diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/metrics/registry.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/metrics/registry.go
index b608fb568f0..b01bc011e3b 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/metrics/registry.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/metrics/registry.go
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ func (kr *kubeRegistry) enableHiddenCollectors() {
 		cs = append(cs, c)
 	}
 
-	kr.hiddenCollectors = nil
+	kr.hiddenCollectors = make(map[string]Registerable)
 	kr.hiddenCollectorsLock.Unlock()
 	kr.MustRegister(cs...)
 }