diff --git a/pkg/controller/endpoint/endpoints_controller.go b/pkg/controller/endpoint/endpoints_controller.go
index fbfe40b67ed..209cad19cfe 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/endpoint/endpoints_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/endpoint/endpoints_controller.go
@@ -255,11 +255,10 @@ func podToEndpointAddressForService(svc *v1.Service, pod *v1.Pod) (*v1.EndpointA
 		IP:       endpointIP,
 		NodeName: &pod.Spec.NodeName,
 		TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-			Kind:            "Pod",
-			Namespace:       pod.ObjectMeta.Namespace,
-			Name:            pod.ObjectMeta.Name,
-			UID:             pod.ObjectMeta.UID,
-			ResourceVersion: pod.ObjectMeta.ResourceVersion,
+			Kind:      "Pod",
+			Namespace: pod.ObjectMeta.Namespace,
+			Name:      pod.ObjectMeta.Name,
+			UID:       pod.ObjectMeta.UID,
 		},
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/controller/endpoint/endpoints_controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/endpoint/endpoints_controller_test.go
index a6a2fe5cf58..72b7f6813dd 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/endpoint/endpoints_controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/endpoint/endpoints_controller_test.go
@@ -63,9 +63,10 @@ func testPod(namespace string, id int, nPorts int, isReady bool, ipFamilies []v1
 	p := &v1.Pod{
 		TypeMeta: metav1.TypeMeta{APIVersion: "v1"},
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
-			Namespace: namespace,
-			Name:      fmt.Sprintf("pod%d", id),
-			Labels:    map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
+			Namespace:       namespace,
+			Name:            fmt.Sprintf("pod%d", id),
+			Labels:          map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
+			ResourceVersion: fmt.Sprint(id),
 		},
 		Spec: v1.PodSpec{
 			Containers: []v1.Container{{Ports: []v1.ContainerPort{}}},
@@ -1430,16 +1431,16 @@ func TestPodToEndpointAddressForService(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("TargetRef.Kind: expected: %s, got: %s", "Pod", epa.TargetRef.Kind)
 			}
 			if epa.TargetRef.Namespace != pod.ObjectMeta.Namespace {
-				t.Fatalf("TargetRef.Kind: expected: %s, got: %s", pod.ObjectMeta.Namespace, epa.TargetRef.Namespace)
+				t.Fatalf("TargetRef.Namespace: expected: %s, got: %s", pod.ObjectMeta.Namespace, epa.TargetRef.Namespace)
 			}
 			if epa.TargetRef.Name != pod.ObjectMeta.Name {
-				t.Fatalf("TargetRef.Kind: expected: %s, got: %s", pod.ObjectMeta.Name, epa.TargetRef.Name)
+				t.Fatalf("TargetRef.Name: expected: %s, got: %s", pod.ObjectMeta.Name, epa.TargetRef.Name)
 			}
 			if epa.TargetRef.UID != pod.ObjectMeta.UID {
-				t.Fatalf("TargetRef.Kind: expected: %s, got: %s", pod.ObjectMeta.UID, epa.TargetRef.UID)
+				t.Fatalf("TargetRef.UID: expected: %s, got: %s", pod.ObjectMeta.UID, epa.TargetRef.UID)
 			}
-			if epa.TargetRef.ResourceVersion != pod.ObjectMeta.ResourceVersion {
-				t.Fatalf("TargetRef.Kind: expected: %s, got: %s", pod.ObjectMeta.ResourceVersion, epa.TargetRef.ResourceVersion)
+			if epa.TargetRef.ResourceVersion != "" {
+				t.Fatalf("TargetRef.ResourceVersion: expected empty, got: %s", epa.TargetRef.ResourceVersion)
 			}
 		})
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/endpointslice/utils.go b/pkg/controller/endpointslice/utils.go
index 3344e2ab4a4..ab347eff77d 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/endpointslice/utils.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/endpointslice/utils.go
@@ -53,11 +53,10 @@ func podToEndpoint(pod *corev1.Pod, node *corev1.Node, service *corev1.Service,
 			Ready: &ready,
 		},
 		TargetRef: &corev1.ObjectReference{
-			Kind:            "Pod",
-			Namespace:       pod.ObjectMeta.Namespace,
-			Name:            pod.ObjectMeta.Name,
-			UID:             pod.ObjectMeta.UID,
-			ResourceVersion: pod.ObjectMeta.ResourceVersion,
+			Kind:      "Pod",
+			Namespace: pod.ObjectMeta.Namespace,
+			Name:      pod.ObjectMeta.Name,
+			UID:       pod.ObjectMeta.UID,
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/controller/endpointslice/utils_test.go b/pkg/controller/endpointslice/utils_test.go
index f5f2b26bae8..22c70964891 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/endpointslice/utils_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/endpointslice/utils_test.go
@@ -262,11 +262,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				Conditions: discovery.EndpointConditions{Ready: utilpointer.BoolPtr(true)},
 				NodeName:   utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -279,11 +278,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				Conditions: discovery.EndpointConditions{Ready: utilpointer.BoolPtr(true)},
 				NodeName:   utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -296,11 +294,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				Conditions: discovery.EndpointConditions{Ready: utilpointer.BoolPtr(false)},
 				NodeName:   utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -313,11 +310,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				Conditions: discovery.EndpointConditions{Ready: utilpointer.BoolPtr(true)},
 				NodeName:   utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -332,11 +328,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				Zone:       utilpointer.StringPtr("us-central1-a"),
 				NodeName:   utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -351,11 +346,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				Zone:       utilpointer.StringPtr("us-central1-a"),
 				NodeName:   utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -371,11 +365,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				Zone:       utilpointer.StringPtr("us-central1-a"),
 				NodeName:   utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPodHostname.Name,
-					UID:             readyPodHostname.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPodHostname.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPodHostname.Name,
+					UID:       readyPodHostname.UID,
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -392,11 +385,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				NodeName: utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 			terminatingGateEnabled: true,
@@ -412,11 +404,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				NodeName: utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 			terminatingGateEnabled: false,
@@ -434,11 +425,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				NodeName: utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 			terminatingGateEnabled: true,
@@ -454,11 +444,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				NodeName: utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 			terminatingGateEnabled: false,
@@ -476,11 +465,10 @@ func TestPodToEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				NodeName: utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
 				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{
-					Kind:            "Pod",
-					Namespace:       ns,
-					Name:            readyPod.Name,
-					UID:             readyPod.UID,
-					ResourceVersion: readyPod.ResourceVersion,
+					Kind:      "Pod",
+					Namespace: ns,
+					Name:      readyPod.Name,
+					UID:       readyPod.UID,
 				},
 			},
 			terminatingGateEnabled: true,
@@ -937,6 +925,7 @@ func newPod(n int, namespace string, ready bool, nPorts int, terminating bool) *
 			Name:              fmt.Sprintf("pod%d", n),
 			Labels:            map[string]string{"foo": "bar"},
 			DeletionTimestamp: deletionTimestamp,
+			ResourceVersion:   fmt.Sprint(n),
 		},
 		Spec: v1.PodSpec{
 			Containers: []v1.Container{{
diff --git a/pkg/controller/util/endpoint/controller_utils_test.go b/pkg/controller/util/endpoint/controller_utils_test.go
index acc50e9bd01..bf4d199dd95 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/util/endpoint/controller_utils_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/util/endpoint/controller_utils_test.go
@@ -851,6 +851,28 @@ func TestEndpointsEqualBeyondHash(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			expected: true,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "Pod resourceVersion removed",
+			ep1: &discovery.Endpoint{
+				Conditions: discovery.EndpointConditions{
+					Ready: utilpointer.BoolPtr(true),
+				},
+				Addresses: []string{"10.0.0.1"},
+				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{Kind: "Pod", Namespace: "default", Name: "pod0", ResourceVersion: "1"},
+				Zone:      utilpointer.StringPtr("zone-1"),
+				NodeName:  utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
+			},
+			ep2: &discovery.Endpoint{
+				Conditions: discovery.EndpointConditions{
+					Ready: utilpointer.BoolPtr(true),
+				},
+				Addresses: []string{"10.0.0.1"},
+				TargetRef: &v1.ObjectReference{Kind: "Pod", Namespace: "default", Name: "pod0", ResourceVersion: ""},
+				Zone:      utilpointer.StringPtr("zone-1"),
+				NodeName:  utilpointer.StringPtr("node-1"),
+			},
+			expected: true,
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -933,6 +955,14 @@ func TestEndpointSubsetsEqualIgnoreResourceVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			})},
 			expected: true,
 		},
+		{
+			name:     "Pod ResourceVersion removed",
+			subsets1: []v1.EndpointSubset{*es1, *es2},
+			subsets2: []v1.EndpointSubset{*es1, *copyAndMutateEndpointSubset(es2, func(es *v1.EndpointSubset) {
+				es.Addresses[0].TargetRef.ResourceVersion = ""
+			})},
+			expected: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name:     "Ports changed",
 			subsets1: []v1.EndpointSubset{*es1, *es2},