diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/devicelink_conditions.go b/api/v1alpha1/devicelink_conditions.go
index d6f8689c..b7ded377 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/devicelink_conditions.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/devicelink_conditions.go
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ func (in *DeviceLink) FailOnModelExisted(message string) {
 		return
 	}
 	in.Status.Conditions = deviceLinkConditions(in.Status.Conditions).
-		did(DeviceLinkModelExisted, metav1.ConditionFalse, "NotFound", message, in.Status.Model != in.Spec.Model)
-	in.Status.Model = metav1.TypeMeta{}
+		did(DeviceLinkModelExisted, metav1.ConditionFalse, "NotFound", message, in.Status.Model == nil || *in.Status.Model != in.Spec.Model)
+	in.Status.Model = nil
 }
 
 func (in *DeviceLink) SucceedOnModelExisted() {
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ func (in *DeviceLink) SucceedOnModelExisted() {
 		return
 	}
 	in.Status.Conditions = deviceLinkConditions(in.Status.Conditions).
-		did(DeviceLinkModelExisted, metav1.ConditionTrue, "Found", "", in.Status.Model != in.Spec.Model).
+		did(DeviceLinkModelExisted, metav1.ConditionTrue, "Found", "", in.Status.Model == nil || *in.Status.Model != in.Spec.Model).
 		next(DeviceLinkAdaptorExisted, "Confirming", "verify if there is a suitable adaptor to access")
-	in.Status.Model = in.Spec.Model
+	in.Status.Model = &in.Spec.Model
 }
 
 func (in *DeviceLink) ToCheckModelExisted() {
diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/devicelink_types.go b/api/v1alpha1/devicelink_types.go
index 8f8df0a1..ab9ab014 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/devicelink_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/devicelink_types.go
@@ -225,15 +225,11 @@ type DeviceLinkStatus struct {
 
 	// Represents the observed model of the device.
 	// +optional
-	Model metav1.TypeMeta `json:"model,omitempty"`
+	Model *metav1.TypeMeta `json:"model,omitempty"`
 
 	// Represents the observed adaptor name of the device.
 	// +optional
 	AdaptorName string `json:"adaptorName,omitempty"`
-
-	// Represents the observed template generation of the device.
-	// +optional
-	DeviceTemplateGeneration int64 `json:"deviceTemplateGeneration,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // +kubebuilder:object:root=true
diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index d8ca5ed1..45901ca0 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package v1alpha1
 
 import (
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
@@ -298,7 +299,11 @@ func (in *DeviceLinkStatus) DeepCopyInto(out *DeviceLinkStatus) {
 			(*in)[i].DeepCopyInto(&(*out)[i])
 		}
 	}
-	out.Model = in.Model
+	if in.Model != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Model, &out.Model
+		*out = new(metav1.TypeMeta)
+		**out = **in
+	}
 }
 
 // DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new DeviceLinkStatus.
diff --git a/deploy/e2e/all_in_one.yaml b/deploy/e2e/all_in_one.yaml
index 85afea4e..5506f3a1 100644
--- a/deploy/e2e/all_in_one.yaml
+++ b/deploy/e2e/all_in_one.yaml
@@ -252,10 +252,6 @@ spec:
                   - type
                   type: object
                 type: array
-              deviceTemplateGeneration:
-                description: Represents the observed template generation of the device.
-                format: int64
-                type: integer
               model:
                 description: Represents the observed model of the device.
                 properties:
diff --git a/deploy/manifests/crd/base/edge.cattle.io_devicelinks.yaml b/deploy/manifests/crd/base/edge.cattle.io_devicelinks.yaml
index 9c7e9680..9a598ce2 100644
--- a/deploy/manifests/crd/base/edge.cattle.io_devicelinks.yaml
+++ b/deploy/manifests/crd/base/edge.cattle.io_devicelinks.yaml
@@ -244,10 +244,6 @@ spec:
                   - type
                   type: object
                 type: array
-              deviceTemplateGeneration:
-                description: Represents the observed template generation of the device.
-                format: int64
-                type: integer
               model:
                 description: Represents the observed model of the device.
                 properties:
diff --git a/pkg/brain/predicate/devicelink_changed.go b/pkg/brain/predicate/devicelink_changed.go
index f3001830..0cdd837b 100644
--- a/pkg/brain/predicate/devicelink_changed.go
+++ b/pkg/brain/predicate/devicelink_changed.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func (p DeviceLinkChangedPredicate) Update(e event.UpdateEvent) bool {
 			deviceLinkChangedPredicateLog.V(5).Info("Accept UpdateEvent as the node is changed", "object", object.GetNamespacedName(e.MetaOld))
 			return true
 		}
-		if dl.Status.Model != dl.Spec.Model {
+		if dl.Status.Model == nil || *dl.Status.Model != dl.Spec.Model {
 			deviceLinkChangedPredicateLog.V(5).Info("Accept UpdateEvent as the model is changed", "object", object.GetNamespacedName(e.MetaOld))
 			return true
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/limb/controller/devicelink.go b/pkg/limb/controller/devicelink.go
index bf524469..632537bf 100644
--- a/pkg/limb/controller/devicelink.go
+++ b/pkg/limb/controller/devicelink.go
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func (r *DeviceLinkReconciler) Reconcile(req ctrl.Request) (ctrl.Result, error)
 	// NB(thxCode) we might see this as the `spec.model` has been changed,
 	// so we need to disconnect the previous connection and
 	// wait for brain to confirm the next step.
-	if link.Status.Model != link.Spec.Model {
+	if link.Status.Model == nil || *link.Status.Model != link.Spec.Model {
 		r.SuctionCup.Disconnect(&link)
 		return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 	}
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func (r *DeviceLinkReconciler) Reconcile(req ctrl.Request) (ctrl.Result, error)
 	link.SucceedOnAdaptorExisted()
 
 	// validates device
-	var device, deviceNewErr = modelutil.NewInstanceOfTypeMeta(link.Status.Model)
+	var device, deviceNewErr = modelutil.NewInstanceOfTypeMeta(*link.Status.Model)
 	if deviceNewErr != nil {
 		log.Error(deviceNewErr, "Unable to make device from model")
 		link.FailOnDeviceCreated("unable to make device from model")
diff --git a/pkg/limb/controller/devicelink_connection.go b/pkg/limb/controller/devicelink_connection.go
index 3b6fc8a6..e8764502 100644
--- a/pkg/limb/controller/devicelink_connection.go
+++ b/pkg/limb/controller/devicelink_connection.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func (r *DeviceLinkReconciler) ReceiveConnectionStatus(req suctioncup.RequestCon
 	}
 
 	// validates device
-	var device, err = modelutil.NewInstanceOfTypeMeta(link.Status.Model)
+	var device, err = modelutil.NewInstanceOfTypeMeta(*link.Status.Model)
 	if err != nil {
 		// NB(thxCode) we don't need to deal with this case as it can be traced by the main logic of limb.
 		return suctioncup.Response{}, nil
diff --git a/pkg/suctioncup/neurons.go b/pkg/suctioncup/neurons.go
index 0aab24cd..08212156 100644
--- a/pkg/suctioncup/neurons.go
+++ b/pkg/suctioncup/neurons.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (m *manager) Connect(referencesData map[string]map[string][]byte, device *u
 		}
 	}()
 
-	var sendModel = &by.Status.Model
+	var sendModel = by.Status.Model
 	var sendDevice []byte
 	sendDevice, sentErr = device.MarshalJSON()
 	if sentErr != nil {