diff --git a/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/reconcile_state_test.go b/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/reconcile_state_test.go
index 26f844589f61..e982180bda31 100644
--- a/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/reconcile_state_test.go
+++ b/internal/controllers/topology/cluster/reconcile_state_test.go
@@ -1775,6 +1775,18 @@ func TestReconcileMachineDeploymentMachineHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 		Build()
 
 	maxUnhealthy := intstr.Parse("45%")
+	// TODO: (killianmuldoon) This builder should be copied and not just passed around.
+	mhcBuilder := builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
+		WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
+		WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
+			{
+				Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
+				Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
+				Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
+			},
+		}).
+		WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
+		WithClusterName("cluster1")
 
 	infrastructureMachineTemplate := builder.InfrastructureMachineTemplate(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "infrastructure-machine-1").Build()
 	bootstrapTemplate := builder.BootstrapTemplate(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "bootstrap-config-1").Build()
@@ -1790,31 +1802,10 @@ func TestReconcileMachineDeploymentMachineHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 			current: nil,
 			desired: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{
 				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate,
-					builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-						WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-						WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-							{
-								Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-								Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-								Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-							},
-						}).
-						WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-						WithClusterName("cluster1").
-						Build()),
+					mhcBuilder.Clone().Build()),
 			},
 			want: []*clusterv1.MachineHealthCheck{
-				builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-					WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-					WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-						{
-							Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-							Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-							Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-						},
-					}).
-					WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-					WithClusterName("cluster1").
+				mhcBuilder.
 					WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
 					Build()},
 		},
@@ -1826,95 +1817,29 @@ func TestReconcileMachineDeploymentMachineHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 			// MHC is added in the desired state of the MachineDeployment
 			desired: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{
 				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate,
-					builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-						WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-						WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-							{
-								Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-								Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-								Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-							},
-						}).
-						WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-						WithClusterName("cluster1").
-						Build()),
+					mhcBuilder.Clone().Build()),
 			},
 			want: []*clusterv1.MachineHealthCheck{
-				builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-					WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-					WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-						{
-							Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-							Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-							Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-						},
-					}).
-					WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-					WithClusterName("cluster1").
-					WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-					Build()}},
+				mhcBuilder.Clone().Build()}},
 		{
 			name: "Update MachineHealthCheck spec adding a field if the spec adds a field",
 			current: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{
-				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate,
-					builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-						WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-						WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-							{
-								Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-								Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-								Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-							},
-						}).
-						WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-						WithClusterName("cluster1").
-						Build()),
+				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate, mhcBuilder.Clone().Build()),
 			},
 			desired: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{
 				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate,
-					builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-						WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-						WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-							{
-								Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-								Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-								Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-							},
-						}).
-						WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-						WithClusterName("cluster1").WithMaxUnhealthy(&maxUnhealthy).
-						Build())},
+					mhcBuilder.Clone().WithMaxUnhealthy(&maxUnhealthy).Build())},
 			want: []*clusterv1.MachineHealthCheck{
-				builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-					WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-					WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-						{
-							Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-							Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-							Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-						},
-					}).
+				mhcBuilder.Clone().
 					WithMaxUnhealthy(&maxUnhealthy).
 					WithClusterName("cluster1").
-					WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
 					Build()},
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Update MachineHealthCheck spec removing a field if the spec removes a field",
 			current: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{
 				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate,
-					builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-						WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-						WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-							{
-								Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-								Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-								Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-							},
-						}).
-						WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-						WithClusterName("cluster1").WithMaxUnhealthy(&maxUnhealthy).
-						Build()),
+					mhcBuilder.Clone().WithMaxUnhealthy(&maxUnhealthy).Build()),
 			},
 			desired: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{
 				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate,
@@ -1932,35 +1857,13 @@ func TestReconcileMachineDeploymentMachineHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 						Build()),
 			},
 			want: []*clusterv1.MachineHealthCheck{
-				builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-					WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-					WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-						{
-							Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-							Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-							Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-						},
-					}).
-					WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-					WithClusterName("cluster1").
-					Build()},
+				mhcBuilder.Clone().Build(),
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Delete MachineHealthCheck spec if the MachineDeployment is modified to remove an existing one",
 			current: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{
-				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate,
-					builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-						WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-						WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-							{
-								Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-								Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-								Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-							},
-						}).
-						WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-						WithClusterName("cluster1").
-						Build()),
+				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate, mhcBuilder.Clone().Build()),
 			},
 			desired: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate, nil)},
 			want:    []*clusterv1.MachineHealthCheck{},
@@ -1968,19 +1871,7 @@ func TestReconcileMachineDeploymentMachineHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "Delete MachineHealthCheck spec if the MachineDeployment is deleted",
 			current: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{
-				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate,
-					builder.MachineHealthCheck(metav1.NamespaceDefault, "md-1").
-						WithSelector(*selectorForMachineDeploymentMHC(md)).
-						WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
-							{
-								Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
-								Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
-								Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 5 * time.Minute},
-							},
-						}).
-						WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{*ownerReferenceTo(md)}).
-						WithClusterName("cluster1").
-						Build()),
+				newFakeMachineDeploymentTopologyState("md-1", infrastructureMachineTemplate, bootstrapTemplate, mhcBuilder.Clone().Build()),
 			},
 			desired: []*scope.MachineDeploymentState{},
 			want:    []*clusterv1.MachineHealthCheck{},
@@ -2082,19 +1973,19 @@ func TestReconciler_reconcileMachineHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name:    "Create a MachineHealthCheck",
 			current: nil,
-			desired: mhcBuilder.Build(),
-			want:    mhcBuilder.Build(),
+			desired: mhcBuilder.Clone().Build(),
+			want:    mhcBuilder.Clone().Build(),
 		},
 		{
 			name:    "Successfully create a valid Ownerreference on the MachineHealthCheck",
 			current: nil,
 			// update the unhealthy conditions in the MachineHealthCheck
-			desired: mhcBuilder.
+			desired: mhcBuilder.Clone().
 				// Desired object has an incomplete owner reference which has no UID.
 				WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{{Name: cp.GetName(), Kind: cp.GetKind(), APIVersion: cp.GetAPIVersion()}}).
 				Build(),
 			// Want a reconciled object with a full ownerReference including UID
-			want: mhcBuilder.
+			want: mhcBuilder.Clone().
 				WithOwnerReferences([]metav1.OwnerReference{{Name: cp.GetName(), Kind: cp.GetKind(), APIVersion: cp.GetAPIVersion(), UID: cp.GetUID()}}).
 				Build(),
 			wantErr: false,
@@ -2102,16 +1993,16 @@ func TestReconciler_reconcileMachineHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 
 		{
 			name:    "Update a MachineHealthCheck with changes",
-			current: mhcBuilder.Build(),
+			current: mhcBuilder.Clone().Build(),
 			// update the unhealthy conditions in the MachineHealthCheck
-			desired: mhcBuilder.WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
+			desired: mhcBuilder.Clone().WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
 				{
 					Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
 					Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
 					Timeout: metav1.Duration{Duration: 1000 * time.Minute},
 				},
 			}).Build(),
-			want: mhcBuilder.WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
+			want: mhcBuilder.Clone().WithUnhealthyConditions([]clusterv1.UnhealthyCondition{
 				{
 					Type:    corev1.NodeReady,
 					Status:  corev1.ConditionUnknown,
@@ -2121,14 +2012,14 @@ func TestReconciler_reconcileMachineHealthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{
 			name:    "Don't change a MachineHealthCheck with no difference between desired and current",
-			current: mhcBuilder.Build(),
+			current: mhcBuilder.Clone().Build(),
 			// update the unhealthy conditions in the MachineHealthCheck
-			desired: mhcBuilder.Build(),
-			want:    mhcBuilder.Build(),
+			desired: mhcBuilder.Clone().Build(),
+			want:    mhcBuilder.Clone().Build(),
 		},
 		{
 			name:    "Delete a MachineHealthCheck",
-			current: mhcBuilder.Build(),
+			current: mhcBuilder.Clone().Build(),
 			// update the unhealthy conditions in the MachineHealthCheck
 			desired: nil,
 			want:    nil,
diff --git a/internal/test/builder/builders.go b/internal/test/builder/builders.go
index a29b0edd593d..deefb6fe1212 100644
--- a/internal/test/builder/builders.go
+++ b/internal/test/builder/builders.go
@@ -990,3 +990,19 @@ func (m *MachineHealthCheckBuilder) Build() *clusterv1.MachineHealthCheck {
 		},
 	}
 }
+
+// Clone returns a copy of the MachineHealthCheckBuilder.
+func (m *MachineHealthCheckBuilder) Clone() *MachineHealthCheckBuilder {
+	out := &MachineHealthCheckBuilder{
+		name:         m.name,
+		namespace:    m.namespace,
+		clusterName:  m.clusterName,
+		selector:     *m.selector.DeepCopy(),
+		maxUnhealthy: m.maxUnhealthy,
+	}
+	copy(m.conditions, out.conditions)
+	for _, ref := range m.ownerRefs {
+		out.ownerRefs = append(out.ownerRefs, *ref.DeepCopy())
+	}
+	return out
+}