diff --git a/api/v1/coherenceresourcespec_types.go b/api/v1/coherenceresourcespec_types.go
index 2686dacc..6e9001f2 100644
--- a/api/v1/coherenceresourcespec_types.go
+++ b/api/v1/coherenceresourcespec_types.go
@@ -824,9 +824,12 @@ func (in *CoherenceResourceSpec) GetImagePullSecrets() []corev1.LocalObjectRefer
 // GetServiceAccountName returns the service account name for the cluster.
 func (in *CoherenceResourceSpec) GetServiceAccountName() string {
 	if in != nil {
+		if in.ServiceAccountName == "" {
+			return DefaultServiceAccount
+		}
 		return in.ServiceAccountName
 	}
-	return ""
+	return DefaultServiceAccount
 }
 
 // CreateCoherenceContainer creates the Coherence container spec.
diff --git a/api/v1/common_test.go b/api/v1/common_test.go
index b05e7f4e..e8bf465c 100644
--- a/api/v1/common_test.go
+++ b/api/v1/common_test.go
@@ -505,6 +505,7 @@ func createMinimalExpectedPodSpec(deployment coh.CoherenceResource) corev1.PodTe
 			},
 			TopologySpreadConstraints: spec.EnsureTopologySpreadConstraints(deployment),
 			Affinity:                  spec.CreateDefaultPodAffinity(deployment),
+			ServiceAccountName:        spec.GetServiceAccountName(),
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/api/v1/create_job_test.go b/api/v1/create_job_test.go
index 4fbd332d..9d004be5 100644
--- a/api/v1/create_job_test.go
+++ b/api/v1/create_job_test.go
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ func TestCreateJobWithoutServiceAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	deployment := createTestCoherenceJob(spec)
 	// Create expected Job
 	jobExpected := createMinimalExpectedJob(deployment)
-	jobExpected.Spec.Template.Spec.ServiceAccountName = ""
+	jobExpected.Spec.Template.Spec.ServiceAccountName = coh.DefaultServiceAccount
 
 	// assert that the Job is as expected
 	assertJobCreation(t, deployment, jobExpected)
diff --git a/api/v1/create_statefulset_test.go b/api/v1/create_statefulset_test.go
index 579d26ca..920fcb1a 100644
--- a/api/v1/create_statefulset_test.go
+++ b/api/v1/create_statefulset_test.go
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ func TestCreateStatefulSetWithoutServiceAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	deployment := createTestDeployment(spec)
 	// Create expected StatefulSet
 	stsExpected := createMinimalExpectedStatefulSet(deployment)
-	stsExpected.Spec.Template.Spec.ServiceAccountName = ""
+	stsExpected.Spec.Template.Spec.ServiceAccountName = coh.DefaultServiceAccount
 
 	// assert that the StatefulSet is as expected
 	assertStatefulSetCreation(t, deployment, stsExpected)
diff --git a/controllers/statefulset/statefulset_controller.go b/controllers/statefulset/statefulset_controller.go
index 82641098..3dcc6ef9 100644
--- a/controllers/statefulset/statefulset_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/statefulset/statefulset_controller.go
@@ -522,11 +522,6 @@ func (in *ReconcileStatefulSet) maybePatchStatefulSet(ctx context.Context, deplo
 	// fix the CreationTimestamp so that it is not in the patch
 	desired.SetCreationTimestamp(current.GetCreationTimestamp())
 
-	sa1 := current.Spec.Template.Spec.ServiceAccountName
-	sa2 := original.Spec.Template.Spec.ServiceAccountName
-	sa3 := desired.Spec.Template.Spec.ServiceAccountName
-	logger.Info("**** About to create patch for StatefulSet", "CurrentSA", sa1, "OriginalSA", sa2, "DesiredSA", sa3)
-
 	// create the patch to see whether there is anything to update
 	patch, data, err := in.CreateThreeWayPatch(current.GetName(), original, desired, current, patching.PatchIgnore)
 	if err != nil {