diff --git a/test/envtest/kongpluginbinding_managed_test.go b/test/envtest/kongpluginbinding_managed_test.go
index 845aaba8..d02c6c70 100644
--- a/test/envtest/kongpluginbinding_managed_test.go
+++ b/test/envtest/kongpluginbinding_managed_test.go
@@ -68,6 +68,17 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 
 	StartReconcilers(ctx, t, mgr, logs, reconcilers...)
 
+	deleteKongPluginBinding := func(
+		t *testing.T,
+		ctx context.Context,
+		cl client.Client,
+		kpb *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding,
+		obj client.Object,
+	) {
+		t.Logf("delete managed kongPluginBinding %s (bound to %s), then check it gets recreated", client.ObjectKeyFromObject(kpb), client.ObjectKeyFromObject(obj))
+		require.NoError(t, client.IgnoreNotFound(cl.Delete(ctx, kpb)))
+	}
+
 	rateLimitingkongPlugin := &configurationv1.KongPlugin{
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 			GenerateName: "rate-limiting-kp-",
@@ -322,8 +333,7 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 		updateKongRouteStatusWithProgrammed(t, ctx, clientNamespaced, kongRoute, routeID, cp.GetKonnectStatus().GetKonnectID(), serviceID)
 
 		t.Logf("waiting for 2 KongPluginBindings to be created")
-		kpbRouteFound := false
-		kpbServiceFound := false
+		var kpbRoute, kpbService *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding
 		watchFor(t, ctx, wKongPluginBinding, watch.Added,
 			func(kpb *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding) bool {
 				if kpb.Spec.PluginReference.Name != rateLimitingkongPlugin.Name {
@@ -334,13 +344,13 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 				if targets.RouteReference != nil &&
 					targets.RouteReference.Name == kongRoute.Name &&
 					targets.ServiceReference == nil {
-					kpbRouteFound = true
+					kpbRoute = kpb
 				} else if targets.RouteReference == nil &&
 					targets.ServiceReference != nil &&
 					targets.ServiceReference.Name == kongService.Name {
-					kpbServiceFound = true
+					kpbService = kpb
 				}
-				return kpbRouteFound && kpbServiceFound
+				return kpbRoute != nil && kpbService != nil
 			},
 			"2 KongPluginBindings were not created",
 		)
@@ -356,14 +366,9 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 			"KongPlugin wasn't updated to get plugin-in-use finalizer added",
 		)
 
-		var l configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBindingList
-		require.NoError(t, clientNamespaced.List(ctx, &l))
-		for _, kpb := range l.Items {
-			t.Logf("delete managed kongPluginBinding %s, then check it gets recreated", client.ObjectKeyFromObject(&kpb))
-			require.NoError(t, client.IgnoreNotFound(clientNamespaced.Delete(ctx, &kpb)))
-		}
+		deleteKongPluginBinding(t, ctx, clientNamespaced, kpbRoute, kongRoute)
+		deleteKongPluginBinding(t, ctx, clientNamespaced, kpbService, kongService)
 
-		var kpbRoute, kpbService *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding
 		watchFor(t, ctx, wKongPluginBinding, watch.Added,
 			func(kpb *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding) bool {
 				if kpb.Spec.PluginReference.Name != rateLimitingkongPlugin.Name {
@@ -463,8 +468,7 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 		updateKongConsumerStatusWithKonnectID(t, ctx, clientNamespaced, kongConsumer, consumerID, cp.GetKonnectStatus().GetKonnectID())
 
 		t.Logf("waiting for 2 KongPluginBindings to be created")
-		kpbRouteFound := false
-		kpbServiceFound := false
+		var kpbRoute, kpbService *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding
 		watchFor(t, ctx, wKongPluginBinding, watch.Added,
 			func(kpb *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding) bool {
 				if kpb.Spec.PluginReference.Name != rateLimitingkongPlugin.Name {
@@ -477,15 +481,15 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 					targets.ConsumerReference != nil &&
 					targets.ConsumerReference.Name == kongConsumer.Name &&
 					targets.ServiceReference == nil {
-					kpbRouteFound = true
+					kpbRoute = kpb
 				} else if targets.RouteReference == nil &&
 					targets.ServiceReference != nil &&
 					targets.ServiceReference.Name == kongService.Name &&
 					targets.ConsumerReference != nil &&
 					targets.ConsumerReference.Name == kongConsumer.Name {
-					kpbServiceFound = true
+					kpbService = kpb
 				}
-				return kpbRouteFound && kpbServiceFound
+				return kpbRoute != nil && kpbService != nil
 			},
 			"2 KongPluginBindings were not created",
 		)
@@ -501,14 +505,9 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 			"KongPlugin wasn't updated to get plugin-in-use finalizer added",
 		)
 
-		var l configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBindingList
-		require.NoError(t, clientNamespaced.List(ctx, &l))
-		for _, kpb := range l.Items {
-			t.Logf("delete managed kongPluginBinding %s, then check it gets recreated", client.ObjectKeyFromObject(&kpb))
-			require.NoError(t, client.IgnoreNotFound(clientNamespaced.Delete(ctx, &kpb)))
-		}
+		deleteKongPluginBinding(t, ctx, clientNamespaced, kpbRoute, kongRoute)
+		deleteKongPluginBinding(t, ctx, clientNamespaced, kpbService, kongService)
 
-		var kpbRoute, kpbService *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding
 		watchFor(t, ctx, wKongPluginBinding, watch.Added,
 			func(kpb *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding) bool {
 				if kpb.Spec.PluginReference.Name != rateLimitingkongPlugin.Name {
@@ -668,8 +667,7 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 		updateKongConsumerGroupStatusWithKonnectID(t, ctx, clientNamespaced, kongConsumerGroup, consumerGroupID, cp.GetKonnectStatus().GetKonnectID())
 
 		t.Logf("waiting for 2 KongPluginBindings to be created")
-		kpbRouteFound := false
-		kpbServiceFound := false
+		var kpbRoute, kpbService *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding
 		watchFor(t, ctx, wKongPluginBinding, watch.Added,
 			func(kpb *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding) bool {
 				if kpb.Spec.PluginReference.Name != rateLimitingkongPlugin.Name {
@@ -682,15 +680,15 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 					targets.ConsumerGroupReference != nil &&
 					targets.ConsumerGroupReference.Name == kongConsumerGroup.Name &&
 					targets.ServiceReference == nil {
-					kpbRouteFound = true
+					kpbRoute = kpb
 				} else if targets.RouteReference == nil &&
 					targets.ServiceReference != nil &&
 					targets.ServiceReference.Name == kongService.Name &&
 					targets.ConsumerGroupReference != nil &&
 					targets.ConsumerGroupReference.Name == kongConsumerGroup.Name {
-					kpbServiceFound = true
+					kpbService = kpb
 				}
-				return kpbRouteFound && kpbServiceFound
+				return kpbRoute != nil && kpbService != nil
 			},
 			"2 KongPluginBindings were not created",
 		)
@@ -706,14 +704,9 @@ func TestKongPluginBindingManaged(t *testing.T) {
 			"KongPlugin wasn't updated to get plugin-in-use finalizer added",
 		)
 
-		var l configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBindingList
-		require.NoError(t, clientNamespaced.List(ctx, &l))
-		for _, kpb := range l.Items {
-			t.Logf("delete managed kongPluginBinding %s, then check it gets recreated", client.ObjectKeyFromObject(&kpb))
-			require.NoError(t, client.IgnoreNotFound(clientNamespaced.Delete(ctx, &kpb)))
-		}
+		deleteKongPluginBinding(t, ctx, clientNamespaced, kpbRoute, kongRoute)
+		deleteKongPluginBinding(t, ctx, clientNamespaced, kpbService, kongService)
 
-		var kpbRoute, kpbService *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding
 		watchFor(t, ctx, wKongPluginBinding, watch.Added,
 			func(kpb *configurationv1alpha1.KongPluginBinding) bool {
 				if kpb.Spec.PluginReference.Name != rateLimitingkongPlugin.Name {