diff --git a/pkg/apis/core/types.go b/pkg/apis/core/types.go
index e40d798b8fb..30f5014951c 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/core/types.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/core/types.go
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ type VolumeSource struct {
 	// CSI (Container Storage Interface) represents ephemeral storage that is handled by certain external CSI drivers (Beta feature).
 	// +optional
 	CSI *CSIVolumeSource
-	// Ephemeral represents a volume that is handled by a cluster storage driver (Alpha feature).
+	// Ephemeral represents a volume that is handled by a cluster storage driver.
 	// The volume's lifecycle is tied to the pod that defines it - it will be created before the pod starts,
 	// and deleted when the pod is removed.
 	//
@@ -182,6 +182,9 @@ type VolumeSource struct {
 	// A pod can use both types of ephemeral volumes and
 	// persistent volumes at the same time.
 	//
+	// This is a beta feature and only available when the GenericEphemeralVolume
+	// feature gate is enabled.
+	//
 	// +optional
 	Ephemeral *EphemeralVolumeSource
 }
diff --git a/pkg/features/kube_features.go b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
index 5b2ce6fa433..9ddfb2c180b 100644
--- a/pkg/features/kube_features.go
+++ b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ const (
 
 	// owner: @pohly
 	// alpha: v1.19
+	// beta: v1.21
 	//
 	// Enables generic ephemeral inline volume support for pods
 	GenericEphemeralVolume featuregate.Feature = "GenericEphemeralVolume"
@@ -783,7 +784,7 @@ var defaultKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate.FeatureS
 	CSIInlineVolume:                                {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	CSIStorageCapacity:                             {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	CSIServiceAccountToken:                         {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
-	GenericEphemeralVolume:                         {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
+	GenericEphemeralVolume:                         {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	CSIVolumeFSGroupPolicy:                         {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	RuntimeClass:                                   {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA, LockToDefault: true}, // remove in 1.23
 	NodeLease:                                      {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.GA, LockToDefault: true},
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/v1/types.go
index e759f00b8cd..e0d8a1c2c4c 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/v1/types.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ type VolumeSource struct {
 	// CSI (Container Storage Interface) represents ephemeral storage that is handled by certain external CSI drivers (Beta feature).
 	// +optional
 	CSI *CSIVolumeSource `json:"csi,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,28,opt,name=csi"`
-	// Ephemeral represents a volume that is handled by a cluster storage driver (Alpha feature).
+	// Ephemeral represents a volume that is handled by a cluster storage driver.
 	// The volume's lifecycle is tied to the pod that defines it - it will be created before the pod starts,
 	// and deleted when the pod is removed.
 	//
@@ -181,6 +181,9 @@ type VolumeSource struct {
 	// A pod can use both types of ephemeral volumes and
 	// persistent volumes at the same time.
 	//
+	// This is a beta feature and only available when the GenericEphemeralVolume
+	// feature gate is enabled.
+	//
 	// +optional
 	Ephemeral *EphemeralVolumeSource `json:"ephemeral,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,29,opt,name=ephemeral"`
 }