diff --git a/apis/common/condition.go b/apis/common/condition.go
index f1c91b809..03f67110c 100644
--- a/apis/common/condition.go
+++ b/apis/common/condition.go
@@ -96,8 +96,15 @@ type Condition struct { //nolint:recvcheck // False positive - only has non-poin
 }
 
 // Equal returns true if the condition is identical to the supplied condition,
-// ignoring the LastTransitionTime.
+// ignoring the LastTransitionTime.  If one or both conditions have not
+// provided the ObservedGeneration it is not considered in the comparison.
 func (c Condition) Equal(other Condition) bool {
+	if c.ObservedGeneration == 0 || other.ObservedGeneration == 0 {
+		return c.Type == other.Type &&
+			c.Status == other.Status &&
+			c.Reason == other.Reason &&
+			c.Message == other.Message
+	}
 	return c.Type == other.Type &&
 		c.Status == other.Status &&
 		c.Reason == other.Reason &&
diff --git a/apis/common/condition_test.go b/apis/common/condition_test.go
index 50b052ce4..6e0846e33 100644
--- a/apis/common/condition_test.go
+++ b/apis/common/condition_test.go
@@ -76,9 +76,27 @@ func TestConditionEqual(t *testing.T) {
 			b:    Condition{Message: "uncool"},
 			want: false,
 		},
+		"IdenticalWithMissingObservedGeneration": {
+			a: Condition{
+				Type:               TypeReady,
+				Status:             corev1.ConditionTrue,
+				LastTransitionTime: metav1.Now(),
+				Reason:             ReasonCreating,
+				Message:            "UnitTest",
+				ObservedGeneration: 1,
+			},
+			b: Condition{
+				Type:               TypeReady,
+				Status:             corev1.ConditionTrue,
+				LastTransitionTime: metav1.Now(),
+				Reason:             ReasonCreating,
+				Message:            "UnitTest",
+			},
+			want: true,
+		},
 		"DifferentObservedGeneration": {
 			a:    Condition{ObservedGeneration: 1},
-			b:    Condition{},
+			b:    Condition{ObservedGeneration: 2},
 			want: false,
 		},
 		"CheckReconcilePaused": {