diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
index 279b7db67..a05b8338d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
@@ -54,17 +54,6 @@ jobs:
           KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS: ${{ github.workspace }}/kubebuilder/bin
       - name: Load test image
         run: kind load docker-image test/helm-controller:latest
-      - name: Install CRDs
-        run: make install
-      - name: Run default status test
-        run: |
-          kubectl apply -f config/testdata/status-defaults
-          RESULT=$(kubectl get helmrelease status-defaults -o go-template={{.status}})
-          EXPECTED='map[observedGeneration:-1]'
-          if [ "${RESULT}" != "${EXPECTED}" ] ; then
-            echo -e "${RESULT}\n\ndoes not equal\n\n${EXPECTED}"
-            exit 1
-          fi
       - name: Deploy controllers
         run: |
           make dev-deploy IMG=test/helm-controller:latest
@@ -566,10 +555,10 @@ jobs:
           which kubectl
           kubectl version
           helm version
-          kubectl -n helm-system get helmrepositories -oyaml || true
-          kubectl -n helm-system get helmcharts -oyaml || true
-          kubectl -n helm-system get helmreleases -oyaml || true
+          kubectl -n helm-system get helmrepositories -oyaml
+          kubectl -n helm-system get helmcharts -oyaml
+          kubectl -n helm-system get helmreleases -oyaml
           kubectl -n helm-system get all
           helm ls -n helm-system --all
-          kubectl -n helm-system logs deploy/source-controller || true
-          kubectl -n helm-system logs deploy/helm-controller || true
+          kubectl -n helm-system logs deploy/source-controller
+          kubectl -n helm-system logs deploy/helm-controller
diff --git a/api/v2beta1/helmrelease_types.go b/api/v2beta1/helmrelease_types.go
index 68fc26ac2..27b1b0f7a 100644
--- a/api/v2beta1/helmrelease_types.go
+++ b/api/v2beta1/helmrelease_types.go
@@ -881,8 +881,7 @@ type HelmRelease struct {
 	metav1.TypeMeta   `json:",inline"`
 	metav1.ObjectMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
 
-	Spec HelmReleaseSpec `json:"spec,omitempty"`
-	// +kubebuilder:default:={"observedGeneration":-1}
+	Spec   HelmReleaseSpec   `json:"spec,omitempty"`
 	Status HelmReleaseStatus `json:"status,omitempty"`
 }
 
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/helm.toolkit.fluxcd.io_helmreleases.yaml b/config/crd/bases/helm.toolkit.fluxcd.io_helmreleases.yaml
index c25dc2750..05add815b 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/helm.toolkit.fluxcd.io_helmreleases.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/helm.toolkit.fluxcd.io_helmreleases.yaml
@@ -447,8 +447,6 @@ spec:
             - interval
             type: object
           status:
-            default:
-              observedGeneration: -1
             description: HelmReleaseStatus defines the observed state of a HelmRelease.
             properties:
               conditions:
diff --git a/config/testdata/status-defaults/helmrelease.yaml b/config/testdata/status-defaults/helmrelease.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 5bb2eae26..000000000
--- a/config/testdata/status-defaults/helmrelease.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-apiVersion: helm.toolkit.fluxcd.io/v2beta1
-kind: HelmRelease
-metadata:
-  name: status-defaults
-spec:
-  interval: 5m
-  chart:
-    spec:
-      chart: podinfo
-      version: '>=4.0.0 <5.0.0'
-      sourceRef:
-        kind: HelmRepository
-        name: podinfo
-      interval: 1m