diff --git a/webhooks/core/service_mutator.go b/webhooks/core/service_mutator.go
index d3c73f9fe..26f57edbc 100644
--- a/webhooks/core/service_mutator.go
+++ b/webhooks/core/service_mutator.go
@@ -52,7 +52,41 @@ func (m *serviceMutator) MutateCreate(ctx context.Context, obj runtime.Object) (
 }
 
 func (m *serviceMutator) MutateUpdate(ctx context.Context, obj runtime.Object, oldObj runtime.Object) (runtime.Object, error) {
-	return obj, nil
+	// this mutator only cares about Service objects
+	newSvc, ok := obj.(*corev1.Service)
+	if !ok {
+		return obj, nil
+	}
+
+	oldSvc, ok := oldObj.(*corev1.Service)
+	if !ok {
+		return obj, nil
+	}
+
+	if newSvc.Spec.Type != corev1.ServiceTypeLoadBalancer {
+		return obj, nil
+	}
+
+	// does the old Service object have spec.loadBalancerClass?
+	if oldSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass != nil && *oldSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass != "" {
+		// if so, let's inspect the incoming object for the same field
+
+		// does the new Service object lack spec.loadBalancerClass?
+		// if so, set it to the old value
+		// if yes, then leave it be because someone wanted it that way, let the user deal with the error
+		if newSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass == nil || *newSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass == "" {
+			newSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass = oldSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass
+
+			m.logger.Info("preserved loadBalancerClass", "service", newSvc.Name, "loadBalancerClass", *newSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass)
+			return newSvc, nil
+		}
+
+		m.logger.Info("service already has loadBalancerClass, skipping", "service", newSvc.Name, "loadBalancerClass", *newSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass)
+		return newSvc, nil
+	}
+
+	m.logger.Info("service did not originally have a loadBalancerClass, skipping", "service", newSvc.Name)
+	return newSvc, nil
 }
 
 // +kubebuilder:webhook:path=/mutate-v1-service,mutating=true,failurePolicy=fail,groups="",resources=services,verbs=create,versions=v1,name=mservice.elbv2.k8s.aws,sideEffects=None,webhookVersions=v1,admissionReviewVersions=v1beta1
diff --git a/webhooks/core/service_mutator_test.go b/webhooks/core/service_mutator_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..478e616a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webhooks/core/service_mutator_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package core
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+)
+
+func TestMutateUpdate_WhenServiceIsNotLoadBalancer(t *testing.T) {
+	m := &serviceMutator{}
+	svc := &corev1.Service{Spec: corev1.ServiceSpec{Type: corev1.ServiceTypeClusterIP}}
+	_, err := m.MutateUpdate(context.Background(), svc, svc)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Nil(t, svc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass)
+}
+
+func TestMutateUpdate_WhenOldServiceHasLoadBalancerClassAndNewServiceDoesNot(t *testing.T) {
+	m := &serviceMutator{}
+	oldSvc := &corev1.Service{Spec: corev1.ServiceSpec{Type: corev1.ServiceTypeLoadBalancer, LoadBalancerClass: stringPtr("old-class")}}
+	newSvc := &corev1.Service{Spec: corev1.ServiceSpec{Type: corev1.ServiceTypeLoadBalancer}}
+	_, err := m.MutateUpdate(context.Background(), newSvc, oldSvc)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "old-class", *newSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass)
+}
+
+func TestMutateUpdate_WhenOldServiceHasLoadBalancerClassAndNewServiceHasDifferent(t *testing.T) {
+	m := &serviceMutator{}
+	oldSvc := &corev1.Service{Spec: corev1.ServiceSpec{Type: corev1.ServiceTypeLoadBalancer, LoadBalancerClass: stringPtr("old-class")}}
+	newSvc := &corev1.Service{Spec: corev1.ServiceSpec{Type: corev1.ServiceTypeLoadBalancer, LoadBalancerClass: stringPtr("new-class")}}
+	_, err := m.MutateUpdate(context.Background(), newSvc, oldSvc)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "new-class", *newSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass)
+}
+
+func TestMutateUpdate_WhenOldServiceDoesNotHaveLoadBalancerClass(t *testing.T) {
+	m := &serviceMutator{}
+	oldSvc := &corev1.Service{Spec: corev1.ServiceSpec{Type: corev1.ServiceTypeLoadBalancer}}
+	newSvc := &corev1.Service{Spec: corev1.ServiceSpec{Type: corev1.ServiceTypeLoadBalancer}}
+	_, err := m.MutateUpdate(context.Background(), newSvc, oldSvc)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Nil(t, newSvc.Spec.LoadBalancerClass)
+}
+
+func stringPtr(s string) *string {
+	return &s
+}