diff --git a/pkg/webhook/instance_admission.go b/pkg/webhook/instance_admission.go
index 9d8f42e3b..70b8165d0 100644
--- a/pkg/webhook/instance_admission.go
+++ b/pkg/webhook/instance_admission.go
@@ -464,6 +464,9 @@ func validateParameters(ov *kudoapi.OperatorVersion, instance *kudoapi.Instance)
 func setImmutableParameterDefaults(ov *kudoapi.OperatorVersion, instance *kudoapi.Instance) {
 	for _, p := range ov.Spec.Parameters {
 		if p.IsImmutable() && p.HasDefault() {
+			if instance.Spec.Parameters == nil {
+				instance.Spec.Parameters = map[string]string{}
+			}
 			if _, ok := instance.Spec.Parameters[p.Name]; !ok {
 				instance.Spec.Parameters[p.Name] = *p.Default
 			}
diff --git a/test/upgrade/cert-manager-detection/06-install-kudo.yaml b/test/upgrade/cert-manager-detection/06-install-kudo.yaml
index abe271129..1a3d60184 100644
--- a/test/upgrade/cert-manager-detection/06-install-kudo.yaml
+++ b/test/upgrade/cert-manager-detection/06-install-kudo.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 apiVersion: kudo.dev/v1beta1
 kind: TestStep
 commands:
-  - command: sleep 10
+  - command: sleep 20
   - command: kubectl kudo init -v 4 --kudo-image kudobuilder/controller:test --kudo-image-pull-policy IfNotPresent --wait
\ No newline at end of file