diff --git a/pkg/api/v1/types.go b/pkg/api/v1/types.go
index 5e7c7862590..b1fa56f0578 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1/types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1/types.go
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ type ObjectMeta struct {
 	// is an identifier for the responsible component that will remove the entry
 	// from the list. If the deletionTimestamp of the object is non-nil, entries
 	// in this list can only be removed.
-	Finalizers []string `json:"finalizers,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,14,rep,name=finalizers"`
+	Finalizers []string `json:"finalizers,omitempty" patchStrategy:"merge" protobuf:"bytes,14,rep,name=finalizers"`
 }
 
 const (