diff --git a/pkg/registry/core/namespace/storage/storage.go b/pkg/registry/core/namespace/storage/storage.go
index 6b7bf0ec5c..b9d0558ab7 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/core/namespace/storage/storage.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/core/namespace/storage/storage.go
@@ -147,9 +147,7 @@ func (r *REST) Delete(ctx context.Context, name string, options *metav1.DeleteOp
 		)
 		return nil, false, err
 	}
-	if options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion == nil {
-		options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion = &namespace.ResourceVersion
-	} else if *options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion != namespace.ResourceVersion {
+	if options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion != nil && *options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion != namespace.ResourceVersion {
 		err = apierrors.NewConflict(
 			api.Resource("namespaces"),
 			name,
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/registry/customresourcedefinition/etcd.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/registry/customresourcedefinition/etcd.go
index f44a521b21..0bc9f64ddc 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/registry/customresourcedefinition/etcd.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/registry/customresourcedefinition/etcd.go
@@ -92,9 +92,7 @@ func (r *REST) Delete(ctx context.Context, name string, options *metav1.DeleteOp
 		)
 		return nil, false, err
 	}
-	if options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion == nil {
-		options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion = &crd.ResourceVersion
-	} else if *options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion != crd.ResourceVersion {
+	if options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion != nil && *options.Preconditions.ResourceVersion != crd.ResourceVersion {
 		err = apierrors.NewConflict(
 			apiextensions.Resource("customresourcedefinitions"),
 			name,