diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/app/phases/markmaster/markmaster_test.go b/cmd/kubeadm/app/phases/markmaster/markmaster_test.go
index 02dda93a06b..71380d7df76 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/app/phases/markmaster/markmaster_test.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/app/phases/markmaster/markmaster_test.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func TestMarkMaster(t *testing.T) {
 			"master label and taint missing",
 			"",
 			nil,
-			"{\"metadata\":{\"labels\":{\"node-role.kubernetes.io/master\":\"\"}},\"spec\":{\"taints\":[{\"effect\":\"NoSchedule\",\"key\":\"node-role.kubernetes.io/master\",\"timeAdded\":null}]}}",
+			"{\"metadata\":{\"labels\":{\"node-role.kubernetes.io/master\":\"\"}},\"spec\":{\"taints\":[{\"effect\":\"NoSchedule\",\"key\":\"node-role.kubernetes.io/master\"}]}}",
 		},
 		{
 			"master label missing",
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func TestMarkMaster(t *testing.T) {
 			"master taint missing",
 			kubeadmconstants.LabelNodeRoleMaster,
 			nil,
-			"{\"spec\":{\"taints\":[{\"effect\":\"NoSchedule\",\"key\":\"node-role.kubernetes.io/master\",\"timeAdded\":null}]}}",
+			"{\"spec\":{\"taints\":[{\"effect\":\"NoSchedule\",\"key\":\"node-role.kubernetes.io/master\"}]}}",
 		},
 		{
 			"nothing missing",
diff --git a/pkg/api/types.go b/pkg/api/types.go
index 2c54fcf71fb..398bbf2179e 100644
--- a/pkg/api/types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/types.go
@@ -2229,7 +2229,7 @@ type Taint struct {
 	// TimeAdded represents the time at which the taint was added.
 	// It is only written for NoExecute taints.
 	// +optional
-	TimeAdded metav1.Time
+	TimeAdded *metav1.Time
 }
 
 type TaintEffect string
diff --git a/pkg/controller/daemon/daemon_controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/daemon/daemon_controller_test.go
index d5d4786173a..5a64914cf7c 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/daemon/daemon_controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/daemon/daemon_controller_test.go
@@ -63,17 +63,22 @@ var (
 	noExecuteTaints       = []v1.Taint{{Key: "dedicated", Value: "user1", Effect: "NoExecute"}}
 )
 
+func nowPointer() *metav1.Time {
+	now := metav1.Now()
+	return &now
+}
+
 var (
 	nodeNotReady = []v1.Taint{{
 		Key:       algorithm.TaintNodeNotReady,
 		Effect:    v1.TaintEffectNoExecute,
-		TimeAdded: metav1.Now(),
+		TimeAdded: nowPointer(),
 	}}
 
 	nodeUnreachable = []v1.Taint{{
 		Key:       algorithm.TaintNodeUnreachable,
 		Effect:    v1.TaintEffectNoExecute,
-		TimeAdded: metav1.Now(),
+		TimeAdded: nowPointer(),
 	}}
 )
 
diff --git a/pkg/controller/node/scheduler/taint_controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/node/scheduler/taint_controller_test.go
index 1e6a0e2d5b4..7e3fad26c93 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/node/scheduler/taint_controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/node/scheduler/taint_controller_test.go
@@ -33,11 +33,12 @@ import (
 var timeForControllerToProgress = 500 * time.Millisecond
 
 func createNoExecuteTaint(index int) v1.Taint {
+	now := metav1.Now()
 	return v1.Taint{
 		Key:       "testTaint" + fmt.Sprintf("%v", index),
 		Value:     "test" + fmt.Sprintf("%v", index),
 		Effect:    v1.TaintEffectNoExecute,
-		TimeAdded: metav1.Now(),
+		TimeAdded: &now,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/controller/node/util/controller_utils.go b/pkg/controller/node/util/controller_utils.go
index 75d39f12465..6a860f4de9f 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/node/util/controller_utils.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/node/util/controller_utils.go
@@ -256,7 +256,8 @@ func RecordNodeStatusChange(recorder record.EventRecorder, node *v1.Node, newSta
 // otherwise.
 func SwapNodeControllerTaint(kubeClient clientset.Interface, taintsToAdd, taintsToRemove []*v1.Taint, node *v1.Node) bool {
 	for _, taintToAdd := range taintsToAdd {
-		taintToAdd.TimeAdded = metav1.Now()
+		now := metav1.Now()
+		taintToAdd.TimeAdded = &now
 	}
 
 	err := controller.AddOrUpdateTaintOnNode(kubeClient, node.Name, taintsToAdd...)
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/v1/types.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/v1/types.go
index eef13a25a9f..b664255bcb2 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/v1/types.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/api/core/v1/types.go
@@ -2466,7 +2466,7 @@ type Taint struct {
 	// TimeAdded represents the time at which the taint was added.
 	// It is only written for NoExecute taints.
 	// +optional
-	TimeAdded metav1.Time `json:"timeAdded,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=timeAdded"`
+	TimeAdded *metav1.Time `json:"timeAdded,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=timeAdded"`
 }
 
 type TaintEffect string
diff --git a/test/e2e/scheduling/taints_test.go b/test/e2e/scheduling/taints_test.go
index 72dd80a6f14..c4f1e8b9e17 100644
--- a/test/e2e/scheduling/taints_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/scheduling/taints_test.go
@@ -36,11 +36,12 @@ import (
 )
 
 func getTestTaint() v1.Taint {
+	now := metav1.Now()
 	return v1.Taint{
 		Key:       "kubernetes.io/e2e-evict-taint-key",
 		Value:     "evictTaintVal",
 		Effect:    v1.TaintEffectNoExecute,
-		TimeAdded: metav1.Now(),
+		TimeAdded: &now,
 	}
 }