diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..757e2019cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource.java
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.baseapi.ssaissue.finalizer;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Namespaced;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.CustomResource;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.model.annotation.Group;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.model.annotation.Kind;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.model.annotation.ShortNames;
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.model.annotation.Version;
+
+@Group("sample.javaoperatorsdk")
+@Version("v1")
+@Kind("CustomService")
+@ShortNames("ssaf")
+public class SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource
+    extends CustomResource<SSAFinalizerIssueSpec, SSAFinalizerIssueStatus> implements Namespaced {}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueIT.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueIT.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a172a4d24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueIT.java
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.baseapi.ssaissue.finalizer;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.extension.RegisterExtension;
+
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ObjectMetaBuilder;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.junit.LocallyRunOperatorExtension;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.awaitility.Awaitility.await;
+
+class SSAFinalizerIssueIT {
+
+  public static final String TEST_1 = "test1";
+
+  @RegisterExtension
+  LocallyRunOperatorExtension operator =
+      LocallyRunOperatorExtension.builder()
+          .withReconciler(new SSAFinalizerIssueReconciler())
+          .build();
+
+  /**
+   * Showcases the problem when we add a finalizer and in the spec a list is initialized with an
+   * empty list by default. This at the end results in a change that when adding the finalizer the
+   * SSA patch deletes the initial values in the spec.
+   */
+  @Test
+  void addingFinalizerRemoveListValues() {
+    operator.create(testResource());
+
+    await()
+        .untilAsserted(
+            () -> {
+              var actual = operator.get(SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource.class, TEST_1);
+              assertThat(actual.getFinalizers()).hasSize(1);
+              assertThat(actual.getSpec().getList()).isEmpty();
+            });
+  }
+
+  SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource testResource() {
+    var res = new SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource();
+    res.setMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder().withName(TEST_1).build());
+    res.setSpec(new SSAFinalizerIssueSpec());
+    res.getSpec().setValue("val");
+    res.getSpec().setList(List.of("val1", "val2"));
+    return res;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueReconciler.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueReconciler.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..441819834a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueReconciler.java
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.baseapi.ssaissue.finalizer;
+
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Cleaner;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Context;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.ControllerConfiguration;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.DeleteControl;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.Reconciler;
+import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.UpdateControl;
+
+@ControllerConfiguration
+public class SSAFinalizerIssueReconciler
+    implements Reconciler<SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource>,
+        Cleaner<SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource> {
+
+  @Override
+  public DeleteControl cleanup(
+      SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource resource, Context<SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource> context) {
+    return DeleteControl.defaultDelete();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public UpdateControl<SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource> reconcile(
+      SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource resource, Context<SSAFinalizerIssueCustomResource> context) {
+    return UpdateControl.noUpdate();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueSpec.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueSpec.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..99c9f76b7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueSpec.java
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.baseapi.ssaissue.finalizer;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+public class SSAFinalizerIssueSpec {
+
+  private String value;
+
+  // List is initialized, that at the end becomes problematic when adding the finalizer
+  // If the list is not initialized like this (this its null) it works fine
+  private List<String> list = new ArrayList<>();
+
+  public String getValue() {
+    return value;
+  }
+
+  public void setValue(String value) {
+    this.value = value;
+  }
+
+  public List<String> getList() {
+    return list;
+  }
+
+  public void setList(List<String> list) {
+    this.list = list;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueStatus.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueStatus.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..471372af40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/baseapi/ssaissue/finalizer/SSAFinalizerIssueStatus.java
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.baseapi.ssaissue.finalizer;
+
+public class SSAFinalizerIssueStatus {
+
+  private String configMapStatus;
+
+  public String getConfigMapStatus() {
+    return configMapStatus;
+  }
+
+  public void setConfigMapStatus(String configMapStatus) {
+    this.configMapStatus = configMapStatus;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public String toString() {
+    return "TestCustomResourceStatus{" + "configMapStatus='" + configMapStatus + '\'' + '}';
+  }
+}