diff --git a/pkg/apis/settings/settings.go b/pkg/apis/settings/settings.go
index 45aab3af3734..ab6bd9b2c6d5 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/settings/settings.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/settings/settings.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ var defaultSettings = &Settings{
 	DriftEnabled:      false,
 }
 
+// +k8s:deepcopy-gen=true
 type Settings struct {
 	BatchMaxDuration  metav1.Duration
 	BatchIdleDuration metav1.Duration
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ func (*Settings) ConfigMap() string {
 
 // Inject creates a Settings from the supplied ConfigMap
 func (*Settings) Inject(ctx context.Context, cm *v1.ConfigMap) (context.Context, error) {
-	s := defaultSettings
+	s := defaultSettings.DeepCopy()
 
 	if err := configmap.Parse(cm.Data,
 		AsMetaDuration("batchMaxDuration", &s.BatchMaxDuration),
@@ -70,15 +71,15 @@ func (*Settings) Inject(ctx context.Context, cm *v1.ConfigMap) (context.Context,
 //	type ExampleStruct struct {
 //	    Example  metav1.Duration `json:"example" validate:"required,min=10m"`
 //	}
-func (s *Settings) Validate() (err error) {
+func (in *Settings) Validate() (err error) {
 	validate := validator.New()
-	if s.BatchMaxDuration.Duration <= 0 {
+	if in.BatchMaxDuration.Duration <= 0 {
 		err = multierr.Append(err, fmt.Errorf("batchMaxDuration cannot be negative"))
 	}
-	if s.BatchIdleDuration.Duration <= 0 {
+	if in.BatchIdleDuration.Duration <= 0 {
 		err = multierr.Append(err, fmt.Errorf("batchMaxDuration cannot be negative"))
 	}
-	return multierr.Append(err, validate.Struct(s))
+	return multierr.Append(err, validate.Struct(in))
 }
 
 // AsMetaDuration parses the value at key as a time.Duration into the target, if it exists.
diff --git a/pkg/apis/settings/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/pkg/apis/settings/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d7643cf2f737
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/apis/settings/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+//go:build !ignore_autogenerated
+// +build !ignore_autogenerated
+
+/*
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+// Code generated by controller-gen. DO NOT EDIT.
+
+package settings
+
+import ()
+
+// DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
+func (in *Settings) DeepCopyInto(out *Settings) {
+	*out = *in
+	out.BatchMaxDuration = in.BatchMaxDuration
+	out.BatchIdleDuration = in.BatchIdleDuration
+}
+
+// DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new Settings.
+func (in *Settings) DeepCopy() *Settings {
+	if in == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := new(Settings)
+	in.DeepCopyInto(out)
+	return out
+}