diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a7f8c4e01d..65f79665d2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ spec:
     generate:
       kind: ConfigMap
       name: zk-kafka-address
+      # create the resource in the new namespace
+      namespace: "{{request.object.name}}"
       data:
         kind: ConfigMap
         data:
diff --git a/documentation/writing-policies.md b/documentation/writing-policies.md
index 17d6932599..60ccf5beb2 100644
--- a/documentation/writing-policies.md
+++ b/documentation/writing-policies.md
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ spec :
       - key: name # compares (key operator value) 
         operator: Equal
         value: name # constant "name" == "name"
-      - key: "{{serviceAccount}}" # refer to a pre-defined variable serviceAccount
+      - key: "{{serviceAccountName}}" # refer to a pre-defined variable serviceAccountName
         operator: NotEqual
         value: "user1" # if service 
      # Each rule can contain a single validate, mutate, or generate directive
diff --git a/pkg/generate/generate.go b/pkg/generate/generate.go
index 791b386f61..3d85f8bbe2 100644
--- a/pkg/generate/generate.go
+++ b/pkg/generate/generate.go
@@ -232,17 +232,20 @@ func variableSubsitutionForAttributes(gen kyverno.Generation, ctx context.EvalIn
 	if newNamespace, ok := newNamespaceVar.(string); ok {
 		gen.Namespace = newNamespace
 	}
-	// Clone
-	cloneName := gen.Clone.Name
-	cloneNamespace := gen.Clone.Namespace
 
-	newcloneNameVar := variables.SubstituteVariables(ctx, cloneName)
-	if newcloneName, ok := newcloneNameVar.(string); ok {
-		gen.Clone.Name = newcloneName
-	}
-	newcloneNamespaceVar := variables.SubstituteVariables(ctx, cloneNamespace)
-	if newcloneNamespace, ok := newcloneNamespaceVar.(string); ok {
-		gen.Clone.Namespace = newcloneNamespace
+	if gen.Clone != (kyverno.CloneFrom{}) {
+		// Clone
+		cloneName := gen.Clone.Name
+		cloneNamespace := gen.Clone.Namespace
+
+		newcloneNameVar := variables.SubstituteVariables(ctx, cloneName)
+		if newcloneName, ok := newcloneNameVar.(string); ok {
+			gen.Clone.Name = newcloneName
+		}
+		newcloneNamespaceVar := variables.SubstituteVariables(ctx, cloneNamespace)
+		if newcloneNamespace, ok := newcloneNamespaceVar.(string); ok {
+			gen.Clone.Namespace = newcloneNamespace
+		}
 	}
 	return gen
 }