diff --git a/pkg/apis/serving/v1alpha1/service_types.go b/pkg/apis/serving/v1alpha1/service_types.go
index 753f10ad5f1c..94e75a41d376 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/serving/v1alpha1/service_types.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/serving/v1alpha1/service_types.go
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ func (ss *ServiceStatus) GetCondition(t ServiceConditionType) *ServiceCondition
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (ss *ServiceStatus) SetCondition(new *ServiceCondition) {
+func (ss *ServiceStatus) setCondition(new *ServiceCondition) {
 	if new == nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -169,3 +169,15 @@ func (ss *ServiceStatus) RemoveCondition(t ServiceConditionType) {
 	}
 	ss.Conditions = conditions
 }
+
+func (ss *ServiceStatus) InitializeConditions() {
+	sct := []ServiceConditionType{ServiceConditionReady}
+	for _, cond := range sct {
+		if rc := ss.GetCondition(cond); rc == nil {
+			ss.setCondition(&ServiceCondition{
+				Type:   cond,
+				Status: corev1.ConditionUnknown,
+			})
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/apis/serving/v1alpha1/service_types_test.go b/pkg/apis/serving/v1alpha1/service_types_test.go
index d712aeec09c7..9e2e6a69b7b1 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/serving/v1alpha1/service_types_test.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/serving/v1alpha1/service_types_test.go
@@ -13,173 +13,208 @@ limitations under the License.
 package v1alpha1
 
 import (
-  "testing"
+	"testing"
 
-  corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 )
 
 func TestServiceGeneration(t *testing.T) {
-  service := Service{}
-  if got, want := service.GetGeneration(), int64(0); got != want {
-    t.Errorf("Empty Service generation should be %d, was %d", want, got)
-  }
-
-  answer := int64(42)
-  service.SetGeneration(answer)
-  if got := service.GetGeneration(); got != answer {
-    t.Errorf("GetGeneration mismatch; got %d, want %d", got, answer)
-  }
+	service := Service{}
+	if got, want := service.GetGeneration(), int64(0); got != want {
+		t.Errorf("Empty Service generation should be %d, was %d", want, got)
+	}
+
+	answer := int64(42)
+	service.SetGeneration(answer)
+	if got := service.GetGeneration(); got != answer {
+		t.Errorf("GetGeneration mismatch; got %d, want %d", got, answer)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestServiceIsReady(t *testing.T) {
-  cases := []struct {
-    name    string
-    status  ServiceStatus
-    isReady bool
-  }{
-    {
-      name:    "empty status should not be ready",
-      status:  ServiceStatus{},
-      isReady: false,
-    },
-    {
-      name: "Different condition type should not be ready",
-      status: ServiceStatus{
-        Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
-          {
-            Type:   "Foo",
-            Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
-          },
-        },
-      },
-      isReady: false,
-    },
-    {
-      name: "False condition status should not be ready",
-      status: ServiceStatus{
-        Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
-          {
-            Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
-            Status: corev1.ConditionFalse,
-          },
-        },
-      },
-      isReady: false,
-    },
-    {
-      name: "Unknown condition status should not be ready",
-      status: ServiceStatus{
-        Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
-          {
-            Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
-            Status: corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-          },
-        },
-      },
-      isReady: false,
-    },
-    {
-      name: "Missing condition status should not be ready",
-      status: ServiceStatus{
-        Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
-          {
-            Type: ServiceConditionReady,
-          },
-        },
-      },
-      isReady: false,
-    },
-    {
-      name: "True condition status should be ready",
-      status: ServiceStatus{
-        Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
-          {
-            Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
-            Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
-          },
-        },
-      },
-      isReady: true,
-    },
-    {
-      name: "Multiple conditions with ready status should be ready",
-      status: ServiceStatus{
-        Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
-          {
-            Type:   "Foo",
-            Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
-          },
-          {
-            Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
-            Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
-          },
-        },
-      },
-      isReady: true,
-    },
-    {
-      name: "Multiple conditions with ready status false should not be ready",
-      status: ServiceStatus{
-        Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
-          {
-            Type:   "Foo",
-            Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
-          },
-          {
-            Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
-            Status: corev1.ConditionFalse,
-          },
-        },
-      },
-      isReady: false,
-    },
-  }
-
-  for _, tc := range cases {
-    if e, a := tc.isReady, tc.status.IsReady(); e != a {
-      t.Errorf("%q expected: %v got: %v", tc.name, e, a)
-    }
-  }
+	cases := []struct {
+		name    string
+		status  ServiceStatus
+		isReady bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:    "empty status should not be ready",
+			status:  ServiceStatus{},
+			isReady: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Different condition type should not be ready",
+			status: ServiceStatus{
+				Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
+					{
+						Type:   "Foo",
+						Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			isReady: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "False condition status should not be ready",
+			status: ServiceStatus{
+				Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
+					{
+						Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
+						Status: corev1.ConditionFalse,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			isReady: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Unknown condition status should not be ready",
+			status: ServiceStatus{
+				Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
+					{
+						Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
+						Status: corev1.ConditionUnknown,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			isReady: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Missing condition status should not be ready",
+			status: ServiceStatus{
+				Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
+					{
+						Type: ServiceConditionReady,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			isReady: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "True condition status should be ready",
+			status: ServiceStatus{
+				Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
+					{
+						Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
+						Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			isReady: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Multiple conditions with ready status should be ready",
+			status: ServiceStatus{
+				Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
+					{
+						Type:   "Foo",
+						Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
+					},
+					{
+						Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
+						Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			isReady: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Multiple conditions with ready status false should not be ready",
+			status: ServiceStatus{
+				Conditions: []ServiceCondition{
+					{
+						Type:   "Foo",
+						Status: corev1.ConditionTrue,
+					},
+					{
+						Type:   ServiceConditionReady,
+						Status: corev1.ConditionFalse,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			isReady: false,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		if e, a := tc.isReady, tc.status.IsReady(); e != a {
+			t.Errorf("%q expected: %v got: %v", tc.name, e, a)
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func TestServiceConditions(t *testing.T) {
-  svc := &Service{}
-  foo := &ServiceCondition {
-    Type:   "Foo",
-    Status: "True",
-  }
-  bar := &ServiceCondition {
-    Type:   "Bar",
-    Status: "True",
-  }
-
-  // Add a single condition.
-  svc.Status.SetCondition(foo)
-  if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 1; got != want {
-    t.Fatalf("Unexpected Condition length; got %d, want %d", got, want)
-  }
-
-  // Remove non-existent condition.
-  svc.Status.RemoveCondition(bar.Type)
-  if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 1; got != want {
-    t.Fatalf("Unexpected Condition length; got %d, want %d", got, want)
-  }
-
-  // Add a second Condition.
-  svc.Status.SetCondition(bar)
-  if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 2; got != want {
-    t.Fatalf("Unexpected Condition length; got %d, want %d", got, want)
-  }
-
-  // Remove the first Condition.
-  svc.Status.RemoveCondition(foo.Type)
-  if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 1; got != want {
-    t.Fatalf("Unexpected condition length; got %d, want %d", got, want)
-  }
-
-  // Test Add nil condition.
-  svc.Status.SetCondition(nil)
-  if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 1; got != want {
-    t.Fatal("Error, nil condition was allowed to be added.")
-  }
+	svc := &Service{}
+	foo := &ServiceCondition{
+		Type:   "Foo",
+		Status: "True",
+	}
+	bar := &ServiceCondition{
+		Type:   "Bar",
+		Status: "True",
+	}
+
+	// Add a single condition.
+	svc.Status.setCondition(foo)
+	if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 1; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected Condition length; got %d, want %d", got, want)
+	}
+
+	// Remove non-existent condition.
+	svc.Status.RemoveCondition(bar.Type)
+	if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 1; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected Condition length; got %d, want %d", got, want)
+	}
+
+	// Add a second Condition.
+	svc.Status.setCondition(bar)
+	if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 2; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected Condition length; got %d, want %d", got, want)
+	}
+
+	// Remove the first Condition.
+	svc.Status.RemoveCondition(foo.Type)
+	if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 1; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("Unexpected condition length; got %d, want %d", got, want)
+	}
+
+	// Test Add nil condition.
+	svc.Status.setCondition(nil)
+	if got, want := len(svc.Status.Conditions), 1; got != want {
+		t.Fatal("Error, nil condition was allowed to be added.")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTypicalServiceFlow(t *testing.T) {
+	r := &Service{}
+	r.Status.InitializeConditions()
+	checkConditionOngoingService(r.Status, ServiceConditionReady, t)
+
+	// TODO(#1134): Service needs proper conditions.
+}
+
+func checkConditionSucceededService(rs ServiceStatus, rct ServiceConditionType, t *testing.T) *ServiceCondition {
+	t.Helper()
+	return checkConditionService(rs, rct, corev1.ConditionTrue, t)
+}
+
+func checkConditionFailedService(rs ServiceStatus, rct ServiceConditionType, t *testing.T) *ServiceCondition {
+	t.Helper()
+	return checkConditionService(rs, rct, corev1.ConditionFalse, t)
+}
+
+func checkConditionOngoingService(rs ServiceStatus, rct ServiceConditionType, t *testing.T) *ServiceCondition {
+	t.Helper()
+	return checkConditionService(rs, rct, corev1.ConditionUnknown, t)
+}
+
+func checkConditionService(rs ServiceStatus, rct ServiceConditionType, cs corev1.ConditionStatus, t *testing.T) *ServiceCondition {
+	t.Helper()
+	r := rs.GetCondition(rct)
+	if r == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Get(%v) = nil, wanted %v=%v", rct, rct, cs)
+	}
+	if r.Status != cs {
+		t.Fatalf("Get(%v) = %v, wanted %v", rct, r.Status, cs)
+	}
+	return r
 }
diff --git a/pkg/controller/service/service.go b/pkg/controller/service/service.go
index 69acffeb845f..3199f161f8d4 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/service/service.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/service/service.go
@@ -135,9 +135,9 @@ func (c *Controller) updateServiceEvent(key string) error {
 
 		return err
 	}
-
 	// Don't modify the informers copy
 	service = service.DeepCopy()
+	service.Status.InitializeConditions()
 
 	// We added the Generation to avoid fighting the Configuration controller,
 	// which adds a Generation to avoid fighting the Revision controller. We