diff --git a/pkg/manager/member/utils.go b/pkg/manager/member/utils.go
index 26d23490f8c..7c451d26afc 100644
--- a/pkg/manager/member/utils.go
+++ b/pkg/manager/member/utils.go
@@ -267,6 +267,12 @@ func MapContainers(podSpec *corev1.PodSpec) map[string]corev1.Container {
 // updateStatefulSet is a template function to update the statefulset of components
 func updateStatefulSet(setCtl controller.StatefulSetControlInterface, tc *v1alpha1.TidbCluster, newSet, oldSet *apps.StatefulSet) error {
 	isOrphan := metav1.GetControllerOf(oldSet) == nil
+	if newSet.Annotations == nil {
+		newSet.Annotations = map[string]string{}
+	}
+	if oldSet.Annotations == nil {
+		oldSet.Annotations = map[string]string{}
+	}
 	if !statefulSetEqual(*newSet, *oldSet) || isOrphan {
 		set := *oldSet
 		// Retain the deprecated last applied pod template annotation for backward compatibility