diff --git a/e2e/tests/test_e2e.py b/e2e/tests/test_e2e.py
index 52aa0549a..6d213e344 100644
--- a/e2e/tests/test_e2e.py
+++ b/e2e/tests/test_e2e.py
@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ class EndToEndTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         '''
         k8s = self.k8s
 
+        # enable sidecars in cluster
+        toggle_sidecar_creation = {
+            "data": {
+               "enable_sidecars": "true",
+            }
+        }
+        k8s.update_config(toggle_sidecar_creation)
+
         with open("manifests/complete-postgres-manifest.yaml", 'r+') as f:
             pg_manifest = yaml.safe_load(f)
             pg_manifest["metadata"]["namespace"] = self.namespace
@@ -182,17 +190,12 @@ class EndToEndTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
         # update the cluster-wide image of the logical backup pod
         image = "test-image-name"
-        config_map_patch = {
+        patch_logical_backup_image = {
             "data": {
                "logical_backup_docker_image": image,
             }
         }
-        k8s.api.core_v1.patch_namespaced_config_map("postgres-operator", "default", config_map_patch)
-
-        operator_pod = k8s.api.core_v1.list_namespaced_pod(
-            'default', label_selector="name=postgres-operator").items[0].metadata.name
-        k8s.api.core_v1.delete_namespaced_pod(operator_pod, "default")  # restart reloads the conf
-        k8s.wait_for_operator_pod_start()
+        k8s.update_config(patch_logical_backup_image)
 
         jobs = k8s.get_logical_backup_job().items
         actual_image = jobs[0].spec.job_template.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image
@@ -319,6 +322,15 @@ class K8s:
     def wait_for_logical_backup_job_creation(self):
         self.wait_for_logical_backup_job(expected_num_of_jobs=1)
 
+    def update_config(self, config_map_patch):
+
+        k8s.api.core_v1.patch_namespaced_config_map("postgres-operator", "default", config_map_patch)
+
+        operator_pod = k8s.api.core_v1.list_namespaced_pod(
+            'default', label_selector="name=postgres-operator").items[0].metadata.name
+        k8s.api.core_v1.delete_namespaced_pod(operator_pod, "default")  # restart reloads the conf
+        k8s.wait_for_operator_pod_start()
+
     def create_with_kubectl(self, path):
         subprocess.run(["kubectl", "create", "-f", path])
 
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/k8sres.go b/pkg/cluster/k8sres.go
index caae1a772..234abf758 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/k8sres.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/k8sres.go
@@ -787,11 +787,11 @@ func (c *Cluster) generateStatefulSet(spec *acidv1.PostgresSpec) (*appsv1.Statef
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not generate resource requirements: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	if spec.InitContainers != nil {
+	if spec.InitContainers != nil && len(spec.InitContainers) > 0 {
 		if c.OpConfig.EnableInitContainers {
 			initContainers = spec.InitContainers
 		} else {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("InitContainers specified but globally disabled!")
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("initContainers specified but globally disabled")
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -881,14 +881,14 @@ func (c *Cluster) generateStatefulSet(spec *acidv1.PostgresSpec) (*appsv1.Statef
 	}
 
 	// generate sidecar containers
-	if sideCars != nil {
+	if sideCars != nil && len(sideCars) > 0 {
 		if c.OpConfig.EnableSidecars {
 			if sidecarContainers, err = generateSidecarContainers(sideCars, volumeMounts, defaultResources,
 				c.OpConfig.SuperUsername, c.credentialSecretName(c.OpConfig.SuperUsername), c.logger); err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not generate sidecar containers: %v", err)
 			}
 		} else {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Sidecar containers specified but globally disabled!")
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("sidecar containers specified but globally disabled")
 		}
 	}