diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go
index 3778a83c0fc..079d197a2cc 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/storage/cacher/cacher.go
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ import (
 	utilfeature "k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/util/feature"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
 	"k8s.io/component-base/tracing"
-
 	"k8s.io/klog/v2"
 	"k8s.io/utils/clock"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ func NewCacherFromConfig(config Config) (*Cacher, error) {
 	reflector.MaxInternalErrorRetryDuration = time.Second * 30
 	// since the watch-list is provided by the watch cache instruct
 	// the reflector to issue a regular LIST against the store
-	reflector.UseWatchList = false
+	reflector.UseWatchList = ptr.To(false)
 
 	cacher.watchCache = watchCache
 	cacher.reflector = reflector
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/reflector.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/reflector.go
index c1ea13de574..f733e244ccc 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/reflector.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/reflector.go
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/klog/v2"
 	"k8s.io/utils/clock"
 	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 	"k8s.io/utils/trace"
 )
 
@@ -107,7 +108,9 @@ type Reflector struct {
 	// might result in an increased memory consumption of the APIServer.
 	//
 	// See https://github.com/kubernetes/enhancements/tree/master/keps/sig-api-machinery/3157-watch-list#design-details
-	UseWatchList bool
+	//
+	// TODO(#115478): Consider making reflector.UseWatchList a private field. Since we implemented "api streaming" on the etcd storage layer it should work.
+	UseWatchList *bool
 }
 
 // ResourceVersionUpdater is an interface that allows store implementation to
@@ -237,8 +240,12 @@ func NewReflectorWithOptions(lw ListerWatcher, expectedType interface{}, store S
 		r.expectedGVK = getExpectedGVKFromObject(expectedType)
 	}
 
-	if s := os.Getenv("ENABLE_CLIENT_GO_WATCH_LIST_ALPHA"); len(s) > 0 {
-		r.UseWatchList = true
+	// don't overwrite UseWatchList if already set
+	// because the higher layers (e.g. storage/cacher) disabled it on purpose
+	if r.UseWatchList == nil {
+		if s := os.Getenv("ENABLE_CLIENT_GO_WATCH_LIST_ALPHA"); len(s) > 0 {
+			r.UseWatchList = ptr.To(true)
+		}
 	}
 
 	return r
@@ -325,9 +332,10 @@ func (r *Reflector) ListAndWatch(stopCh <-chan struct{}) error {
 	klog.V(3).Infof("Listing and watching %v from %s", r.typeDescription, r.name)
 	var err error
 	var w watch.Interface
-	fallbackToList := !r.UseWatchList
+	useWatchList := ptr.Deref(r.UseWatchList, false)
+	fallbackToList := !useWatchList
 
-	if r.UseWatchList {
+	if useWatchList {
 		w, err = r.watchList(stopCh)
 		if w == nil && err == nil {
 			// stopCh was closed
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/reflector_watchlist_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/reflector_watchlist_test.go
index c43db073c5a..76eacb5a515 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/reflector_watchlist_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache/reflector_watchlist_test.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/watch"
 	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 )
 
 func TestWatchList(t *testing.T) {
@@ -415,7 +416,7 @@ func TestWatchList(t *testing.T) {
 			listWatcher.customListResponse = scenario.podList
 			listWatcher.closeAfterListRequests = scenario.closeAfterListRequests
 			if scenario.disableUseWatchList {
-				reflector.UseWatchList = false
+				reflector.UseWatchList = ptr.To(false)
 			}
 
 			err := reflector.ListAndWatch(stopCh)
@@ -505,7 +506,7 @@ func testData() (*fakeListWatcher, Store, *Reflector, chan struct{}) {
 		},
 	}
 	r := NewReflector(lw, &v1.Pod{}, s, 0)
-	r.UseWatchList = true
+	r.UseWatchList = ptr.To(true)
 
 	return lw, s, r, stopCh
 }
diff --git a/test/integration/apimachinery/watchlist_test.go b/test/integration/apimachinery/watchlist_test.go
index 127714d0c9a..77549f05df0 100644
--- a/test/integration/apimachinery/watchlist_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/apimachinery/watchlist_test.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
 	kubeapiservertesting "k8s.io/kubernetes/cmd/kube-apiserver/app/testing"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/test/integration/framework"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 )
 
 func TestReflectorWatchListFallback(t *testing.T) {
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ func TestReflectorWatchListFallback(t *testing.T) {
 	lw := &wrappedListWatch{&cache.ListWatch{}}
 	lw.SetClient(ctx, clientSet, ns)
 	target := cache.NewReflector(lw, &v1.Secret{}, store, time.Duration(0))
-	target.UseWatchList = true
+	target.UseWatchList = ptr.To(true)
 
 	t.Log("Waiting until the secret reflector synchronises to the store (call to the Replace method)")
 	reflectorCtx, reflectorCtxCancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())