diff --git a/docs/reference/cluster_manifest.md b/docs/reference/cluster_manifest.md
index 4c5ce2f9c..a66cc169d 100644
--- a/docs/reference/cluster_manifest.md
+++ b/docs/reference/cluster_manifest.md
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ These parameters are grouped directly under  the `spec` key in the manifest.
 * enableConnectionPool
   Tells the operator to create a connection pool with a database. If this
   field is true, a connection pool deployment will be created even if
-  `connectionPool` section is empty.
+  `connectionPool` section is empty. Optional, not set by default.
 
 ## Postgres parameters
 
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ present.
   How many instances of connection pool to create.
 
 * **mode**
-  In which mode to run connection pool, transaction or section.
+  In which mode to run connection pool, transaction or session.
 
 * **schema**
   Schema to create for credentials lookup function.
diff --git a/docs/reference/operator_parameters.md b/docs/reference/operator_parameters.md
index 665a4c992..25ad46058 100644
--- a/docs/reference/operator_parameters.md
+++ b/docs/reference/operator_parameters.md
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ operator being able to provide some reasonable defaults.
   Docker image to use for connection pool deployment.
 
 * **connection_pool_mode**
-  Default pool mode, sesssion or transaction.
+  Default pool mode, session or transaction.
 
 * **connection_pool_default_cpu_request**
   **connection_pool_default_memory_reques**
diff --git a/docs/user.md b/docs/user.md
index 64e5b98d1..747b6dbe4 100644
--- a/docs/user.md
+++ b/docs/user.md
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ spec:
 ```
 
 This will tell the operator to create a connection pool with default
-configuration, though which one can access the master via a separate service
+configuration, through which one can access the master via a separate service
 `{cluster-name}-pooler`. In most of the cases provided default configuration
 should be good enough.
 
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
index de70e1477..94400066b 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -1217,16 +1217,16 @@ func (c *Cluster) needSyncConnPoolDeployments(oldSpec, newSpec *acidv1.Connectio
 	if err != nil {
 		c.logger.Infof("Cannot get diff, do not do anything, %+v", err)
 		return false, reasons
-	} else {
-		if len(changelog) > 0 {
-			sync = true
-		}
+	}
 
-		for _, change := range changelog {
-			msg := fmt.Sprintf("%s %+v from %s to %s",
-				change.Type, change.Path, change.From, change.To)
-			reasons = append(reasons, msg)
-		}
+	if len(changelog) > 0 {
+		sync = true
+	}
+
+	for _, change := range changelog {
+		msg := fmt.Sprintf("%s %+v from %s to %s",
+			change.Type, change.Path, change.From, change.To)
+		reasons = append(reasons, msg)
 	}
 
 	return sync, reasons
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/k8sres.go b/pkg/cluster/k8sres.go
index 3121691d9..9966f5b55 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/k8sres.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/k8sres.go
@@ -1860,6 +1860,16 @@ func (c *Cluster) ownerReferences() []metav1.OwnerReference {
 func (c *Cluster) generateConnPoolDeployment(spec *acidv1.PostgresSpec) (
 	*appsv1.Deployment, error) {
 
+	// there are two ways to enable connection pooler, either to specify a
+	// connectionPool section or enableConnectionPool. In the second case
+	// spec.connectionPool will be nil, so to make it easier to calculate
+	// default values, initialize it to an empty structure. It could be done
+	// anywhere, but here is the earliest common entry point between sync and
+	// create code, so init here.
+	if spec.ConnectionPool == nil {
+		spec.ConnectionPool = &acidv1.ConnectionPool{}
+	}
+
 	podTemplate, err := c.generateConnPoolPodTemplate(spec)
 	numberOfInstances := spec.ConnectionPool.NumberOfInstances
 	if numberOfInstances == nil {
@@ -1895,6 +1905,17 @@ func (c *Cluster) generateConnPoolDeployment(spec *acidv1.PostgresSpec) (
 }
 
 func (c *Cluster) generateConnPoolService(spec *acidv1.PostgresSpec) *v1.Service {
+
+	// there are two ways to enable connection pooler, either to specify a
+	// connectionPool section or enableConnectionPool. In the second case
+	// spec.connectionPool will be nil, so to make it easier to calculate
+	// default values, initialize it to an empty structure. It could be done
+	// anywhere, but here is the earliest common entry point between sync and
+	// create code, so init here.
+	if spec.ConnectionPool == nil {
+		spec.ConnectionPool = &acidv1.ConnectionPool{}
+	}
+
 	serviceSpec := v1.ServiceSpec{
 		Ports: []v1.ServicePort{
 			{
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/resources.go b/pkg/cluster/resources.go
index 46be0af4b..6b0648680 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/resources.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/resources.go
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) updateConnPoolDeployment(oldDeploymentSpec, newDeployment *app
 	}
 
 	// An update probably requires RetryOnConflict, but since only one operator
-	// worker at one time will try to update it changes of conflicts are
+	// worker at one time will try to update it chances of conflicts are
 	// minimal.
 	deployment, err := c.KubeClient.
 		Deployments(c.ConnectionPool.Deployment.Namespace).