diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/applyconfiguration-gen/generators/applyconfiguration.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/applyconfiguration-gen/generators/applyconfiguration.go
index 5ebadb47517..b883398c3ec 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/applyconfiguration-gen/generators/applyconfiguration.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/applyconfiguration-gen/generators/applyconfiguration.go
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func (g *applyConfigurationGenerator) GenerateType(c *generator.Context, t *type
 
 func hasTypeMetaField(t *types.Type) bool {
 	for _, member := range t.Members {
-		if typeMeta.Name == member.Type.Name {
+		if typeMeta.Name == member.Type.Name && member.Embedded {
 			return true
 		}
 	}