diff --git a/api/v1alpha2/machine_types.go b/api/v1alpha2/machine_types.go
index 66ac1b26c2b2..28c4e7240c16 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha2/machine_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha2/machine_types.go
@@ -37,9 +37,7 @@ const (
 
 // MachineSpec defines the desired state of Machine
 type MachineSpec struct {
-	// ObjectMeta will autopopulate the Node created. Use this to
-	// indicate what labels, annotations, name prefix, etc., should be used
-	// when creating the Node.
+	// DEPRECATED: ObjectMeta has no function and isn't used anywhere.
 	// +optional
 	ObjectMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
 
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machinedeployments.yaml b/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machinedeployments.yaml
index 324fc84c643a..792963642e9c 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machinedeployments.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machinedeployments.yaml
@@ -355,9 +355,8 @@ spec:
                           type: string
                       type: object
                     metadata:
-                      description: ObjectMeta will autopopulate the Node created.
-                        Use this to indicate what labels, annotations, name prefix,
-                        etc., should be used when creating the Node.
+                      description: 'DEPRECATED: ObjectMeta has no function and isn''t
+                        used anywhere.'
                       properties:
                         annotations:
                           additionalProperties:
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machines.yaml b/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machines.yaml
index b9c526e7d889..e6fece2689a3 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machines.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machines.yaml
@@ -139,9 +139,8 @@ spec:
                   type: string
               type: object
             metadata:
-              description: ObjectMeta will autopopulate the Node created. Use this
-                to indicate what labels, annotations, name prefix, etc., should be
-                used when creating the Node.
+              description: 'DEPRECATED: ObjectMeta has no function and isn''t used
+                anywhere.'
               properties:
                 annotations:
                   additionalProperties:
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machinesets.yaml b/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machinesets.yaml
index c5dc02a6268b..da8b10378c4d 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machinesets.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/cluster.x-k8s.io_machinesets.yaml
@@ -305,9 +305,8 @@ spec:
                           type: string
                       type: object
                     metadata:
-                      description: ObjectMeta will autopopulate the Node created.
-                        Use this to indicate what labels, annotations, name prefix,
-                        etc., should be used when creating the Node.
+                      description: 'DEPRECATED: ObjectMeta has no function and isn''t
+                        used anywhere.'
                       properties:
                         annotations:
                           additionalProperties:
diff --git a/controllers/mdutil/util_test.go b/controllers/mdutil/util_test.go
index 3e1f63e7f649..7be5157fd9de 100644
--- a/controllers/mdutil/util_test.go
+++ b/controllers/mdutil/util_test.go
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ func TestFindNewMachineSet(t *testing.T) {
 	newMSDup.CreationTimestamp = now
 
 	oldDeployment := generateDeployment("nginx")
-	oldDeployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Name = "nginx-old-1"
+	oldDeployment.Spec.Template.Name = "nginx-old-1"
 	oldMS := generateMS(oldDeployment)
 	oldMS.Status.FullyLabeledReplicas = *(oldMS.Spec.Replicas)
 
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ func TestFindOldMachineSets(t *testing.T) {
 	newMSDup.CreationTimestamp = now
 
 	oldDeployment := generateDeployment("nginx")
-	oldDeployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Name = "nginx-old-1"
+	oldDeployment.Spec.Template.Name = "nginx-old-1"
 	oldMS := generateMS(oldDeployment)
 	oldMS.Status.FullyLabeledReplicas = *(oldMS.Spec.Replicas)
 	oldMS.CreationTimestamp = before