diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/types_equals.go b/core/pkg/ingress/types_equals.go
index 3100da373..fc62def57 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/types_equals.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/types_equals.go
@@ -149,17 +149,19 @@ func (b1 *Backend) Equal(b2 *Backend) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if b1.Service == nil || b2.Service == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	if b1.Service.GetNamespace() != b2.Service.GetNamespace() {
-		return false
-	}
-	if b1.Service.GetName() != b2.Service.GetName() {
-		return false
-	}
-	if b1.Service.GetResourceVersion() != b2.Service.GetResourceVersion() {
-		return false
+	if b1.Service != b2.Service {
+		if b1.Service == nil || b2.Service == nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		if b1.Service.GetNamespace() != b2.Service.GetNamespace() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if b1.Service.GetName() != b2.Service.GetName() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if b1.Service.GetResourceVersion() != b2.Service.GetResourceVersion() {
+			return false
+		}
 	}
 
 	if b1.Port != b2.Port {
@@ -255,14 +257,16 @@ func (e1 *Endpoint) Equal(e2 *Endpoint) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if e1.Target == nil || e2.Target == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	if e1.Target.UID != e2.Target.UID {
-		return false
-	}
-	if e1.Target.ResourceVersion != e2.Target.ResourceVersion {
-		return false
+	if e1.Target != e2.Target {
+		if e1.Target == nil || e2.Target == nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		if e1.Target.UID != e2.Target.UID {
+			return false
+		}
+		if e1.Target.ResourceVersion != e2.Target.ResourceVersion {
+			return false
+		}
 	}
 
 	return true
@@ -336,17 +340,19 @@ func (l1 *Location) Equal(l2 *Location) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if l1.Service == nil || l2.Service == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	if l1.Service.GetNamespace() != l2.Service.GetNamespace() {
-		return false
-	}
-	if l1.Service.GetName() != l2.Service.GetName() {
-		return false
-	}
-	if l1.Service.GetResourceVersion() != l2.Service.GetResourceVersion() {
-		return false
+	if l1.Service != l2.Service {
+		if l1.Service == nil || l2.Service == nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		if l1.Service.GetNamespace() != l2.Service.GetNamespace() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if l1.Service.GetName() != l2.Service.GetName() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if l1.Service.GetResourceVersion() != l2.Service.GetResourceVersion() {
+			return false
+		}
 	}
 
 	if l1.Port.StrVal != l2.Port.StrVal {
@@ -410,17 +416,19 @@ func (ptb1 *SSLPassthroughBackend) Equal(ptb2 *SSLPassthroughBackend) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if ptb1.Service == nil || ptb2.Service == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	if ptb1.Service.GetNamespace() != ptb2.Service.GetNamespace() {
-		return false
-	}
-	if ptb1.Service.GetName() != ptb2.Service.GetName() {
-		return false
-	}
-	if ptb1.Service.GetResourceVersion() != ptb2.Service.GetResourceVersion() {
-		return false
+	if ptb1.Service != ptb2.Service {
+		if ptb1.Service == nil || ptb2.Service == nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		if ptb1.Service.GetNamespace() != ptb2.Service.GetNamespace() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if ptb1.Service.GetName() != ptb2.Service.GetName() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if ptb1.Service.GetResourceVersion() != ptb2.Service.GetResourceVersion() {
+			return false
+		}
 	}
 
 	return true