diff --git a/applicationset/controllers/applicationset_controller.go b/applicationset/controllers/applicationset_controller.go
index 82e1ed52037c8..cb0ad2af410d9 100644
--- a/applicationset/controllers/applicationset_controller.go
+++ b/applicationset/controllers/applicationset_controller.go
@@ -176,6 +176,16 @@ func (r *ApplicationSetReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Reque
 		return ctrl.Result{}, err
 	}
 
+	// ensure finalizer exists if deletionOrder is set as Reverse
+	if r.EnableProgressiveSyncs && isProgressiveSyncDeletionOrderReversed(&applicationSetInfo) {
+		if !controllerutil.ContainsFinalizer(&applicationSetInfo, argov1alpha1.ResourcesFinalizerName) {
+			controllerutil.AddFinalizer(&applicationSetInfo, argov1alpha1.ResourcesFinalizerName)
+			if err := r.Update(ctx, &applicationSetInfo); err != nil {
+				return ctrl.Result{}, err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Log a warning if there are unrecognized generators
 	_ = utils.CheckInvalidGenerators(&applicationSetInfo)
 	// desiredApplications is the main list of all expected Applications from all generators in this appset.
diff --git a/applicationset/controllers/applicationset_controller_test.go b/applicationset/controllers/applicationset_controller_test.go
index b46985a753bd9..1087a8542d7c5 100644
--- a/applicationset/controllers/applicationset_controller_test.go
+++ b/applicationset/controllers/applicationset_controller_test.go
@@ -7277,6 +7277,223 @@ func TestIsRollingSyncDeletionReversed(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestReconcileAddsFinalizer_WhenDeletionOrderReverse(t *testing.T) {
+	scheme := runtime.NewScheme()
+	err := v1alpha1.AddToScheme(scheme)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	kubeclientset := kubefake.NewClientset([]runtime.Object{}...)
+
+	for _, cc := range []struct {
+		name                   string
+		appSet                 v1alpha1.ApplicationSet
+		progressiveSyncEnabled bool
+		expectedFinalizers     []string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "adds finalizer when DeletionOrder is Reverse",
+			appSet: v1alpha1.ApplicationSet{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-appset",
+					Namespace: "argocd",
+					// No finalizers initially
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetSpec{
+					Strategy: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetStrategy{
+						Type: "RollingSync",
+						RollingSync: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStrategy{
+							Steps: []v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStep{
+								{
+									MatchExpressions: []v1alpha1.ApplicationMatchExpression{
+										{
+											Key:      "env",
+											Operator: "In",
+											Values:   []string{"dev"},
+										},
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+						DeletionOrder: ReverseDeletionOrder,
+					},
+					Template: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetTemplate{},
+				},
+			},
+			progressiveSyncEnabled: true,
+			expectedFinalizers:     []string{v1alpha1.ResourcesFinalizerName},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "does not add finalizer when already exists and DeletionOrder is Reverse",
+			appSet: v1alpha1.ApplicationSet{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-appset",
+					Namespace: "argocd",
+					Finalizers: []string{
+						v1alpha1.ResourcesFinalizerName,
+					},
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetSpec{
+					Strategy: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetStrategy{
+						Type: "RollingSync",
+						RollingSync: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStrategy{
+							Steps: []v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStep{
+								{
+									MatchExpressions: []v1alpha1.ApplicationMatchExpression{
+										{
+											Key:      "env",
+											Operator: "In",
+											Values:   []string{"dev"},
+										},
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+						DeletionOrder: ReverseDeletionOrder,
+					},
+					Template: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetTemplate{},
+				},
+			},
+			progressiveSyncEnabled: true,
+			expectedFinalizers:     []string{v1alpha1.ResourcesFinalizerName},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "does not add finalizer when DeletionOrder is AllAtOnce",
+			appSet: v1alpha1.ApplicationSet{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-appset",
+					Namespace: "argocd",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetSpec{
+					Strategy: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetStrategy{
+						Type: "RollingSync",
+						RollingSync: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStrategy{
+							Steps: []v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStep{
+								{
+									MatchExpressions: []v1alpha1.ApplicationMatchExpression{
+										{
+											Key:      "env",
+											Operator: "In",
+											Values:   []string{"dev"},
+										},
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+						DeletionOrder: AllAtOnceDeletionOrder,
+					},
+					Template: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetTemplate{},
+				},
+			},
+			progressiveSyncEnabled: true,
+			expectedFinalizers:     nil,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "does not add finalizer when DeletionOrder is not set",
+			appSet: v1alpha1.ApplicationSet{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-appset",
+					Namespace: "argocd",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetSpec{
+					Strategy: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetStrategy{
+						Type: "RollingSync",
+						RollingSync: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStrategy{
+							Steps: []v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStep{
+								{
+									MatchExpressions: []v1alpha1.ApplicationMatchExpression{
+										{
+											Key:      "env",
+											Operator: "In",
+											Values:   []string{"dev"},
+										},
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+					Template: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetTemplate{},
+				},
+			},
+			progressiveSyncEnabled: true,
+			expectedFinalizers:     nil,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "does not add finalizer when progressive sync not enabled",
+			appSet: v1alpha1.ApplicationSet{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "test-appset",
+					Namespace: "argocd",
+				},
+				Spec: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetSpec{
+					Strategy: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetStrategy{
+						Type: "RollingSync",
+						RollingSync: &v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStrategy{
+							Steps: []v1alpha1.ApplicationSetRolloutStep{
+								{
+									MatchExpressions: []v1alpha1.ApplicationMatchExpression{
+										{
+											Key:      "env",
+											Operator: "In",
+											Values:   []string{"dev"},
+										},
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+						DeletionOrder: ReverseDeletionOrder,
+					},
+					Template: v1alpha1.ApplicationSetTemplate{},
+				},
+			},
+			progressiveSyncEnabled: false,
+			expectedFinalizers:     nil,
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(cc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			client := fake.NewClientBuilder().
+				WithScheme(scheme).
+				WithObjects(&cc.appSet).
+				WithStatusSubresource(&cc.appSet).
+				WithIndex(&v1alpha1.Application{}, ".metadata.controller", appControllerIndexer).
+				Build()
+			metrics := appsetmetrics.NewFakeAppsetMetrics()
+			argodb := db.NewDB("argocd", settings.NewSettingsManager(t.Context(), kubeclientset, "argocd"), kubeclientset)
+
+			r := ApplicationSetReconciler{
+				Client:                 client,
+				Scheme:                 scheme,
+				Renderer:               &utils.Render{},
+				Recorder:               record.NewFakeRecorder(1),
+				Generators:             map[string]generators.Generator{},
+				ArgoDB:                 argodb,
+				KubeClientset:          kubeclientset,
+				Metrics:                metrics,
+				EnableProgressiveSyncs: cc.progressiveSyncEnabled,
+			}
+
+			req := ctrl.Request{
+				NamespacedName: types.NamespacedName{
+					Namespace: cc.appSet.Namespace,
+					Name:      cc.appSet.Name,
+				},
+			}
+
+			// Run reconciliation
+			_, err = r.Reconcile(t.Context(), req)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			// Fetch the updated ApplicationSet
+			var updatedAppSet v1alpha1.ApplicationSet
+			err = r.Get(t.Context(), req.NamespacedName, &updatedAppSet)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			// Verify the finalizers
+			assert.Equal(t, cc.expectedFinalizers, updatedAppSet.Finalizers,
+				"finalizers should match expected value")
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestReconcileProgressiveSyncDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 	scheme := runtime.NewScheme()
 	err := v1alpha1.AddToScheme(scheme)
diff --git a/docs/operator-manual/applicationset/Progressive-Syncs.md b/docs/operator-manual/applicationset/Progressive-Syncs.md
index f432a370218c6..115004f294395 100644
--- a/docs/operator-manual/applicationset/Progressive-Syncs.md
+++ b/docs/operator-manual/applicationset/Progressive-Syncs.md
@@ -115,7 +115,9 @@ This strategy is particularly useful when you need to tear down dependent servic
 - Requires `rollingSync.steps` to be defined
 - Applications are deleted in reverse order of step sequence
 
-**Important:** The ApplicationSet finalizer is not removed until all applications are successfully deleted. This ensures proper cleanup and prevents the ApplicationSet from being removed before its managed applications.
+**Important:** The ApplicationSet finalizer is not removed until all applications are successfully deleted. This ensures proper cleanup and prevents the ApplicationSet from being removed before its managed applications. 
+
+**Note:** ApplicationSet controller ensures there is a finalizer when `deletionOrder` is set as `Reverse` with progressive sync enabled. This means that if the applicationset is missing the required finalizer, the applicationset controller adds the finalizer to ApplicationSet before generating applications.
 
 ```yaml
 spec: