diff --git a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/annotations.go b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/annotations.go
index a9ef97cc60e7b2..f5bf12f1361c75 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/annotations.go
+++ b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/annotations.go
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ const (
 	// pvcWorkspaceFeatureAnnotation is set on workspaces which are using persistent_volume_claim feature
 	pvcWorkspaceFeatureAnnotation = "gitpod.io/pvcFeature"
 
+	// startedDisposalAnnotation sets to true when finalizeWorkspaceContent is called to prevent finalize from
+	// being called more then once, which can happen due to race between disposalStatusAnnotation update and actOnPodEvent
+	startedDisposalAnnotation = "gitpod.io/startedDisposal"
+
 	// gitpodFinalizerName is the name of the Gitpod finalizer we use to clean up a workspace
 	gitpodFinalizerName = "gitpod.io/finalizer"
 
diff --git a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/monitor.go b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/monitor.go
index ea3e8325bee459..fe9ec8baa43502 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/monitor.go
+++ b/components/ws-manager/pkg/manager/monitor.go
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ func actOnPodEvent(ctx context.Context, m actingManager, status *api.WorkspaceSt
 		}
 
 		_, gone := wso.Pod.Annotations[wsk8s.ContainerIsGoneAnnotation]
-		_, alreadyFinalized := wso.Pod.Annotations[disposalStatusAnnotation]
+		_, alreadyFinalized := wso.Pod.Annotations[startedDisposalAnnotation]
 
 		if (terminated || gone) && !alreadyFinalized {
 			// We start finalizing the workspace content only after the container is gone. This way we ensure there's
@@ -922,6 +922,11 @@ func (m *Monitor) finalizeWorkspaceContent(ctx context.Context, wso *workspaceOb
 			m.finalizerMapLock.Unlock()
 		}()
 
+		err = m.manager.markWorkspace(ctx, workspaceID, addMark(startedDisposalAnnotation, "true"))
+		if err != nil {
+			log.WithError(err).Error("was unable to update pod's start disposal state - this might cause an incorrect disposal state")
+		}
+
 		if doSnapshot {
 			// if this is a prebuild take a snapshot and mark the workspace
 			var res *wsdaemon.TakeSnapshotResponse