diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d365cde699..d50ffda1af 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -129,8 +129,8 @@ lint-fix: bin/golangci-lint
 
 .PHONY: unit
 unit:
-	cd $(VALIDATION_TEST_PATH) && go test ./...
-	go test $$(go list -e ./... | grep -v cmd | grep -v tools | grep -v tests/e2e | grep -v third_party) \
+	cd $(VALIDATION_TEST_PATH) && go test -race ./...
+	go test -race $$(go list -e ./... | grep -v cmd | grep -v tools | grep -v tests/e2e | grep -v third_party) \
 		-cover -coverprofile=coverage.txt -covermode=atomic
 	sed -i.bak '/generated/d;/fake.go/d' coverage.txt && rm coverage.txt.bak
 
diff --git a/pkg/timanager/manager_test.go b/pkg/timanager/manager_test.go
index 1997d1c4fa..7bd2a444af 100644
--- a/pkg/timanager/manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/timanager/manager_test.go
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ func TestClientManagerSource(t *testing.T) {
 			})
 			assert.True(tt, synced)
 
-			lister.L.Items = c.updated
+			lister.UpdateItems(c.updated)
 
 			select {
 			case <-ctx.Done():
diff --git a/pkg/timanager/poller_test.go b/pkg/timanager/poller_test.go
index 6a899e6148..d7cf6f6e7d 100644
--- a/pkg/timanager/poller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/timanager/poller_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"cmp"
 	"context"
 	"slices"
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -33,17 +34,23 @@ import (
 )
 
 type FakeLister[T any, PT Object[T]] struct {
-	L List[T, PT]
+	lock sync.Mutex
+	L    List[T, PT]
 }
 
 func (l *FakeLister[T, PT]) List(_ context.Context) (*List[T, PT], error) {
+	l.lock.Lock()
+	defer l.lock.Unlock()
 	return &l.L, nil
 }
 
-func (l *FakeLister[T, PT]) GetItems(_ *List[T, PT]) []PT {
-	objs := make([]PT, 0, len(l.L.Items))
-	for i := range l.L.Items {
-		objs = append(objs, &l.L.Items[i])
+func (l *FakeLister[T, PT]) GetItems(list *List[T, PT]) []PT {
+	l.lock.Lock()
+	defer l.lock.Unlock()
+
+	objs := make([]PT, 0, len(list.Items))
+	for i := range list.Items {
+		objs = append(objs, &list.Items[i])
 	}
 	return objs
 }
@@ -52,6 +59,13 @@ func (*FakeLister[T, PT]) MarkAsInvalid(PT) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+func (l *FakeLister[T, PT]) UpdateItems(items []T) {
+	l.lock.Lock()
+	defer l.lock.Unlock()
+
+	l.L.Items = items
+}
+
 func TestPoller(t *testing.T) {
 	cases := []struct {
 		desc     string
diff --git a/pkg/timanager/util.go b/pkg/timanager/util.go
index 574d8137a2..6630800125 100644
--- a/pkg/timanager/util.go
+++ b/pkg/timanager/util.go
@@ -131,9 +131,11 @@ type cached[Client, UnderlayClient any] struct {
 	c Client
 	f SharedInformerFactory[UnderlayClient]
 
-	cancel context.CancelFunc
-
 	cacheKeys []string
+
+	started bool
+	cancel  context.CancelFunc
+	lock    sync.Mutex
 }
 
 func NewCache[Client, UnderlayClient any](keys []string, c Client, f SharedInformerFactory[UnderlayClient]) Cache[Client, UnderlayClient] {
@@ -157,14 +159,28 @@ func (c *cached[Client, UnderlayClient]) Keys() []string {
 }
 
 func (c *cached[Client, UnderlayClient]) Start(ctx context.Context) {
+	c.lock.Lock()
+	defer c.lock.Unlock()
+
+	if c.started {
+		return
+	}
+
 	nctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	c.cancel = cancel
+	c.started = true
+
 	c.f.Start(nctx.Done())
 }
 
 func (c *cached[Client, UnderlayClient]) Stop() {
-	if c.cancel != nil {
-		c.cancel()
+	c.lock.Lock()
+	defer c.lock.Unlock()
+
+	if !c.started {
+		return
 	}
+
+	c.cancel()
 	c.f.Shutdown()
 }