diff --git a/crd/nodenetworkconfig/client.go b/crd/nodenetworkconfig/client.go
index f3113f2c06..6669f91122 100644
--- a/crd/nodenetworkconfig/client.go
+++ b/crd/nodenetworkconfig/client.go
@@ -129,8 +129,14 @@ func (c *Client) UpdateSpec(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName, spec
 	return nnc, nil
 }
 
-// SetOwnerRef sets the owner of the NodeNetworkConfig to the given object, using HTTP Patch
+// SetOwnerRef sets the controller of the NodeNetworkConfig to the given object atomically, using HTTP Patch.
+// Deprecated: SetOwnerRef is deprecated, use the more correctly named SetControllerRef.
 func (c *Client) SetOwnerRef(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName, owner metav1.Object, fieldManager string) (*v1alpha.NodeNetworkConfig, error) {
+	return c.SetControllerRef(ctx, key, owner, fieldManager)
+}
+
+// SetControllerRef sets the controller of the NodeNetworkConfig to the given object atomically, using HTTP Patch.
+func (c *Client) SetControllerRef(ctx context.Context, key types.NamespacedName, owner metav1.Object, fieldManager string) (*v1alpha.NodeNetworkConfig, error) {
 	obj := genPatchSkel(key)
 	if err := ctrlutil.SetControllerReference(owner, obj, Scheme); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to set controller reference for nnc")