diff --git a/pkg/util/util.go b/pkg/util/util.go
index 6b3007201..a6a396eb1 100644
--- a/pkg/util/util.go
+++ b/pkg/util/util.go
@@ -281,6 +281,17 @@ func ShouldIncludeBroker(brokerConfig *v1beta1.BrokerConfig, status v1beta1.Kafk
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
+	// Broker removed from spec but still draining — keep in external listener config until CC finishes
+	if brokerConfig == nil {
+		if brokerState, ok := status.BrokersState[strconv.Itoa(brokerID)]; ok {
+			ccState := brokerState.GracefulActionState.CruiseControlState
+			if ccState.IsDownscale() && !ccState.IsSucceeded() &&
+				apiutil.StringSliceContains(brokerState.ExternalListenerConfigNames, ingressConfigName) {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	return false
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/util_test.go b/pkg/util/util_test.go
index db84482ed..22533352a 100644
--- a/pkg/util/util_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/util_test.go
@@ -930,3 +930,72 @@ func TestGetMD5Hash(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestShouldIncludeBroker(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const ingressConfig = "default"
+	brokerID := 5
+
+	makeStatus := func(state v1beta1.CruiseControlState) v1beta1.KafkaClusterStatus {
+		return v1beta1.KafkaClusterStatus{
+			BrokersState: map[string]v1beta1.BrokerState{
+				"5": {
+					GracefulActionState: v1beta1.GracefulActionState{
+						CruiseControlState: state,
+					},
+					ExternalListenerConfigNames: v1beta1.ExternalListenerConfigNames{ingressConfig},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+	}
+
+	testCases := []struct {
+		name     string
+		state    v1beta1.CruiseControlState
+		expected bool
+	}{
+		{"GracefulDownscaleRequired", v1beta1.GracefulDownscaleRequired, true},
+		{"GracefulDownscaleScheduled", v1beta1.GracefulDownscaleScheduled, true},
+		{"GracefulDownscaleRunning", v1beta1.GracefulDownscaleRunning, true},
+		{"GracefulDownscaleCompletedWithError", v1beta1.GracefulDownscaleCompletedWithError, true},
+		{"GracefulDownscalePaused", v1beta1.GracefulDownscalePaused, true},
+		{"GracefulDownscaleSucceeded", v1beta1.GracefulDownscaleSucceeded, false},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			result := ShouldIncludeBroker(nil, makeStatus(tc.state), brokerID, ingressConfig, ingressConfig)
+			if result != tc.expected {
+				t.Errorf("state %s: expected %v, got %v", tc.name, tc.expected, result)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	t.Run("no broker state entry", func(t *testing.T) {
+		emptyStatus := v1beta1.KafkaClusterStatus{
+			BrokersState: map[string]v1beta1.BrokerState{},
+		}
+		result := ShouldIncludeBroker(nil, emptyStatus, brokerID, ingressConfig, ingressConfig)
+		if result {
+			t.Error("expected false for broker with no status entry, got true")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("ingress config not in ExternalListenerConfigNames", func(t *testing.T) {
+		status := v1beta1.KafkaClusterStatus{
+			BrokersState: map[string]v1beta1.BrokerState{
+				"5": {
+					GracefulActionState: v1beta1.GracefulActionState{
+						CruiseControlState: v1beta1.GracefulDownscaleRunning,
+					},
+					ExternalListenerConfigNames: v1beta1.ExternalListenerConfigNames{"other-ingress"},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		result := ShouldIncludeBroker(nil, status, brokerID, ingressConfig, ingressConfig)
+		if result {
+			t.Error("expected false when ingressConfig not in ExternalListenerConfigNames, got true")
+		}
+	})
+}