diff --git a/sample-operators/mysql-schema/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/MySQLSchemaReconciler.java b/sample-operators/mysql-schema/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/MySQLSchemaReconciler.java
index f75ac32ee7..4a6f4f4d45 100644
--- a/sample-operators/mysql-schema/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/MySQLSchemaReconciler.java
+++ b/sample-operators/mysql-schema/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/MySQLSchemaReconciler.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ObjectMetaBuilder;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Secret;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.*;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.dependent.Dependent;
@@ -33,10 +34,10 @@ public UpdateControl<MySQLSchema> reconcile(MySQLSchema schema, Context<MySQLSch
     Secret secret = context.getSecondaryResource(Secret.class).orElseThrow();
 
     return context.getSecondaryResource(Schema.class, SchemaDependentResource.NAME).map(s -> {
-      updateStatusPojo(schema, s, secret.getMetadata().getName(),
+      var statusUpdateResource = createForStatusUpdate(schema, s, secret.getMetadata().getName(),
           decode(secret.getData().get(MYSQL_SECRET_USERNAME)));
       log.info("Schema {} created - updating CR status", s.getName());
-      return UpdateControl.patchStatus(schema);
+      return UpdateControl.patchStatus(statusUpdateResource);
     }).orElseGet(UpdateControl::noUpdate);
   }
 
@@ -54,8 +55,14 @@ public ErrorStatusUpdateControl<MySQLSchema> updateErrorStatus(MySQLSchema schem
   }
 
 
-  private void updateStatusPojo(MySQLSchema mySQLSchema, Schema schema, String secretName,
+  private MySQLSchema createForStatusUpdate(MySQLSchema mySQLSchema, Schema schema,
+      String secretName,
       String userName) {
+    MySQLSchema res = new MySQLSchema();
+    res.setMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder()
+        .withName(mySQLSchema.getMetadata().getName())
+        .withNamespace(mySQLSchema.getMetadata().getNamespace())
+        .build());
     SchemaStatus status = new SchemaStatus();
     status.setUrl(
         format(
@@ -64,6 +71,7 @@ private void updateStatusPojo(MySQLSchema mySQLSchema, Schema schema, String sec
     status.setUserName(userName);
     status.setSecretName(secretName);
     status.setStatus("CREATED");
-    mySQLSchema.setStatus(status);
+    res.setStatus(status);
+    return res;
   }
 }
diff --git a/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/TomcatReconciler.java b/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/TomcatReconciler.java
index 796da31d5d..f89a5f22e0 100644
--- a/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/TomcatReconciler.java
+++ b/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/TomcatReconciler.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ObjectMetaBuilder;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.Deployment;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.DeploymentStatus;
 import io.javaoperatorsdk.operator.api.reconciler.*;
@@ -26,23 +27,28 @@ public class TomcatReconciler implements Reconciler<Tomcat> {
   @Override
   public UpdateControl<Tomcat> reconcile(Tomcat tomcat, Context<Tomcat> context) {
     return context.getSecondaryResource(Deployment.class).map(deployment -> {
-      Tomcat updatedTomcat = updateTomcatStatus(tomcat, deployment);
+      Tomcat updatedTomcat = createTomcatForStatusUpdate(tomcat, deployment);
       log.info(
           "Updating status of Tomcat {} in namespace {} to {} ready replicas",
           tomcat.getMetadata().getName(),
           tomcat.getMetadata().getNamespace(),
-          tomcat.getStatus().getReadyReplicas());
+          tomcat.getStatus() == null ? 0 : tomcat.getStatus().getReadyReplicas());
       return UpdateControl.patchStatus(updatedTomcat);
     }).orElseGet(UpdateControl::noUpdate);
   }
 
-  private Tomcat updateTomcatStatus(Tomcat tomcat, Deployment deployment) {
+  private Tomcat createTomcatForStatusUpdate(Tomcat tomcat, Deployment deployment) {
+    Tomcat res = new Tomcat();
+    res.setMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder()
+        .withName(tomcat.getMetadata().getName())
+        .withNamespace(tomcat.getMetadata().getNamespace())
+        .build());
     DeploymentStatus deploymentStatus =
         Objects.requireNonNullElse(deployment.getStatus(), new DeploymentStatus());
     int readyReplicas = Objects.requireNonNullElse(deploymentStatus.getReadyReplicas(), 0);
     TomcatStatus status = new TomcatStatus();
     status.setReadyReplicas(readyReplicas);
-    tomcat.setStatus(status);
-    return tomcat;
+    res.setStatus(status);
+    return res;
   }
 }
diff --git a/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebappReconciler.java b/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebappReconciler.java
index 2dbddbf286..e1c1ddc71a 100644
--- a/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebappReconciler.java
+++ b/sample-operators/tomcat-operator/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/WebappReconciler.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.ObjectMetaBuilder;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.Pod;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.api.model.apps.Deployment;
 import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.KubernetesClient;
@@ -101,12 +102,7 @@ public UpdateControl<Webapp> reconcile(Webapp webapp, Context<Webapp> context) {
 
       String[] commandStatusInAllPods = executeCommandInAllPods(kubernetesClient, webapp, command);
 
-      if (webapp.getStatus() == null) {
-        webapp.setStatus(new WebappStatus());
-      }
-      webapp.getStatus().setDeployedArtifact(webapp.getSpec().getUrl());
-      webapp.getStatus().setDeploymentStatus(commandStatusInAllPods);
-      return UpdateControl.patchStatus(webapp);
+      return UpdateControl.patchStatus(createWebAppForStatusUpdate(webapp, commandStatusInAllPods));
     } else {
       log.info("WebappController invoked but Tomcat not ready yet ({}/{})",
           tomcat.getStatus() != null ? tomcat.getStatus().getReadyReplicas() : 0,
@@ -115,6 +111,18 @@ public UpdateControl<Webapp> reconcile(Webapp webapp, Context<Webapp> context) {
     }
   }
 
+  private Webapp createWebAppForStatusUpdate(Webapp actual, String[] commandStatusInAllPods) {
+    var webapp = new Webapp();
+    webapp.setMetadata(new ObjectMetaBuilder()
+        .withName(actual.getMetadata().getName())
+        .withNamespace(actual.getMetadata().getNamespace())
+        .build());
+    webapp.setStatus(new WebappStatus());
+    webapp.getStatus().setDeployedArtifact(actual.getSpec().getUrl());
+    webapp.getStatus().setDeploymentStatus(commandStatusInAllPods);
+    return webapp;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public DeleteControl cleanup(Webapp webapp, Context<Webapp> context) {