diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/cli/flag/string_slice_flag.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/cli/flag/string_slice_flag.go
index 7b2e0f61695..37a1d778a39 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/cli/flag/string_slice_flag.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/cli/flag/string_slice_flag.go
@@ -38,12 +38,16 @@ var _ goflag.Value = &StringSlice{}
 var _ pflag.Value = &StringSlice{}
 
 func (s *StringSlice) String() string {
+	if s == nil || s.value == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
 	return strings.Join(*s.value, " ")
 }
 
 func (s *StringSlice) Set(val string) error {
 	if s.value == nil || !s.changed {
-		*s.value = make([]string, 0)
+		v := make([]string, 0)
+		s.value = &v
 	}
 	*s.value = append(*s.value, val)
 	s.changed = true
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/cli/flag/string_slice_flag_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/cli/flag/string_slice_flag_test.go
index 6e5ef240679..745ff052328 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/cli/flag/string_slice_flag_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/component-base/cli/flag/string_slice_flag_test.go
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ func TestStringSlice(t *testing.T) {
 		} else if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("%d: expected nil error, got %v", i, err)
 		}
-		if !reflect.DeepEqual(s, test.expected) {
-			t.Errorf("%d: expected %+v, got %+v", i, test.expected, s)
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(*v.value, test.expected) {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected %+v, got %+v", i, test.expected, *v.value)
 		}
 		if v.changed != test.changed {
 			t.Errorf("%d: expected %t got %t", i, test.changed, v.changed)