("Error reading ConfigMap %q from local store: %v", cfg.AddHeaders, err)
+		} else {
+			addHeaders = cmap.Data
 		}
-
-		addHeaders = cmap.Data
 	}
 
 	sslDHParam := ""