diff --git a/controller/aks-cluster-config-handler.go b/controller/aks-cluster-config-handler.go
index 82711fc1..789c6a6b 100644
--- a/controller/aks-cluster-config-handler.go
+++ b/controller/aks-cluster-config-handler.go
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ func (h *Handler) updateUpstreamClusterState(ctx context.Context, config *aksv1.
 					updateNodePool = true
 				}
 				if np.AvailabilityZones != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(np.AvailabilityZones, upstreamNodePool.AvailabilityZones) {
-					logrus.Errorf("Changing availability zones for node pool [%s] in cluster [%s (id: %s)] is not permitted", aks.String(np.Name), config.Spec.ClusterName, config.Name)
+					return config, fmt.Errorf("Changing availability zones for node pool [%s] in cluster [%s (id: %s)] is not permitted", aks.String(np.Name), config.Spec.ClusterName, config.Name)
 				}
 			} else {
 				logrus.Infof("Adding node pool [%s] for cluster [%s (id: %s)]", aks.String(np.Name), config.Spec.ClusterName, config.Name)