diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index 069cd78..25e4d2c 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ type config struct {
 	TeamsFolderNumber     string                          `env:"TEAMS_FOLDER_NUMBER,required,notEmpty"`
 	Stage                 string                          `env:"STAGE,required,notEmpty"`
 	IamProbeImage         string                          `env:"IAM_PROBE_IMAGE"`
-	PrecreatorImage       string                          `env:"PRECREATOR_IMAGE"`
+	PrecreatorImage       *string                         `env:"PRECREATOR_IMAGE"`
 	ADCGroupEnvName       string                          `env:"ADC_GROUP_ENV_NAME"`
 	GroupConfigs          []controller.AccessGroupConfig  `env:"GROUP_CONFIG,required,notEmpty"`
 	AuditSinks            []auditSink                     `env:"AUDIT_SINKS"`
diff --git a/internal/controller/precreator.go b/internal/controller/precreator.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb81b1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/controller/precreator.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package controller
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"slices"
+
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+)
+
+func addOrUpdatePrecreator(podspec *corev1.PodSpec, bucketMounts map[string]string, precreatorImage string) (modified bool) {
+	precreator := corev1.Container{
+		Image: precreatorImage,
+		Name:  precreatorContainerName,
+	}
+	volumeMounts := make(map[string]corev1.VolumeMount, len(bucketMounts))
+	for mountPoint, bucket := range bucketMounts {
+		volumeName := maxLengthVolumeName(mountPoint)
+		volumeMounts[volumeName] = corev1.VolumeMount{
+			Name:      volumeName,
+			MountPath: fmt.Sprintf("/buckets/%s", bucket),
+		}
+	}
+	for _, mount := range volumeMounts {
+		precreator.VolumeMounts = append(precreator.VolumeMounts, mount)
+	}
+	for i, c := range podspec.Containers {
+		if c.Name == precreator.Name {
+			if c.Image != precreatorImage ||
+				!slices.EqualFunc(precreator.VolumeMounts, c.VolumeMounts, func(a, b corev1.VolumeMount) bool {
+					return a.Name == b.Name
+				}) {
+				podspec.Containers[i] = precreator
+				return true
+			}
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	podspec.Containers = append(podspec.Containers, precreator)
+	return true
+}
+
+func removePrecreator(podspec *corev1.PodSpec) (modified bool) {
+	podspec.Containers = slices.DeleteFunc(podspec.Containers, func(c corev1.Container) bool {
+		if c.Name == precreatorContainerName {
+			modified = true
+			return true
+		}
+		return false
+	})
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/internal/controller/statefulset_webhook.go b/internal/controller/statefulset_webhook.go
index 8039362..b42e3b4 100644
--- a/internal/controller/statefulset_webhook.go
+++ b/internal/controller/statefulset_webhook.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ type StatefulsetMutator struct {
 	TeamsFolderNumber string
 	Stage             string
 	IamProbeImage     string
-	PrecreatorImage   string
+	PrecreatorImage   *string
 	ADCGroupEnvName   string
 
 	GroupConfigs AccessGroupConfigs
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ func (m *StatefulsetMutator) Handle(ctx context.Context, req admission.Request)
 
 	if accessExpired {
 		removeBucketsFromPodSpec(&sfs.Spec.Template.Spec, serviceContainer)
+		removePrecreator(&sfs.Spec.Template.Spec)
 	} else {
 		bucketMounts := getExtraBucketMounts(sfs.Annotations)
 
@@ -158,7 +159,12 @@ func (m *StatefulsetMutator) Handle(ctx context.Context, req admission.Request)
 			}
 		}
 
-		addBucketsToPodSpec(&sfs.Spec.Template.Spec, serviceContainer, bucketMounts, m.PrecreatorImage)
+		addBucketsToPodSpec(&sfs.Spec.Template.Spec, serviceContainer, bucketMounts)
+		if m.PrecreatorImage != nil {
+			addOrUpdatePrecreator(&sfs.Spec.Template.Spec, bucketMounts, *m.PrecreatorImage)
+		} else {
+			removePrecreator(&sfs.Spec.Template.Spec)
+		}
 	}
 
 	if m.IamProbeImage != "" && sfs.Annotations[iamProbeStatus] != iamProbeDone {
diff --git a/internal/controller/volumes.go b/internal/controller/volumes.go
index 0663bca..9503bdb 100644
--- a/internal/controller/volumes.go
+++ b/internal/controller/volumes.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func maxLengthVolumeName(mountPoint string) string {
 	return volumeName
 }
 
-func addBucketsToPodSpec(podspec *corev1.PodSpec, container *corev1.Container, bucketMounts map[string]string, precreatorImage string) (shouldUpdate bool) {
+func addBucketsToPodSpec(podspec *corev1.PodSpec, container *corev1.Container, bucketMounts map[string]string) (shouldUpdate bool) {
 	volumes := make([]corev1.Volume, 0, len(bucketMounts))
 	volumeMounts := make([]corev1.VolumeMount, 0, len(bucketMounts))
 	for mountPoint, bucket := range bucketMounts {
@@ -78,42 +78,7 @@ func addBucketsToPodSpec(podspec *corev1.PodSpec, container *corev1.Container, b
 		container.VolumeMounts = append(container.VolumeMounts, volumeMounts...)
 	}
 
-	precreatorModified := addOrUpdatePrecreator(podspec, bucketMounts, precreatorImage)
-
-	return precreatorModified || len(volumes) > 0 || len(volumeMounts) > 0
-}
-
-func addOrUpdatePrecreator(podspec *corev1.PodSpec, bucketMounts map[string]string, precreatorImage string) (modified bool) {
-	precreator := corev1.Container{
-		Image: precreatorImage,
-		Name:  precreatorContainerName,
-	}
-	volumeMounts := make(map[string]corev1.VolumeMount, len(bucketMounts))
-	for mountPoint, bucket := range bucketMounts {
-		volumeName := maxLengthVolumeName(mountPoint)
-		volumeMounts[volumeName] = corev1.VolumeMount{
-			Name:      volumeName,
-			MountPath: fmt.Sprintf("/buckets/%s", bucket),
-		}
-	}
-	for _, mount := range volumeMounts {
-		precreator.VolumeMounts = append(precreator.VolumeMounts, mount)
-	}
-	for i, c := range podspec.Containers {
-		if c.Name == precreator.Name {
-			if c.Image != precreatorImage ||
-				!slices.EqualFunc(precreator.VolumeMounts, c.VolumeMounts, func(a, b corev1.VolumeMount) bool {
-					return a.Name == b.Name
-				}) {
-				podspec.Containers[i] = precreator
-				return true
-			}
-			return false
-		}
-	}
-
-	podspec.Containers = append(podspec.Containers, precreator)
-	return true
+	return len(volumes) > 0 || len(volumeMounts) > 0
 }
 
 func removeBucketsFromPodSpec(podspec *corev1.PodSpec, container *corev1.Container) (shouldUpdate bool) {
@@ -135,13 +100,5 @@ func removeBucketsFromPodSpec(podspec *corev1.PodSpec, container *corev1.Contain
 		return false
 	})
 
-	podspec.Containers = slices.DeleteFunc(podspec.Containers, func(c corev1.Container) bool {
-		if c.Name == precreatorContainerName {
-			modified = true
-			return true
-		}
-		return false
-	})
-
 	return modified
 }