diff --git a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
index b00d4b6b7..ec5b61dd2 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/cluster.go
@@ -254,10 +254,17 @@ func (c *Cluster) Create() (err error) {
 	)
 
 	defer func() {
+		var pgUpdatedStatus *acidv1.Postgresql
 		if err == nil {
-			c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusRunning) //TODO: are you sure it's running?
+			pgUpdatedStatus, err = c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusRunning) //TODO: are you sure it's running?
 		} else {
-			c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusAddFailed)
+			pgUpdatedStatus, err = c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusAddFailed)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			c.logger.Warningf("could not set cluster status: %v", err)
+		}
+		if pgUpdatedStatus != nil {
+			c.setSpec(pgUpdatedStatus)
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -790,6 +797,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) addFinalizer() error {
 
 	// update the spec, maintaining the new resourceVersion
 	c.setSpec(newSpec)
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -838,10 +846,20 @@ func (c *Cluster) Update(oldSpec, newSpec *acidv1.Postgresql) error {
 	c.setSpec(newSpec)
 
 	defer func() {
+		var (
+			pgUpdatedStatus *acidv1.Postgresql
+			err             error
+		)
 		if updateFailed {
-			c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusUpdateFailed)
+			pgUpdatedStatus, err = c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusUpdateFailed)
 		} else {
-			c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusRunning)
+			pgUpdatedStatus, err = c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusRunning)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			c.logger.Warningf("could not set cluster status: %v", err)
+		}
+		if pgUpdatedStatus != nil {
+			c.setSpec(pgUpdatedStatus)
 		}
 	}()
 
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/sync.go b/pkg/cluster/sync.go
index 723f6a455..19aab1e51 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/sync.go
@@ -41,11 +41,18 @@ func (c *Cluster) Sync(newSpec *acidv1.Postgresql) error {
 	c.setSpec(newSpec)
 
 	defer func() {
+		var pgUpdatedStatus *acidv1.Postgresql
 		if err != nil {
 			c.logger.Warningf("error while syncing cluster state: %v", err)
-			c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusSyncFailed)
+			pgUpdatedStatus, err = c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusSyncFailed)
 		} else if !c.Status.Running() {
-			c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusRunning)
+			pgUpdatedStatus, err = c.KubeClient.SetPostgresCRDStatus(c.clusterName(), acidv1.ClusterStatusRunning)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			c.logger.Warningf("could not set cluster status: %v", err)
+		}
+		if pgUpdatedStatus != nil {
+			c.setSpec(pgUpdatedStatus)
 		}
 	}()
 
diff --git a/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go b/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go
index 575766f76..44608856e 100644
--- a/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go
+++ b/pkg/util/k8sutil/k8sutil.go
@@ -209,7 +209,6 @@ func (client *KubernetesClient) SetPostgresCRDStatus(clusterName spec.Namespaced
 		return pg, fmt.Errorf("could not update status: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// update the spec, maintaining the new resourceVersion.
 	return pg, nil
 }
 
@@ -220,7 +219,7 @@ func (client *KubernetesClient) SetFinalizer(clusterName spec.NamespacedName, pg
 		patch     []byte
 		err       error
 	)
-	pg.ObjectMeta.SetFinalizers(finalizers)
+	pg.ObjectMeta.Finalizers = finalizers
 
 	if len(finalizers) > 0 {
 		patch, err = json.Marshal(struct {