diff --git a/.changelog/3974.txt b/.changelog/3974.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2cc7c883530
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/3974.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+osconfig: fixed a potential crash in `google_os_config_patch_deployment` due to an unchecked nil value in `recurring_schedule`
+````
diff --git a/google/resource_os_config_patch_deployment.go b/google/resource_os_config_patch_deployment.go
index 91c91d783bc..441d553e53e 100644
--- a/google/resource_os_config_patch_deployment.go
+++ b/google/resource_os_config_patch_deployment.go
@@ -3243,11 +3243,13 @@ func expandOSConfigPatchDeploymentRolloutDisruptionBudgetPercentage(v interface{
 }
 
 func resourceOSConfigPatchDeploymentEncoder(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}, obj map[string]interface{}) (map[string]interface{}, error) {
-	schedule := obj["recurringSchedule"].(map[string]interface{})
-	if schedule["monthly"] != nil {
-		obj["recurringSchedule"].(map[string]interface{})["frequency"] = "MONTHLY"
-	} else if schedule["weekly"] != nil {
-		obj["recurringSchedule"].(map[string]interface{})["frequency"] = "WEEKLY"
+	if obj["recurringSchedule"] != nil {
+		schedule := obj["recurringSchedule"].(map[string]interface{})
+		if schedule["monthly"] != nil {
+			obj["recurringSchedule"].(map[string]interface{})["frequency"] = "MONTHLY"
+		} else if schedule["weekly"] != nil {
+			obj["recurringSchedule"].(map[string]interface{})["frequency"] = "WEEKLY"
+		}
 	}
 
 	if obj["patchConfig"] != nil {
diff --git a/google/resource_os_config_patch_deployment_generated_test.go b/google/resource_os_config_patch_deployment_generated_test.go
index 0abe249bf9e..2a7307bc938 100644
--- a/google/resource_os_config_patch_deployment_generated_test.go
+++ b/google/resource_os_config_patch_deployment_generated_test.go
@@ -57,18 +57,8 @@ resource "google_os_config_patch_deployment" "patch" {
     all = true
   }
 
-  recurring_schedule {
-    time_zone {
-      id = "America/New_York"
-    }
-
-    time_of_day {
-      hours = 1
-    }
-
-    weekly {
-      day_of_week = "MONDAY"
-    }
+  one_time_schedule {
+    execute_time = "2020-10-10T10:10:10.045123456Z"
   }
 }
 `, context)
diff --git a/website/docs/r/os_config_patch_deployment.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/os_config_patch_deployment.html.markdown
index 4d3a25ea540..678ec1f346c 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/os_config_patch_deployment.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/os_config_patch_deployment.html.markdown
@@ -48,18 +48,8 @@ resource "google_os_config_patch_deployment" "patch" {
     all = true
   }
 
-  recurring_schedule {
-    time_zone {
-      id = "America/New_York"
-    }
-
-    time_of_day {
-      hours = 1
-    }
-
-    weekly {
-      day_of_week = "MONDAY"
-    }
+  one_time_schedule {
+    execute_time = "2020-10-10T10:10:10.045123456Z"
   }
 }
 ```