diff --git a/e2e/tests/test_e2e.py b/e2e/tests/test_e2e.py
index b891b5c71..13e769377 100644
--- a/e2e/tests/test_e2e.py
+++ b/e2e/tests/test_e2e.py
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ class EndToEndTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             "downscaler/downtime_replicas": "0",
             "owned-by": "acid",
         }
-
+        self.eventuallyEqual(lambda: k8s.get_operator_state(), {"0": "idle"}, "Operator does not get in sync")
         self.eventuallyTrue(lambda: k8s.check_statefulset_annotations(cluster_label, annotations), "Annotations missing")
 
     @timeout_decorator.timeout(TEST_TIMEOUT_SEC)
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/util.go b/pkg/cluster/util.go
index 670ffe290..9f53fd177 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/util.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/util.go
@@ -274,6 +274,9 @@ func (c *Cluster) getTeamMembers(teamID string) ([]string, error) {
 // Returns annotations to be passed to child objects
 func (c *Cluster) annotationsSet(annotations map[string]string) map[string]string {
 
+	if annotations == nil {
+		annotations = make(map[string]string)
+	}
 	// allow to inherit certain labels from the 'postgres' object
 	if spec, err := c.GetSpec(); err == nil {
 		for k, v := range spec.ObjectMeta.Annotations {