diff --git a/pkg/client/fake/client.go b/pkg/client/fake/client.go
index 05b52d0c5f..eb1afbf79a 100644
--- a/pkg/client/fake/client.go
+++ b/pkg/client/fake/client.go
@@ -599,21 +599,22 @@ func (c *fakeClient) List(ctx context.Context, obj client.ObjectList, opts ...cl
 		return err
 	}
 	zero(obj)
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(j, obj); err != nil {
+	objCopy := obj.DeepCopyObject().(client.ObjectList)
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(j, objCopy); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	objs, err := meta.ExtractList(objCopy)
+	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	if listOpts.LabelSelector == nil && listOpts.FieldSelector == nil {
-		return nil
+		return meta.SetList(obj, objs)
 	}
 
 	// If we're here, either a label or field selector are specified (or both), so before we return
 	// the list we must filter it. If both selectors are set, they are ANDed.
-	objs, err := meta.ExtractList(obj)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	filteredList, err := c.filterList(objs, gvk, listOpts.LabelSelector, listOpts.FieldSelector)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/pkg/client/fake/client_test.go b/pkg/client/fake/client_test.go
index a23489756a..80aca53b7a 100644
--- a/pkg/client/fake/client_test.go
+++ b/pkg/client/fake/client_test.go
@@ -1319,16 +1319,20 @@ var _ = Describe("Fake client", func() {
 					listOpts := &client.ListOptions{
 						FieldSelector: fields.OneTermEqualSelector("key", "val"),
 					}
-					err := cl.List(context.Background(), &corev1.ConfigMapList{}, listOpts)
+					list := &corev1.ConfigMapList{}
+					err := cl.List(context.Background(), list, listOpts)
 					Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+					Expect(list.Items).To(BeEmpty())
 				})
 
 				It("errors when there's no Index matching the field name", func() {
 					listOpts := &client.ListOptions{
 						FieldSelector: fields.OneTermEqualSelector("spec.paused", "false"),
 					}
-					err := cl.List(context.Background(), &appsv1.DeploymentList{}, listOpts)
+					list := &appsv1.DeploymentList{}
+					err := cl.List(context.Background(), list, listOpts)
 					Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+					Expect(list.Items).To(BeEmpty())
 				})
 
 				It("errors when field selector uses two requirements", func() {
@@ -1337,8 +1341,10 @@ var _ = Describe("Fake client", func() {
 							fields.OneTermEqualSelector("spec.replicas", "1"),
 							fields.OneTermEqualSelector("spec.strategy.type", string(appsv1.RecreateDeploymentStrategyType)),
 						)}
-					err := cl.List(context.Background(), &appsv1.DeploymentList{}, listOpts)
+					list := &appsv1.DeploymentList{}
+					err := cl.List(context.Background(), list, listOpts)
 					Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+					Expect(list.Items).To(BeEmpty())
 				})
 
 				It("returns two deployments that match the only field selector requirement", func() {