diff --git a/pkg/gce-cloud-provider/compute/gce.go b/pkg/gce-cloud-provider/compute/gce.go
index f3beb5269..8fe92d728 100644
--- a/pkg/gce-cloud-provider/compute/gce.go
+++ b/pkg/gce-cloud-provider/compute/gce.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package gcecloudprovider
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
@@ -240,8 +241,8 @@ func getProjectAndZone(config *ConfigFile) (string, string, error) {
 // isGCEError returns true if given error is a googleapi.Error with given
 // reason (e.g. "resourceInUseByAnotherResource")
 func IsGCEError(err error, reason string) bool {
-	apiErr, ok := err.(*googleapi.Error)
-	if !ok {
+	var apiErr *googleapi.Error
+	if !errors.As(err, &apiErr) {
 		return false
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/gce-cloud-provider/compute/gce_test.go b/pkg/gce-cloud-provider/compute/gce_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5bb2aed89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/gce-cloud-provider/compute/gce_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2023 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package gcecloudprovider
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+	"testing"
+
+	"google.golang.org/api/googleapi"
+)
+
+func TestIsGCEError(t *testing.T) {
+	testCases := []struct {
+		name          string
+		inputErr      error
+		reason        string
+		expIsGCEError bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:          "Not googleapi.Error",
+			inputErr:      errors.New("I am not a googleapi.Error"),
+			reason:        "notFound",
+			expIsGCEError: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "googleapi.Error not found error",
+			inputErr: &googleapi.Error{
+				Code: http.StatusNotFound,
+				Errors: []googleapi.ErrorItem{
+					{
+						Reason: "notFound",
+					},
+				},
+				Message: "Not found",
+			},
+			reason:        "notFound",
+			expIsGCEError: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "wrapped googleapi.Error",
+			inputErr: fmt.Errorf("encountered not found: %w", &googleapi.Error{
+				Code: http.StatusNotFound,
+				Errors: []googleapi.ErrorItem{
+					{
+						Reason: "notFound",
+					},
+				},
+				Message: "Not found",
+			},
+			),
+			reason:        "notFound",
+			expIsGCEError: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "nil error",
+			inputErr:      nil,
+			reason:        "notFound",
+			expIsGCEError: false,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		t.Logf("Running test: %v", tc.name)
+		isGCEError := IsGCEError(tc.inputErr, tc.reason)
+		if tc.expIsGCEError != isGCEError {
+			t.Fatalf("Got isGCEError '%t', expected '%t'", isGCEError, tc.expIsGCEError)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/test/remote/instance.go b/test/remote/instance.go
index b6aec1532..bb012870b 100644
--- a/test/remote/instance.go
+++ b/test/remote/instance.go
@@ -388,8 +388,8 @@ func generateMetadataWithPublicKey(pubKeyFile string) (*compute.Metadata, error)
 // isGCEError returns true if given error is a googleapi.Error with given
 // reason (e.g. "resourceInUseByAnotherResource")
 func isGCEError(err error, reason string) bool {
-	apiErr, ok := err.(*googleapi.Error)
-	if !ok {
+	var apiErr *googleapi.Error
+	if !errors.As(err, &apiErr) {
 		return false
 	}