diff --git a/hack/deployer/runner/gke.go b/hack/deployer/runner/gke.go
index dd1f77b369..43c4d622b7 100644
--- a/hack/deployer/runner/gke.go
+++ b/hack/deployer/runner/gke.go
@@ -269,9 +269,9 @@ EOF`, sc)).Run()
 		return err
 	}
 
-	cmd := fmt.Sprintf(
-		`kubectl patch storageclass %s -p '{ "metadata": { "annotations": { "storageclass.beta.kubernetes.io/is-default-class":"false"} } }'`,
-		defaultName)
+	// Depending on K8s version, a different annotation is needed. To avoid parsing version string, both are set.
+	patch := `'{ "metadata": { "annotations": { "storageclass.kubernetes.io/is-default-class":"false", "storageclass.beta.kubernetes.io/is-default-class":"false"} } }'`
+	cmd := fmt.Sprintf(`kubectl patch storageclass %s -p %s`, defaultName, patch)
 	return NewCommand(cmd).Run()
 }