diff --git a/pkg/controller/statefulset/stateful_set_utils.go b/pkg/controller/statefulset/stateful_set_utils.go
index 3c470fac43f..27f72e0b50e 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/statefulset/stateful_set_utils.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/statefulset/stateful_set_utils.go
@@ -344,11 +344,12 @@ func ApplyRevision(set *apps.StatefulSet, revision *apps.ControllerRevision) (*a
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	err = json.Unmarshal(patched, clone)
+	restoredSet := &apps.StatefulSet{}
+	err = json.Unmarshal(patched, restoredSet)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return clone, nil
+	return restoredSet, nil
 }
 
 // nextRevision finds the next valid revision number based on revisions. If the length of revisions
diff --git a/pkg/controller/statefulset/stateful_set_utils_test.go b/pkg/controller/statefulset/stateful_set_utils_test.go
index ab4e9f04c6f..8dee5cadea6 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/statefulset/stateful_set_utils_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/statefulset/stateful_set_utils_test.go
@@ -289,6 +289,39 @@ func TestCreateApplyRevision(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRollingUpdateApplyRevision(t *testing.T) {
+	set := newStatefulSet(1)
+	set.Status.CollisionCount = new(int32)
+	currentSet := set.DeepCopy()
+	currentRevision, err := newRevision(set, 1, set.Status.CollisionCount)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	set.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Env = []v1.EnvVar{{Name: "foo", Value: "bar"}}
+	updateSet := set.DeepCopy()
+	updateRevision, err := newRevision(set, 2, set.Status.CollisionCount)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	restoredCurrentSet, err := ApplyRevision(set, currentRevision)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(currentSet.Spec.Template, restoredCurrentSet.Spec.Template) {
+		t.Errorf("want %v got %v", currentSet.Spec.Template, restoredCurrentSet.Spec.Template)
+	}
+
+	restoredUpdateSet, err := ApplyRevision(set, updateRevision)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(updateSet.Spec.Template, restoredUpdateSet.Spec.Template) {
+		t.Errorf("want %v got %v", updateSet.Spec.Template, restoredUpdateSet.Spec.Template)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestGetPersistentVolumeClaims(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// nil inherits statefulset labels