diff --git a/pkg/api/controller.go b/pkg/api/controller.go
index cd2f42948cc..01dfd341329 100644
--- a/pkg/api/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/api/controller.go
@@ -3091,9 +3091,10 @@ func (c *Controller) InternalCreateBranchProtectionRule(w http.ResponseWriter, r
 		}
 	}
 	if rules == nil {
-		rules = &graveler.BranchProtectionRules{
-			BranchPatternToBlockedActions: make(map[string]*graveler.BranchProtectionBlockedActions),
-		}
+		rules = &graveler.BranchProtectionRules{}
+	}
+	if rules.BranchPatternToBlockedActions == nil {
+		rules.BranchPatternToBlockedActions = make(map[string]*graveler.BranchProtectionBlockedActions)
 	}
 	blockedActions := &graveler.BranchProtectionBlockedActions{
 		Value: []graveler.BranchProtectionBlockedAction{graveler.BranchProtectionBlockedAction_STAGING_WRITE, graveler.BranchProtectionBlockedAction_COMMIT},
diff --git a/pkg/graveler/branch/protection_manager_test.go b/pkg/graveler/branch/protection_manager_test.go
index 8b02871cdf7..bbd0f2d8ed0 100644
--- a/pkg/graveler/branch/protection_manager_test.go
+++ b/pkg/graveler/branch/protection_manager_test.go
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ func TestSetAndGet(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	bpm := prepareTest(t, ctx)
 	rules, eTag, err := bpm.GetRules(ctx, repository)
-	if !errors.Is(err, graveler.ErrNotFound) {
-		t.Fatalf("expected ErrNotFound, got %v", err)
+	testutil.Must(t, err)
+	if len(rules.BranchPatternToBlockedActions) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no rules, got %d rules", len(rules.BranchPatternToBlockedActions))
 	}
 	testutil.Must(t, bpm.SetRulesIf(ctx, repository, &graveler.BranchProtectionRules{
 		BranchPatternToBlockedActions: map[string]*graveler.BranchProtectionBlockedActions{
@@ -90,8 +91,9 @@ func TestDelete(t *testing.T) {
 	testutil.Must(t, bpm.Delete(ctx, repository, "main*"))
 
 	rules, _, err = bpm.GetRules(ctx, repository)
-	if !errors.Is(err, graveler.ErrNotFound) {
-		t.Fatalf("expected ErrNotFound after delete, got %v", err)
+	testutil.Must(t, err)
+	if len(rules.BranchPatternToBlockedActions) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no rules, got %d rules", len(rules.BranchPatternToBlockedActions))
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/graveler/mock/graveler.go b/pkg/graveler/mock/graveler.go
index f8cbe8e4298..b20fee272ff 100644
--- a/pkg/graveler/mock/graveler.go
+++ b/pkg/graveler/mock/graveler.go
@@ -2916,15 +2916,29 @@ func (mr *MockProtectedBranchesManagerMockRecorder) IsBlocked(ctx, repository, b
 }
 
 // SetRules mocks base method.
-func (m *MockProtectedBranchesManager) SetRulesIf(ctx context.Context, repository *graveler.RepositoryRecord, rules *graveler.BranchProtectionRules, ifMatchETag *string) error {
+func (m *MockProtectedBranchesManager) SetRules(ctx context.Context, repository *graveler.RepositoryRecord, rules *graveler.BranchProtectionRules) error {
 	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
-	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "SetRulesIf", ctx, repository, rules, ifMatchETag)
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "SetRules", ctx, repository, rules)
 	ret0, _ := ret[0].(error)
 	return ret0
 }
 
 // SetRules indicates an expected call of SetRules.
-func (mr *MockProtectedBranchesManagerMockRecorder) SetRules(ctx, repository, rules, ifMatchETag interface{}) *gomock.Call {
+func (mr *MockProtectedBranchesManagerMockRecorder) SetRules(ctx, repository, rules interface{}) *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "SetRules", reflect.TypeOf((*MockProtectedBranchesManager)(nil).SetRules), ctx, repository, rules)
+}
+
+// SetRulesIf mocks base method.
+func (m *MockProtectedBranchesManager) SetRulesIf(ctx context.Context, repository *graveler.RepositoryRecord, rules *graveler.BranchProtectionRules, ifMatchETag string) error {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "SetRulesIf", ctx, repository, rules, ifMatchETag)
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(error)
+	return ret0
+}
+
+// SetRulesIf indicates an expected call of SetRulesIf.
+func (mr *MockProtectedBranchesManagerMockRecorder) SetRulesIf(ctx, repository, rules, ifMatchETag interface{}) *gomock.Call {
 	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "SetRulesIf", reflect.TypeOf((*MockProtectedBranchesManager)(nil).SetRulesIf), ctx, repository, rules, ifMatchETag)
 }