diff --git a/controllers/datadogagent/controller_reconcile_agent.go b/controllers/datadogagent/controller_reconcile_agent.go
index f4e987aac..e2e66f02a 100644
--- a/controllers/datadogagent/controller_reconcile_agent.go
+++ b/controllers/datadogagent/controller_reconcile_agent.go
@@ -309,13 +309,10 @@ func (r *Reconciler) labelNodesWithProfiles(ctx context.Context, profilesByNode
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		patch := corev1.Node{
-			TypeMeta:   node.TypeMeta,
-			ObjectMeta: node.ObjectMeta,
-		}
-		patch.Labels = newLabels
+		modifiedNode := node.DeepCopy()
+		modifiedNode.Labels = newLabels
 
-		err := r.client.Patch(ctx, &patch, client.MergeFrom(node))
+		err := r.client.Patch(ctx, modifiedNode, client.MergeFrom(node))
 		if err != nil && !errors.IsNotFound(err) {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/controllers/datadogagent/finalizer.go b/controllers/datadogagent/finalizer.go
index 061c6662e..526f562de 100644
--- a/controllers/datadogagent/finalizer.go
+++ b/controllers/datadogagent/finalizer.go
@@ -157,13 +157,10 @@ func (r *Reconciler) profilesCleanup() error {
 			newLabels[k] = v
 		}
 
-		patch := corev1.Node{
-			TypeMeta:   node.TypeMeta,
-			ObjectMeta: node.ObjectMeta,
-		}
-		patch.Labels = newLabels
+		modifiedNode := node.DeepCopy()
+		modifiedNode.Labels = newLabels
 
-		err := r.client.Patch(context.TODO(), &patch, client.MergeFrom(&node))
+		err := r.client.Patch(context.TODO(), modifiedNode, client.MergeFrom(&node))
 		if err != nil && !errors.IsNotFound(err) {
 			return err
 		}