diff --git a/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway.go b/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway.go
index 053e4a4fb..1f93a0b3c 100644
--- a/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway.go
+++ b/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway.go
@@ -469,7 +469,12 @@ func (g *K8sGateway) ensureDeploymentExists(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	mutated = apigwv1alpha1.MergeDeployment(deployment, mutated, currentDeployment.Spec.Replicas)
+
+	var currentReplicas *int32
+	if currentDeployment != nil {
+		currentReplicas = currentDeployment.Spec.Replicas
+	}
+	mutated = apigwv1alpha1.MergeDeployment(deployment, mutated, currentReplicas)
 
 	if updated, err := g.client.CreateOrUpdateDeployment(ctx, mutated, func() error {
 		return g.client.SetControllerOwnership(g.gateway, mutated)
diff --git a/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway_test.go b/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway_test.go
index fa0136536..390fa339b 100644
--- a/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway_test.go
+++ b/internal/k8s/reconciler/gateway_test.go
@@ -474,6 +474,7 @@ func TestGatewayTrackSync(t *testing.T) {
 		Client: client,
 	})
 	gateway.gateway.Status = gateway.Status()
+	client.EXPECT().GetDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().CreateOrUpdateDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil)
 	require.NoError(t, gateway.TrackSync(context.Background(), func() (bool, error) {
 		return false, nil
@@ -495,6 +496,7 @@ func TestGatewayTrackSync(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	})
 
+	client.EXPECT().GetDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().CreateOrUpdateDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(false, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().UpdateStatus(gomock.Any(), gateway.gateway).Return(nil)
 	require.NoError(t, gateway.TrackSync(context.Background(), func() (bool, error) {
@@ -510,6 +512,7 @@ func TestGatewayTrackSync(t *testing.T) {
 		}),
 		Client: client,
 	})
+	client.EXPECT().GetDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().CreateOrUpdateDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(false, expected)
 	require.True(t, errors.Is(gateway.TrackSync(context.Background(), func() (bool, error) {
 		return false, nil
@@ -522,6 +525,7 @@ func TestGatewayTrackSync(t *testing.T) {
 		}),
 		Client: client,
 	})
+	client.EXPECT().GetDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().CreateOrUpdateDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(false, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().UpdateStatus(gomock.Any(), gateway.gateway).Return(expected)
 	require.Equal(t, expected, gateway.TrackSync(context.Background(), func() (bool, error) {
@@ -535,6 +539,8 @@ func TestGatewayTrackSync(t *testing.T) {
 		}),
 		Client: client,
 	})
+
+	client.EXPECT().GetDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().CreateOrUpdateDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(false, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().UpdateStatus(gomock.Any(), gateway.gateway).Return(nil)
 	require.NoError(t, gateway.TrackSync(context.Background(), func() (bool, error) {
@@ -548,6 +554,7 @@ func TestGatewayTrackSync(t *testing.T) {
 		}),
 		Client: client,
 	})
+	client.EXPECT().GetDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().CreateOrUpdateDeployment(gomock.Any(), gomock.Any(), gomock.Any()).Return(false, nil)
 	client.EXPECT().UpdateStatus(gomock.Any(), gateway.gateway).Return(nil)
 	require.NoError(t, gateway.TrackSync(context.Background(), func() (bool, error) {