diff --git a/pkg/webhook/admission/response.go b/pkg/webhook/admission/response.go
index 541118498b..24ff1dee3c 100644
--- a/pkg/webhook/admission/response.go
+++ b/pkg/webhook/admission/response.go
@@ -90,8 +90,14 @@ func PatchResponseFromRaw(original, current []byte) Response {
 	return Response{
 		Patches: patches,
 		AdmissionResponse: admissionv1.AdmissionResponse{
-			Allowed:   true,
-			PatchType: func() *admissionv1.PatchType { pt := admissionv1.PatchTypeJSONPatch; return &pt }(),
+			Allowed: true,
+			PatchType: func() *admissionv1.PatchType {
+				if len(patches) == 0 {
+					return nil
+				}
+				pt := admissionv1.PatchTypeJSONPatch
+				return &pt
+			}(),
 		},
 	}
 }