diff --git a/pkg/features/kube_features.go b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
index 99c89bc2272..c3062d3ae22 100644
--- a/pkg/features/kube_features.go
+++ b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ var defaultKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate.FeatureS
 	genericfeatures.APIResponseCompression:  {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	genericfeatures.APIListChunking:         {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	genericfeatures.DryRun:                  {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA},
-	genericfeatures.ServerSideApply:         {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA},
+	genericfeatures.ServerSideApply:         {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	genericfeatures.APIPriorityAndFairness:  {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	genericfeatures.WarningHeaders:          {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go
index efe8e2e891b..f7706c24815 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ const (
 	// owner: @apelisse, @lavalamp
 	// alpha: v1.14
 	// beta: v1.16
-	// stable: v1.21
 	//
 	// Server-side apply. Merging happens on the server.
 	ServerSideApply featuregate.Feature = "ServerSideApply"
@@ -179,7 +178,7 @@ var defaultKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate.FeatureS
 	APIListChunking:          {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	DryRun:                   {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA},
 	RemainingItemCount:       {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
-	ServerSideApply:          {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA},
+	ServerSideApply:          {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	StorageVersionHash:       {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	StorageVersionAPI:        {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
 	WatchBookmark:            {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA, LockToDefault: true},