diff --git a/internal/controllers/clusterrequest_controller.go b/internal/controllers/clusterrequest_controller.go
index 23e12698..bdca89f5 100644
--- a/internal/controllers/clusterrequest_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controllers/clusterrequest_controller.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/meta"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/workqueue"
@@ -393,7 +392,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) getMergedClusterInputData(
 }
 
 // handleRenderClusterInstance handles the ClusterInstance rendering and validation.
-func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleRenderClusterInstance(ctx context.Context) (*unstructured.Unstructured, error) {
+func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleRenderClusterInstance(ctx context.Context) (*siteconfig.ClusterInstance, error) {
 	renderedClusterInstance, err := t.renderClusterInstanceTemplate(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.logger.ErrorContext(
@@ -434,7 +433,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleRenderClusterInstance(ctx context.C
 }
 
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) renderClusterInstanceTemplate(
-	ctx context.Context) (*unstructured.Unstructured, error) {
+	ctx context.Context) (*siteconfig.ClusterInstance, error) {
 	t.logger.InfoContext(
 		ctx,
 		"Rendering the ClusterInstance template for ClusterRequest",
@@ -447,7 +446,8 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) renderClusterInstanceTemplate(
 		"Cluster": t.clusterInput.clusterInstanceData,
 	}
 
-	renderedClusterInstance, err := utils.RenderTemplateForK8sCR(
+	renderedClusterInstance := &siteconfig.ClusterInstance{}
+	renderedClusterInstanceUnstructure, err := utils.RenderTemplateForK8sCR(
 		"ClusterInstance", utils.ClusterInstanceTemplatePath, mergedClusterInstanceData)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, utils.NewInputError("failed to render the ClusterInstance template for ClusterRequest: %w", err)
@@ -456,26 +456,33 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) renderClusterInstanceTemplate(
 		labels := make(map[string]string)
 		labels[clusterRequestNameLabel] = t.object.Name
 		labels[clusterRequestNamespaceLabel] = t.object.Namespace
-		renderedClusterInstance.SetLabels(labels)
+		renderedClusterInstanceUnstructure.SetLabels(labels)
 
 		// Create the ClusterInstance namespace.
-		err = t.createClusterInstanceNamespace(ctx, renderedClusterInstance.GetName())
+		err = t.createClusterInstanceNamespace(ctx, renderedClusterInstanceUnstructure.GetName())
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create cluster namespace %s: %w", renderedClusterInstance.GetName(), err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create cluster namespace %s: %w", renderedClusterInstanceUnstructure.GetName(), err)
 		}
 
 		// Validate the rendered ClusterInstance with dry-run
 		isDryRun := true
-		_, err = t.applyClusterInstance(ctx, renderedClusterInstance, isDryRun)
+		_, err = t.applyClusterInstance(ctx, renderedClusterInstanceUnstructure, isDryRun)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to validate the rendered ClusterInstance with dry-run: %w", err)
 		}
+
+		// Convert unstructured to siteconfig.ClusterInstance type
+		if err = runtime.DefaultUnstructuredConverter.FromUnstructured(
+			renderedClusterInstanceUnstructure.Object, renderedClusterInstance); err != nil {
+			// Unlikely to happen since dry-run validation has passed
+			return nil, utils.NewInputError("failed to convert to siteconfig.ClusterInstance type: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	return renderedClusterInstance, nil
 }
 
-func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleClusterResources(ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured) error {
+func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleClusterResources(ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance) error {
 	err := t.createOrUpdateClusterResources(ctx, clusterInstance)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.logger.ErrorContext(
@@ -513,7 +520,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleClusterResources(ctx context.Contex
 }
 
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) renderHardwareTemplate(ctx context.Context,
-	clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured) (*hwv1alpha1.NodePool, error) {
+	clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance) (*hwv1alpha1.NodePool, error) {
 	renderedNodePool, err := t.handleRenderHardwareTemplate(ctx, clusterInstance)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.logger.ErrorContext(
@@ -552,7 +559,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) renderHardwareTemplate(ctx context.Contex
 }
 
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleRenderHardwareTemplate(ctx context.Context,
-	clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured) (*hwv1alpha1.NodePool, error) {
+	clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance) (*hwv1alpha1.NodePool, error) {
 
 	nodePool := &hwv1alpha1.NodePool{}
 
@@ -577,25 +584,8 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleRenderHardwareTemplate(ctx context.
 
 	// count the nodes per group
 	roleCounts := make(map[string]int)
-	specInterface, specExists := clusterInstance.Object["spec"].(map[string]any)
-	if !specExists {
-		// Unlikely to happen
-		return nil, utils.NewInputError(
-			"\"spec\" expected to exist in the rendered ClusterInstance for ClusterRequest %s, but it is missing",
-			t.object.Name,
-		)
-	}
-	if nodes, ok := specInterface["nodes"].([]interface{}); ok {
-		for _, node := range nodes {
-			if nodeMap, ok := node.(map[string]interface{}); ok {
-				if role, ok := nodeMap["role"].(string); ok {
-					roleCounts[role]++
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	} else {
-		// Unlikely to happen
-		return nil, utils.NewInputError("nodes field is not a list")
+	for _, node := range clusterInstance.Spec.Nodes {
+		roleCounts[node.Role]++
 	}
 
 	for i, group := range nodeGroup {
@@ -655,7 +645,7 @@ func mergeClusterTemplateInputWithDefaults(clusterTemplateInput, clusterTemplate
 	return mergedClusterData, nil
 }
 
-func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) applyClusterInstance(ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured, isDryRun bool) (*siteconfig.ClusterInstance, error) {
+func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) applyClusterInstance(ctx context.Context, clusterInstance client.Object, isDryRun bool) (*siteconfig.ClusterInstance, error) {
 	var operationType string
 
 	// Query the ClusterInstance and its status.
@@ -726,7 +716,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) applyClusterInstance(ctx context.Context,
 }
 
 // handleClusterInstallation creates/updates the ClusterInstance to handle the cluster provisioning.
-func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleClusterInstallation(ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured) error {
+func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) handleClusterInstallation(ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance) error {
 	isDryRun := false
 	existingClusterInstance, err := t.applyClusterInstance(ctx, clusterInstance, isDryRun)
 	t.updateClusterInstanceProcessedStatus(existingClusterInstance, err)
@@ -939,7 +929,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) updateClusterProvisionStatus(ci *siteconf
 
 // createOrUpdateClusterResources creates/updates all the resources needed for cluster deployment
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) createOrUpdateClusterResources(
-	ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured) error {
+	ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance) error {
 
 	clusterName := clusterInstance.GetName()
 
@@ -949,34 +939,22 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) createOrUpdateClusterResources(
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// If we got to this point, we can assume that all the keys up to the BMC details
-	// exists since ClusterInstance has nodes mandatory.
-	specInterface, specExists := clusterInstance.Object["spec"]
-	if !specExists {
-		// Unlikely to happen
-		return utils.NewInputError(
-			"\"spec\" expected to exist in the rendered ClusterInstance for ClusterRequest %s, but it is missing",
-			t.object.Name,
-		)
-	}
-	spec := specInterface.(map[string]interface{})
-
 	// Copy the pull secret from the cluster template namespace to the
 	// clusterInstance namespace.
-	err = t.createPullSecret(ctx, clusterName, spec)
+	err = t.createPullSecret(ctx, clusterInstance)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create pull Secret for cluster %s: %w", clusterName, err)
 	}
 
 	// Copy the extra-manifests ConfigMaps from the cluster template namespace
 	// to the clusterInstance namespace.
-	err = t.createExtraManifestsConfigMap(ctx, clusterName, spec)
+	err = t.createExtraManifestsConfigMap(ctx, clusterInstance)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create extraManifests ConfigMap for cluster %s: %w", clusterName, err)
 	}
 
 	// Create the cluster ConfigMap which will be used by ACM policies.
-	err = t.createPoliciesConfigMap(ctx, clusterName, spec)
+	err = t.createPoliciesConfigMap(ctx, clusterInstance)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create policy template ConfigMap for cluster %s: %w", clusterName, err)
 	}
@@ -987,30 +965,12 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) createOrUpdateClusterResources(
 // createExtraManifestsConfigMap copies the extra-manifests ConfigMaps from the
 // cluster template namespace to the clusterInstance namespace.
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) createExtraManifestsConfigMap(
-	ctx context.Context, clusterName string, spec map[string]interface{}) error {
-
-	configMapRefInterface, configMapRefExists := spec["extraManifestsRefs"]
-	// If no extra manifests ConfigMap is referenced, there's nothing to do. Return.
-	if !configMapRefExists {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	configMapInterfaceArr := configMapRefInterface.([]interface{})
-	for index, configMap := range configMapInterfaceArr {
-
-		configMapNameInterface, configMapNameExists := configMap.(map[string]interface{})["name"]
-		if !configMapNameExists {
-			return utils.NewInputError(
-				"\"spec.extraManifestsRefs[%d].name\" expected to exist in the rendered of "+
-					"ClusterInstance for ClusterRequest %s, but it is missing",
-				index, t.object.Name,
-			)
-		}
-
+	ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance) error {
+	for _, extraManifestsRef := range clusterInstance.Spec.ExtraManifestsRefs {
 		// Make sure the extra-manifests ConfigMap exists in the clusterTemplate namespace.
 		// The clusterRequest namespace is the same as the clusterTemplate namespace.
 		configMap := &corev1.ConfigMap{}
-		extraManifestCmName := configMapNameInterface.(string)
+		extraManifestCmName := extraManifestsRef.Name
 		configMapExists, err := utils.DoesK8SResourceExist(
 			ctx, t.client, extraManifestCmName, t.object.Namespace, configMap)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -1026,7 +986,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) createExtraManifestsConfigMap(
 		newExtraManifestsConfigMap := &corev1.ConfigMap{
 			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 				Name:      extraManifestCmName,
-				Namespace: clusterName,
+				Namespace: clusterInstance.Name,
 			},
 			Data: configMap.Data,
 		}
@@ -1041,32 +1001,15 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) createExtraManifestsConfigMap(
 // createPullSecret copies the pull secret from the cluster template namespace
 // to the clusterInstance namespace
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) createPullSecret(
-	ctx context.Context, clusterName string, spec map[string]interface{}) error {
+	ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance) error {
 
 	// If we got to this point, we can assume that all the keys exist, including
 	// clusterName
-	pullSecretRefInterface, pullSecretRefExists := spec["pullSecretRef"]
-	if !pullSecretRefExists {
-		return utils.NewInputError(
-			"\"spec.pullSecretRef\" key expected to exist in the rendered ClusterInstance "+
-				"for ClusterRequest %s, but it is missing",
-			t.object.Name,
-		)
-	}
-	pullSecretInterface := pullSecretRefInterface.(map[string]interface{})
-	pullSecretNameInterface, pullSecretNameExists := pullSecretInterface["name"]
-	if !pullSecretNameExists {
-		return utils.NewInputError(
-			"\"spec.pullSecretRef.name\" key expected to exist in the rendered ClusterInstance "+
-				"for ClusterRequest %s, but it is missing",
-			t.object.Name,
-		)
-	}
 
 	// Check the pull secret already exists in the clusterTemplate namespace.
 	// The clusterRequest namespace is the same as the clusterTemplate namespace.
 	pullSecret := &corev1.Secret{}
-	pullSecretName := pullSecretNameInterface.(string)
+	pullSecretName := clusterInstance.Spec.PullSecretRef.Name
 	pullSecretExistsInTemplateNamespace, err := utils.DoesK8SResourceExist(
 		ctx, t.client, pullSecretName, t.object.Namespace, pullSecret)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1084,7 +1027,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) createPullSecret(
 	newClusterInstancePullSecret := &corev1.Secret{
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 			Name:      pullSecretName,
-			Namespace: clusterName,
+			Namespace: clusterInstance.Name,
 		},
 		Data: pullSecret.Data,
 		Type: corev1.SecretTypeDockerConfigJson,
@@ -1319,14 +1262,15 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) validateClusterTemplateInputMatchesSchema
 // createPoliciesConfigMap creates the cluster ConfigMap which will be used
 // by the ACM policies.
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) createPoliciesConfigMap(
-	ctx context.Context, clusterName string, spec map[string]interface{}) error {
+	ctx context.Context, clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance) error {
 
 	// Check the cluster version for the cluster-version label.
-	if err := utils.CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(spec, clusterName); err != nil {
+	clusterLabels := clusterInstance.Spec.ClusterLabels
+	if err := utils.CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(clusterInstance.Name, clusterLabels); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to check cluster labels: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	return t.createPolicyTemplateConfigMap(ctx, clusterName)
+	return t.createPolicyTemplateConfigMap(ctx, clusterInstance.Name)
 }
 
 // createPolicyTemplateConfigMap updates the keys of the default ConfigMap to match the
@@ -1501,7 +1445,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) waitForNodePoolProvision(ctx context.Cont
 
 // updateClusterInstance updates the given ClusterInstance object based on the provisioned nodePool.
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) updateClusterInstance(ctx context.Context,
-	clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured, nodePool *hwv1alpha1.NodePool) bool {
+	clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance, nodePool *hwv1alpha1.NodePool) bool {
 
 	hwNodes, macAddresses := t.collectNodeDetails(ctx, nodePool)
 	if hwNodes == nil {
@@ -1522,7 +1466,7 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) updateClusterInstance(ctx context.Context
 // waitForHardwareData waits for the NodePool to be provisioned and update BMC details
 // and bootMacAddress in ClusterInstance.
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) waitForHardwareData(ctx context.Context,
-	clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured, nodePool *hwv1alpha1.NodePool) bool {
+	clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance, nodePool *hwv1alpha1.NodePool) bool {
 
 	provisioned := t.waitForNodePoolProvision(ctx, nodePool)
 	if provisioned {
@@ -1630,29 +1574,26 @@ func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) copyBMCSecrets(ctx context.Context, hwNod
 
 // applyNodeConfiguration updates the clusterInstance with BMC details and bootMacAddress.
 func (t *clusterRequestReconcilerTask) applyNodeConfiguration(ctx context.Context, hwNodes map[string][]nodeInfo,
-	macAddresses map[string]string, nodePool *hwv1alpha1.NodePool, clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured) bool {
-
-	if nodes, ok := clusterInstance.Object["spec"].(map[string]any)["nodes"].([]interface{}); ok {
-		for _, node := range nodes {
-			if nodeMap, ok := node.(map[string]interface{}); ok {
-				if role, ok := nodeMap["role"].(string); ok {
-					// Check if the node's role matches any key in hwNodes
-					if nodeInfos, exists := hwNodes[role]; exists && len(nodeInfos) > 0 {
-						nodeMap["bmcAddress"] = nodeInfos[0].bmcAddress
-						nodeMap["bmcCredentialsName"] = map[string]interface{}{"name": nodeInfos[0].bmcCredentials}
-						if mac, macExists := macAddresses[nodeInfos[0].bmcAddress]; macExists {
-							nodeMap["bootMACAddress"] = mac
-						}
-						// indicates which host has been assigned to the node
-						if !t.updateNodeStatusWithHostname(ctx, nodeInfos[0].nodeName, nodeMap["hostName"].(string),
-							nodePool.Namespace) {
-							return false
-						}
-						hwNodes[role] = nodeInfos[1:]
-					}
-				}
-			}
+	macAddresses map[string]string, nodePool *hwv1alpha1.NodePool, clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance) bool {
+
+	for i, node := range clusterInstance.Spec.Nodes {
+		// Check if the node's role matches any key in hwNodes
+		nodeInfos, exists := hwNodes[node.Role]
+		if !exists || len(nodeInfos) == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		clusterInstance.Spec.Nodes[i].BmcAddress = nodeInfos[0].bmcAddress
+		clusterInstance.Spec.Nodes[i].BmcCredentialsName = siteconfig.BmcCredentialsName{Name: nodeInfos[0].bmcCredentials}
+		if mac, macExists := macAddresses[nodeInfos[0].bmcAddress]; macExists {
+			clusterInstance.Spec.Nodes[i].BootMACAddress = mac
+		}
+		// indicates which host has been assigned to the node
+		if !t.updateNodeStatusWithHostname(ctx, nodeInfos[0].nodeName, node.HostName,
+			nodePool.Namespace) {
+			return false
 		}
+		hwNodes[node.Role] = nodeInfos[1:]
 	}
 	return true
 }
diff --git a/internal/controllers/clusterrequest_controller_test.go b/internal/controllers/clusterrequest_controller_test.go
index 6f95402e..ce97b90b 100644
--- a/internal/controllers/clusterrequest_controller_test.go
+++ b/internal/controllers/clusterrequest_controller_test.go
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ var _ = Describe("renderHardwareTemplate", func() {
 		c               client.Client
 		reconciler      *ClusterRequestReconciler
 		task            *clusterRequestReconcilerTask
-		clusterInstance *unstructured.Unstructured
+		clusterInstance *siteconfig.ClusterInstance
 		ct              *oranv1alpha1.ClusterTemplate
 		ctName          = "clustertemplate-a-v1"
 		ctNamespace     = "clustertemplate-a-v4-16"
@@ -693,15 +693,16 @@ var _ = Describe("renderHardwareTemplate", func() {
 		ctx = context.Background()
 
 		// Define the cluster instance.
-		clusterInstance = &unstructured.Unstructured{}
-		clusterInstance.SetName(crName)
-		clusterInstance.SetNamespace(ctNamespace)
-		clusterInstance.Object = map[string]interface{}{
-			"spec": map[string]interface{}{
-				"nodes": []interface{}{
-					map[string]interface{}{"role": "master"},
-					map[string]interface{}{"role": "master"},
-					map[string]interface{}{"role": "worker"},
+		clusterInstance = &siteconfig.ClusterInstance{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name:      crName,
+				Namespace: ctNamespace,
+			},
+			Spec: siteconfig.ClusterInstanceSpec{
+				Nodes: []siteconfig.NodeSpec{
+					{Role: "master"},
+					{Role: "master"},
+					{Role: "worker"},
 				},
 			},
 		}
@@ -904,7 +905,7 @@ var _ = Describe("updateClusterInstance", func() {
 		reconciler  *ClusterRequestReconciler
 		task        *clusterRequestReconcilerTask
 		cr          *oranv1alpha1.ClusterRequest
-		ci          *unstructured.Unstructured
+		ci          *siteconfig.ClusterInstance
 		np          *hwv1alpha1.NodePool
 		crName      = "cluster-1"
 		crNamespace = "clustertemplate-a-v4-16"
@@ -921,14 +922,15 @@ var _ = Describe("updateClusterInstance", func() {
 		ctx = context.Background()
 
 		// Define the cluster instance.
-		ci = &unstructured.Unstructured{}
-		ci.SetName(crName)
-		ci.SetNamespace(crNamespace)
-		ci.Object = map[string]interface{}{
-			"spec": map[string]interface{}{
-				"nodes": []interface{}{
-					map[string]interface{}{"role": "master", "hostName": mhost},
-					map[string]interface{}{"role": "worker", "hostName": whost},
+		ci = &siteconfig.ClusterInstance{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name:      crName,
+				Namespace: crNamespace,
+			},
+			Spec: siteconfig.ClusterInstanceSpec{
+				Nodes: []siteconfig.NodeSpec{
+					{Role: "master", HostName: mhost},
+					{Role: "worker", HostName: whost},
 				},
 			},
 		}
@@ -1049,12 +1051,11 @@ func createResources(c client.Client, ctx context.Context, nodes []*hwv1alpha1.N
 	}
 }
 
-func verifyClusterInstance(ci *unstructured.Unstructured, expectedDetails []expectedNodeDetails) {
+func verifyClusterInstance(ci *siteconfig.ClusterInstance, expectedDetails []expectedNodeDetails) {
 	for i, expected := range expectedDetails {
-		node := ci.Object["spec"].(map[string]interface{})["nodes"].([]interface{})[i].(map[string]interface{})
-		Expect(node["bmcAddress"]).To(Equal(expected.BMCAddress))
-		Expect(node["bmcCredentialsName"].(map[string]interface{})["name"]).To(Equal(expected.BMCCredentialsName))
-		Expect(node["bootMACAddress"]).To(Equal(expected.BootMACAddress))
+		Expect(ci.Spec.Nodes[i].BmcAddress).To(Equal(expected.BMCAddress))
+		Expect(ci.Spec.Nodes[i].BmcCredentialsName.Name).To(Equal(expected.BMCCredentialsName))
+		Expect(ci.Spec.Nodes[i].BootMACAddress).To(Equal(expected.BootMACAddress))
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/controllers/utils/utils.go b/internal/controllers/utils/utils.go
index 5c14560a..ee250415 100644
--- a/internal/controllers/utils/utils.go
+++ b/internal/controllers/utils/utils.go
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ func RenderTemplateForK8sCR(templateName, templatePath string, templateDataObj m
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to execute template %s with data, err: %w", templateName, err)
 	}
 
-	err = yaml.Unmarshal(output.Bytes(), &renderedTemplate.Object)
+	err = yaml.Unmarshal(output.Bytes(), renderedTemplate)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal, err: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -749,11 +749,9 @@ func CopyK8sSecret(ctx context.Context, c client.Client, secretName, sourceNames
 // CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies checks if the cluster_version
 // label exist for a certain ClusterInstance and returns it.
 func CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(
-	spec map[string]interface{}, clusterName string) error {
+	clusterName string, clusterLabels map[string]string) error {
 
-	labelsInterface, labelsExists := spec["clusterLabels"]
-
-	if !labelsExists {
+	if len(clusterLabels) == 0 {
 		return NewInputError(
 			"No cluster labels configured by the ClusterInstance %s(%s). "+
 				"Labels are needed for cluster configuration",
@@ -762,8 +760,7 @@ func CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(
 	}
 
 	// Make sure the cluster-version label exists.
-	_, clusterVersionLabelExists :=
-		labelsInterface.(map[string]interface{})[ClusterVersionLabelKey]
+	_, clusterVersionLabelExists := clusterLabels[ClusterVersionLabelKey]
 	if !clusterVersionLabelExists {
 		return NewInputError(
 			"Managed cluster %s is missing the %s label. This label is needed for correctly "+
@@ -771,7 +768,6 @@ func CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(
 			clusterName, ClusterVersionLabelKey,
 		)
 	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/controllers/utils/utils_test.go b/internal/controllers/utils/utils_test.go
index 0424d988..7824153c 100644
--- a/internal/controllers/utils/utils_test.go
+++ b/internal/controllers/utils/utils_test.go
@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@ spec:
 
 	It("Renders the cluster instance template successfully", func() {
 		expectedRenderedClusterInstance := &unstructured.Unstructured{}
-		err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(expectedRenderedYaml), &expectedRenderedClusterInstance.Object)
+		err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(expectedRenderedYaml), expectedRenderedClusterInstance)
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
 		renderedClusterInstance, err := RenderTemplateForK8sCR(
@@ -1523,13 +1523,13 @@ var _ = Describe("DeepMergeMaps and DeepMergeMapsSlices", func() {
 
 var _ = Describe("GetLabelsForPolicies", func() {
 	var (
-		spec        = make(map[string]interface{})
-		clusterName = "cluster-1"
+		clusterLabels = map[string]string{}
+		clusterName   = "cluster-1"
 	)
 
 	It("returns error if the clusterInstance does not have any labels", func() {
 
-		err := CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(spec, clusterName)
+		err := CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(clusterName, clusterLabels)
 		Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring(
 			fmt.Sprintf("No cluster labels configured by the ClusterInstance %s(%s)",
@@ -1538,12 +1538,8 @@ var _ = Describe("GetLabelsForPolicies", func() {
 
 	It("returns error if the clusterInstance does not have the cluster-version label", func() {
 
-		spec = map[string]interface{}{
-			"clusterLabels": map[string]interface{}{
-				"clustertemplate-a-policy": "v1",
-			},
-		}
-		err := CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(spec, clusterName)
+		clusterLabels["clustertemplate-a-policy"] = "v1"
+		err := CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(clusterName, clusterLabels)
 		Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(err.Error()).To(ContainSubstring(
 			fmt.Sprintf("Managed cluster %s is missing the cluster-version label.",
@@ -1552,13 +1548,8 @@ var _ = Describe("GetLabelsForPolicies", func() {
 
 	It("returns no error if the cluster-version label exists", func() {
 
-		spec = map[string]interface{}{
-			"clusterLabels": map[string]interface{}{
-				"clustertemplate-a-policy": "v1",
-				"cluster-version":          "v4.16",
-			},
-		}
-		err := CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(spec, clusterName)
+		clusterLabels["cluster-version"] = "v4.16"
+		err := CheckClusterLabelsForPolicies(clusterName, clusterLabels)
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 	})