diff --git a/kong/plugin_service_test.go b/kong/plugin_service_test.go
index 2acc078a6..86e857d26 100644
--- a/kong/plugin_service_test.go
+++ b/kong/plugin_service_test.go
@@ -437,14 +437,14 @@ func TestFillPluginDefaults(T *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		T.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			fullSchema, err := client.Plugins.GetFullSchema(defaultCtx, tc.plugin.Name)
+			p := tc.plugin
+			fullSchema, err := client.Plugins.GetFullSchema(defaultCtx, p.Name)
 			assert.Nil(err)
 			assert.NotNil(fullSchema)
-			got, err := FillPluginsDefaults(tc.plugin, fullSchema)
-			if err != nil {
+			if err := FillPluginsDefaults(p, fullSchema); err != nil {
 				t.Errorf(err.Error())
 			}
-			if diff := cmp.Diff(got, tc.expected); diff != "" {
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(p, tc.expected); diff != "" {
 				t.Errorf(diff)
 			}
 		})
diff --git a/kong/utils.go b/kong/utils.go
index 8a7aedb75..29378f107 100644
--- a/kong/utils.go
+++ b/kong/utils.go
@@ -208,11 +208,12 @@ func fillConfigRecord(schema gjson.Result, config Configuration) Configuration {
 	return res
 }
 
-// FillPluginsDefaults ingests plugin's defaults from its schema
-func FillPluginsDefaults(plugin *Plugin, schema map[string]interface{}) (*Plugin, error) {
+// FillPluginsDefaults ingests plugin's defaults from its schema.
+// Takes in a plugin struct and mutate it in place.
+func FillPluginsDefaults(plugin *Plugin, schema map[string]interface{}) error {
 	jsonb, err := json.Marshal(&schema)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 	gjsonSchema := gjson.ParseBytes((jsonb))
 	if plugin.Config == nil {
@@ -225,5 +226,5 @@ func FillPluginsDefaults(plugin *Plugin, schema map[string]interface{}) (*Plugin
 	if plugin.Enabled == nil {
 		plugin.Enabled = Bool(true)
 	}
-	return plugin, nil
+	return nil
 }