diff --git a/pkg/controller/daemon/daemon_controller.go b/pkg/controller/daemon/daemon_controller.go
index d98087d3e1..ce2d90ef41 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/daemon/daemon_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/daemon/daemon_controller.go
@@ -1068,7 +1068,7 @@ func (dsc *DaemonSetsController) simulate(newPod *v1.Pod, node *v1.Node, ds *ext
 		}
 		// ignore pods that belong to the daemonset when taking into account whether
 		// a daemonset should bind to a node.
-		if controllerRef := metav1.GetControllerOf(pod); controllerRef != nil && controllerRef.UID == ds.UID {
+		if metav1.IsControlledBy(pod, ds) {
 			continue
 		}
 		pods = append(pods, pod)
diff --git a/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go b/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
index caa108b820..45419f48dd 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
@@ -579,8 +579,7 @@ func ListReplicaSets(deployment *extensions.Deployment, getRSList RsListFunc) ([
 	// Only include those whose ControllerRef matches the Deployment.
 	owned := make([]*extensions.ReplicaSet, 0, len(all))
 	for _, rs := range all {
-		controllerRef := metav1.GetControllerOf(rs)
-		if controllerRef != nil && controllerRef.UID == deployment.UID {
+		if metav1.IsControlledBy(rs, deployment) {
 			owned = append(owned, rs)
 		}
 	}
@@ -603,8 +602,7 @@ func ListReplicaSetsInternal(deployment *internalextensions.Deployment, getRSLis
 	// Only include those whose ControllerRef matches the Deployment.
 	filtered := make([]*internalextensions.ReplicaSet, 0, len(all))
 	for _, rs := range all {
-		controllerRef := metav1.GetControllerOf(rs)
-		if controllerRef != nil && controllerRef.UID == deployment.UID {
+		if metav1.IsControlledBy(rs, deployment) {
 			filtered = append(filtered, rs)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/history/controller_history_test.go b/pkg/controller/history/controller_history_test.go
index 296fb761dc..ab5845eb34 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/history/controller_history_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/history/controller_history_test.go
@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ func TestRealHistory_AdoptControllerRevision(t *testing.T) {
 		if !test.err && err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("%s: %s", test.name, err)
 		}
-		if !test.err && metav1.GetControllerOf(adopted).UID != test.parent.GetUID() {
+		if !test.err && !metav1.IsControlledBy(adopted, test.parent) {
 			t.Errorf("%s: adoption failed", test.name)
 		}
 		if test.err && err == nil {
@@ -1103,7 +1103,7 @@ func TestFakeHistory_AdoptControllerRevision(t *testing.T) {
 		if !test.err && err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("%s: %s", test.name, err)
 		}
-		if !test.err && metav1.GetControllerOf(adopted).UID != test.parent.GetUID() {
+		if !test.err && !metav1.IsControlledBy(adopted, test.parent) {
 			t.Errorf("%s: adoption failed", test.name)
 		}
 		if test.err && err == nil {
@@ -1211,8 +1211,7 @@ func TestRealHistory_ReleaseControllerRevision(t *testing.T) {
 				if found == nil {
 					return true, nil, errors.NewNotFound(apps.Resource("controllerrevisions"), test.revision.Name)
 				}
-				if foundParent := metav1.GetControllerOf(test.revision); foundParent == nil ||
-					foundParent.UID != test.parent.GetUID() {
+				if !metav1.IsControlledBy(test.revision, test.parent) {
 					return true, nil, errors.NewInvalid(
 						test.revision.GroupVersionKind().GroupKind(), test.revision.Name, nil)
 				}
@@ -1258,7 +1257,7 @@ func TestRealHistory_ReleaseControllerRevision(t *testing.T) {
 			if adopted == nil {
 				return
 			}
-			if owner := metav1.GetControllerOf(adopted); owner != nil && owner.UID == test.parent.GetUID() {
+			if metav1.IsControlledBy(adopted, test.parent) {
 				t.Errorf("%s: release failed", test.name)
 			}
 		}
@@ -1386,7 +1385,7 @@ func TestFakeHistory_ReleaseControllerRevision(t *testing.T) {
 			if adopted == nil {
 				return
 			}
-			if owner := metav1.GetControllerOf(adopted); owner != nil && owner.UID == test.parent.GetUID() {
+			if metav1.IsControlledBy(adopted, test.parent) {
 				t.Errorf("%s: release failed", test.name)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/history.go b/pkg/kubectl/history.go
index 4e3edb83ec..625bbda8ac 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/history.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/history.go
@@ -271,11 +271,10 @@ func controlledHistories(c externalclientset.Interface, namespace, name string)
 	}
 	for i := range historyList.Items {
 		history := historyList.Items[i]
-		// Skip history that doesn't belong to the DaemonSet
-		if controllerRef := metav1.GetControllerOf(&history); controllerRef == nil || controllerRef.UID != ds.UID {
-			continue
+		// Only add history that belongs to the DaemonSet
+		if metav1.IsControlledBy(&history, ds) {
+			result = append(result, &history)
 		}
-		result = append(result, &history)
 	}
 	return ds, result, nil
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/apps/daemon_set.go b/test/e2e/apps/daemon_set.go
index 86422035b8..17a00686f6 100644
--- a/test/e2e/apps/daemon_set.go
+++ b/test/e2e/apps/daemon_set.go
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ func checkDaemonPodOnNodes(f *framework.Framework, ds *extensions.DaemonSet, nod
 
 		nodesToPodCount := make(map[string]int)
 		for _, pod := range pods {
-			if controllerRef := metav1.GetControllerOf(&pod); controllerRef == nil || controllerRef.UID != ds.UID {
+			if !metav1.IsControlledBy(&pod, ds) {
 				continue
 			}
 			if pod.DeletionTimestamp != nil {
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ func checkDaemonPodsImageAndAvailability(c clientset.Interface, ds *extensions.D
 		unavailablePods := 0
 		allImagesUpdated := true
 		for _, pod := range pods {
-			if controllerRef := metav1.GetControllerOf(&pod); controllerRef == nil || controllerRef.UID != ds.UID {
+			if !metav1.IsControlledBy(&pod, ds) {
 				continue
 			}
 			podImage := pod.Spec.Containers[0].Image