diff --git a/pkg/controller/controller_utils.go b/pkg/controller/controller_utils.go
index 6da788c5f2b..1bf2848ba8c 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/controller_utils.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/controller_utils.go
@@ -922,7 +922,7 @@ func PatchNodeTaints(c clientset.Interface, nodeName string, oldNode *v1.Node, n
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal old node %#v for node %q: %v", oldNode, nodeName, err)
 	}
 
-	newAnnotations := newNode.Annotations
+	newTaints := newNode.Spec.Taints
 	objCopy, err := api.Scheme.DeepCopy(oldNode)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to copy node object %#v: %v", oldNode, err)
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ func PatchNodeTaints(c clientset.Interface, nodeName string, oldNode *v1.Node, n
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to cast copy onto node object %#v: %v", newNode, err)
 	}
-	newNode.Annotations = newAnnotations
+	newNode.Spec.Taints = newTaints
 	newData, err := json.Marshal(newNode)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal new node %#v for node %q: %v", newNode, nodeName, err)