diff --git a/docs/userguide/configure-controllers.md b/docs/userguide/configure-controllers.md
index ec0d76560..74b98dad5 100644
--- a/docs/userguide/configure-controllers.md
+++ b/docs/userguide/configure-controllers.md
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ E.g. Specify a controller list:
 --controllers=cluster,clusterStatus,binding,xxx
 ```
 
-E.g. Disable some controllers:
+E.g. Disable some controllers(remember to keep `*` if you want to keep the rest controllers in the default list):
 ```bash
---controllers=-hpa,-unifiedAuth
+--controllers=-hpa,-unifiedAuth,*
 ```
 Use `-foo` to disable the controller named `foo`.
 
diff --git a/pkg/controllers/context/context_test.go b/pkg/controllers/context/context_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bbbb4c04a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/controllers/context/context_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+package context
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
+)
+
+type args struct {
+	controllerName               string
+	disabledByDefaultControllers []string
+}
+
+func TestContext_IsControllerEnabled(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		opts     Options
+		args     args
+		expected bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "on by name",
+			args: args{
+				controllerName:               "bravo",
+				disabledByDefaultControllers: []string{"delta", "echo"},
+			},
+			opts: Options{
+				Controllers: []string{"alpha", "bravo", "-charlie"},
+			},
+			expected: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "off by name",
+			args: args{
+				controllerName:               "charlie",
+				disabledByDefaultControllers: []string{"delta", "echo"},
+			},
+			opts: Options{
+				Controllers: []string{"alpha", "bravo", "-charlie"},
+			},
+			expected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "on by default",
+			args: args{
+				controllerName:               "alpha",
+				disabledByDefaultControllers: []string{"delta", "echo"},
+			},
+			opts: Options{
+				Controllers: []string{"*"},
+			},
+			expected: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "off by default",
+			args: args{
+				controllerName:               "delta",
+				disabledByDefaultControllers: []string{"delta", "echo"},
+			},
+			opts: Options{
+				Controllers: []string{"*"},
+			},
+			expected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "on by star, not off by name",
+			args: args{
+				controllerName:               "alpha",
+				disabledByDefaultControllers: []string{"delta", "echo"},
+			},
+			opts: Options{
+				Controllers: []string{"*", "-charlie"},
+			},
+			expected: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "off by name with star",
+			args: args{
+				controllerName:               "charlie",
+				disabledByDefaultControllers: []string{"delta", "echo"},
+			},
+			opts: Options{
+				Controllers: []string{"*", "-charlie"},
+			},
+			expected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "off by default implicit, no star",
+			args: args{
+				controllerName:               "foxtrot",
+				disabledByDefaultControllers: []string{"delta", "echo"},
+			},
+			opts: Options{
+				Controllers: []string{"alpha", "bravo", "-charlie"},
+			},
+			expected: false,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			c := Context{
+				Opts: tt.opts,
+			}
+			if got := c.IsControllerEnabled(tt.args.controllerName, sets.NewString(tt.args.disabledByDefaultControllers...)); got != tt.expected {
+				t.Errorf("IsControllerEnabled() = %v, want %v", got, tt.expected)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}