diff --git a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
index 0354f8747..3157132b2 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -1163,12 +1163,14 @@ func (c *Cluster) initHumanUsers() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	additionalTeams := c.Config.PgTeamMap.GetAdditionalTeams(c.Spec.TeamID, true)
-	for _, additionalTeam := range additionalTeams {
-		if !(util.SliceContains(superuserTeams, additionalTeam)) {
-			err := c.initTeamMembers(additionalTeam, false)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("Cannot initialize members for additional team %q for cluster owned by %q: %v", additionalTeam, c.Spec.TeamID, err)
+	if c.Config.PgTeamMap != nil {
+		additionalTeams := c.Config.PgTeamMap.GetAdditionalTeams(c.Spec.TeamID, true)
+		for _, additionalTeam := range additionalTeams {
+			if !(util.SliceContains(superuserTeams, additionalTeam)) {
+				err := c.initTeamMembers(additionalTeam, false)
+				if err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("Cannot initialize members for additional team %q for cluster owned by %q: %v", additionalTeam, c.Spec.TeamID, err)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/cluster_test.go b/pkg/cluster/cluster_test.go
index 758e614dd..1f6510e65 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/cluster_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/cluster_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	acidv1 "github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/apis/acid.zalan.do/v1"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/spec"
-	pgteams "github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/teams"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util/config"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util/constants"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util/k8sutil"
@@ -24,7 +23,6 @@ const (
 
 var logger = logrus.New().WithField("test", "cluster")
 var eventRecorder = record.NewFakeRecorder(1)
-var teamMap = make(pgteams.PostgresTeamMap, 0)
 
 var cl = New(
 	Config{
@@ -39,7 +37,6 @@ var cl = New(
 				DownscalerAnnotations: []string{"downscaler/*"},
 			},
 		},
-		PgTeamMap: &teamMap,
 	},
 	k8sutil.NewMockKubernetesClient(),
 	acidv1.Postgresql{ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "acid-test", Namespace: "test", Annotations: map[string]string{"downscaler/downtime_replicas": "0"}}},
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/util.go b/pkg/cluster/util.go
index f3cf17638..e32b32e92 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/util.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/util.go
@@ -242,9 +242,11 @@ func (c *Cluster) getTeamMembers(teamID string) ([]string, error) {
 	members := []string{}
 	additionalMembers := []string{}
 
-	for team, membership := range *c.Config.PgTeamMap {
-		if team == teamID {
-			additionalMembers = membership.AdditionalMembers
+	if c.Config.PgTeamMap != nil {
+		for team, membership := range *c.Config.PgTeamMap {
+			if team == teamID {
+				additionalMembers = membership.AdditionalMembers
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/controller/controller.go b/pkg/controller/controller.go
index 03bc2911c..0c29275e6 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/controller.go
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ func (c *Controller) initController() {
 	if c.opConfig.EnablePostgresTeamCRD {
 		c.loadPostgresTeams()
 	} else {
-		c.pgTeamMap.Reset()
+		c.pgTeamMap = teams.PostgresTeamMap{}
 	}
 
 	if c.opConfig.DebugLogging {
diff --git a/pkg/teams/postgres_team.go b/pkg/teams/postgres_team.go
index 21d3f7656..3ebbc55aa 100644
--- a/pkg/teams/postgres_team.go
+++ b/pkg/teams/postgres_team.go
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 // PostgresTeamMap is the operator's internal representation of all PostgresTeam CRDs
-type PostgresTeamMap map[string]*PostgresTeamMembership
+type PostgresTeamMap map[string]*postgresTeamMembership
 
 var emptyTeamMap = make(PostgresTeamMap, 0)
 
-type PostgresTeamMembership struct {
+type postgresTeamMembership struct {
 	AdditionalSuperuserTeams []string
 	AdditionalTeams          []string
 	AdditionalMembers        []string
@@ -115,15 +115,10 @@ func (ptm *PostgresTeamMap) Load(pgTeams *acidv1.PostgresTeamList) {
 	fetchTeams(&teamIDs, teamMemberSet)
 
 	for teamID := range teamIDs {
-		(*ptm)[teamID] = &PostgresTeamMembership{
+		(*ptm)[teamID] = &postgresTeamMembership{
 			AdditionalSuperuserTeams: util.CoalesceStrArr(superuserTeamSet.toMap()[teamID], []string{}),
 			AdditionalTeams:          util.CoalesceStrArr(teamSet.toMap()[teamID], []string{}),
 			AdditionalMembers:        util.CoalesceStrArr(teamMemberSet.toMap()[teamID], []string{}),
 		}
 	}
 }
-
-// Reset a PostgresTeamMap
-func (ptm *PostgresTeamMap) Reset() {
-	*ptm = emptyTeamMap
-}
diff --git a/pkg/teams/postgres_team_test.go b/pkg/teams/postgres_team_test.go
index 9f7340744..f138ec124 100644
--- a/pkg/teams/postgres_team_test.go
+++ b/pkg/teams/postgres_team_test.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package teams
 import (
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	acidv1 "github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/apis/acid.zalan.do/v1"
 	"github.com/zalando/postgres-operator/pkg/util"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
@@ -109,14 +108,6 @@ func TestLoadingPostgresTeamCRD(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestLoadingPostgresTeamCRD PostgresTeamMap is the operator's internal representation of all PostgresTeam CRDs
-func TestResetPostgresTeamCRD(t *testing.T) {
-	teamMap := &pgTeamMap
-	teamMap.Reset()
-
-	assert.Equal(t, teamMap, &PostgresTeamMap{})
-}
-
 // TestGetAdditionalTeams if returns teams with and without transitive dependencies
 func TestGetAdditionalTeams(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {