diff --git a/pkg/apis/operator/v1alpha1/tektonresult_defaults.go b/pkg/apis/operator/v1alpha1/tektonresult_defaults.go
index 48721aca05..a5e0812625 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/operator/v1alpha1/tektonresult_defaults.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/operator/v1alpha1/tektonresult_defaults.go
@@ -39,4 +39,12 @@ func (c *Result) setDefaults() {
 	if c.RouteTLSTermination == "" {
 		c.RouteTLSTermination = "edge"
 	}
+
+	// The Watcher only forwards logs to the API server when its own
+	// logs_api flag is set; enabling the API server's logs_api alone does
+	// not do this. Default the Watcher to match unless the user set
+	// watcher.logs_api explicitly.
+	if c.LogsAPI != nil && c.Watcher.LogsAPI == nil {
+		c.Watcher.LogsAPI = c.LogsAPI
+	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/apis/operator/v1alpha1/tektonresult_defaults_test.go b/pkg/apis/operator/v1alpha1/tektonresult_defaults_test.go
index 1ec7acbc7e..ead253b17c 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/operator/v1alpha1/tektonresult_defaults_test.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/operator/v1alpha1/tektonresult_defaults_test.go
@@ -100,3 +100,95 @@ func TestResult_SetDefaultsRoutes(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("failed to set defaults %s", diff.PrintWantGot(d))
 	}
 }
+
+func TestResult_SetDefaultsWatcherLogsAPI(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		r    *Result
+		want *Result
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "propagates enabled logs_api to watcher when unset",
+			r: &Result{
+				ResultsAPIProperties: ResultsAPIProperties{
+					LogsAPI:      ptr.Bool(true),
+					RouteEnabled: ptr.Bool(true),
+				},
+			},
+			want: &Result{
+				ResultsAPIProperties: ResultsAPIProperties{
+					LogsAPI:             ptr.Bool(true),
+					RouteEnabled:        ptr.Bool(true),
+					RouteTLSTermination: "edge",
+				},
+				Watcher: ResultsWatcherProperties{
+					LogsAPI: ptr.Bool(true),
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "propagates disabled logs_api to watcher when unset",
+			r: &Result{
+				ResultsAPIProperties: ResultsAPIProperties{
+					LogsAPI:      ptr.Bool(false),
+					RouteEnabled: ptr.Bool(true),
+				},
+			},
+			want: &Result{
+				ResultsAPIProperties: ResultsAPIProperties{
+					LogsAPI:             ptr.Bool(false),
+					RouteEnabled:        ptr.Bool(true),
+					RouteTLSTermination: "edge",
+				},
+				Watcher: ResultsWatcherProperties{
+					LogsAPI: ptr.Bool(false),
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "does not override an explicit watcher logs_api",
+			r: &Result{
+				ResultsAPIProperties: ResultsAPIProperties{
+					LogsAPI:      ptr.Bool(true),
+					RouteEnabled: ptr.Bool(true),
+				},
+				Watcher: ResultsWatcherProperties{
+					LogsAPI: ptr.Bool(false),
+				},
+			},
+			want: &Result{
+				ResultsAPIProperties: ResultsAPIProperties{
+					LogsAPI:             ptr.Bool(true),
+					RouteEnabled:        ptr.Bool(true),
+					RouteTLSTermination: "edge",
+				},
+				Watcher: ResultsWatcherProperties{
+					LogsAPI: ptr.Bool(false),
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "leaves watcher logs_api unset when API logs_api is unset",
+			r: &Result{
+				ResultsAPIProperties: ResultsAPIProperties{
+					RouteEnabled: ptr.Bool(true),
+				},
+			},
+			want: &Result{
+				ResultsAPIProperties: ResultsAPIProperties{
+					RouteEnabled:        ptr.Bool(true),
+					RouteTLSTermination: "edge",
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			tt.r.setDefaults()
+			if d := cmp.Diff(tt.want, tt.r); d != "" {
+				t.Errorf("failed to set defaults %s", diff.PrintWantGot(d))
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}