diff --git a/util/annotations/helpers.go b/util/annotations/helpers.go
index c49d3b7cf9a3..3cddc66995ae 100644
--- a/util/annotations/helpers.go
+++ b/util/annotations/helpers.go
@@ -52,9 +52,13 @@ func HasWithPrefix(prefix string, annotations map[string]string) bool {
 
 // AddAnnotations sets the desired annotations on the object and returns true if the annotations have changed.
 func AddAnnotations(o metav1.Object, desired map[string]string) bool {
+	if len(desired) == 0 {
+		return false
+	}
 	annotations := o.GetAnnotations()
 	if annotations == nil {
 		annotations = make(map[string]string)
+		o.SetAnnotations(annotations)
 	}
 	hasChanged := false
 	for k, v := range desired {
diff --git a/util/annotations/helpers_test.go b/util/annotations/helpers_test.go
index 533d1b282ac6..67376ef0a013 100644
--- a/util/annotations/helpers_test.go
+++ b/util/annotations/helpers_test.go
@@ -69,6 +69,19 @@ func TestAddAnnotations(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			changed: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "should do nothing if no annotations are provided and have been nil before",
+			obj: &corev1.Node{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Annotations: nil,
+				},
+				Spec:   corev1.NodeSpec{},
+				Status: corev1.NodeStatus{},
+			},
+			input:    map[string]string{},
+			expected: nil,
+			changed:  false,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "should return true if annotations are added",
 			obj: &corev1.Node{
@@ -110,6 +123,23 @@ func TestAddAnnotations(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			changed: true,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "should return true if annotations are changed and have been nil before",
+			obj: &corev1.Node{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Annotations: nil,
+				},
+				Spec:   corev1.NodeSpec{},
+				Status: corev1.NodeStatus{},
+			},
+			input: map[string]string{
+				"foo": "buzz",
+			},
+			expected: map[string]string{
+				"foo": "buzz",
+			},
+			changed: true,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range testcases {