diff --git a/pkg/apis/batch/validation/validation.go b/pkg/apis/batch/validation/validation.go
index d731732a1ba..0f83ac28d3c 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/batch/validation/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/batch/validation/validation.go
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/apis/batch"
 	api "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/apis/core"
 	apivalidation "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/apis/core/validation"
-	"k8s.io/utils/pointer"
 	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 )
 
@@ -755,7 +754,7 @@ func validateCronJobSpec(spec, oldSpec *batch.CronJobSpec, fldPath *field.Path,
 		allErrs = append(allErrs, apivalidation.ValidateNonnegativeField(int64(*spec.StartingDeadlineSeconds), fldPath.Child("startingDeadlineSeconds"))...)
 	}
 
-	if oldSpec == nil || !pointer.StringEqual(oldSpec.TimeZone, spec.TimeZone) {
+	if oldSpec == nil || !ptr.Equal(oldSpec.TimeZone, spec.TimeZone) {
 		allErrs = append(allErrs, validateTimeZone(spec.TimeZone, fldPath.Child("timeZone"))...)
 	}