diff --git a/.changelog/26194.txt b/.changelog/26194.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f9910f602
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/26194.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+client: Attempt to rollback directory creation when the `mkdir` plugin fails to perform ownership changes on it
+```
diff --git a/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin.go b/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin.go
index 92473e7f1..8e068d284 100644
--- a/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin.go
+++ b/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin.go
@@ -138,6 +138,15 @@ func (p *HostVolumePluginMkdir) Create(_ context.Context,
 	// Chown note: A uid or gid of -1 means to not change that value.
 	if err = os.Chown(path, params.Uid, params.Gid); err != nil {
 		log.Error("error changing owner/group", "error", err, "uid", params.Uid, "gid", params.Gid)
+
+		// Failing to change ownership is fatal for this plugin. Since we have
+		// already created the directory, we should attempt to clean it.
+		// Otherwise, the operator must do this manually.
+		if err := os.RemoveAll(path); err != nil {
+			log.Error("failed to remove directory after create failure",
+				"error", err)
+		}
+
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error changing owner/group: %w", err)
 	}