diff --git a/azure/services/agentpools/spec_test.go b/azure/services/agentpools/spec_test.go
index e9dc4a8142d..c189a68c9f6 100644
--- a/azure/services/agentpools/spec_test.go
+++ b/azure/services/agentpools/spec_test.go
@@ -133,9 +133,9 @@ func sdkWithNodeTaints(nodeTaints *[]string) func(*containerservice.AgentPool) {
 	}
 }
 
-func sdkWithNodeLabels(nodeLabels map[string]*string) func(*armcontainerservice.AgentPool) {
-	return func(pool *armcontainerservice.AgentPool) {
-		pool.Properties.NodeLabels = nodeLabels
+func sdkWithNodeLabels(nodeLabels map[string]*string) func(*containerservice.AgentPool) {
+	return func(pool *containerservice.AgentPool) {
+		pool.NodeLabels = nodeLabels
 	}
 }
 
@@ -320,16 +320,16 @@ func TestParameters(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			),
 			existing: sdkFakeAgentPool(
-				func(pool *armcontainerservice.AgentPool) {
-					pool.Properties.NodeLabels = map[string]*string{
-						"fake-label":                            ptr.To("fake-value"),
-						"kubernetes.azure.com/scalesetpriority": ptr.To("spot"),
+				func(pool *containerservice.AgentPool) {
+					pool.NodeLabels = map[string]*string{
+						"fake-label":                            pointer.String("fake-value"),
+						"kubernetes.azure.com/scalesetpriority": pointer.String("spot"),
 					}
 				},
 				sdkWithProvisioningState("Succeeded"),
 			),
 			expected: sdkFakeAgentPool(sdkWithNodeLabels(map[string]*string{
-				"kubernetes.azure.com/scalesetpriority": ptr.To("spot"),
+				"kubernetes.azure.com/scalesetpriority": pointer.String("spot"),
 			})),
 			expectedError: nil,
 		},
@@ -346,7 +346,10 @@ func TestParameters(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 				sdkWithProvisioningState("Succeeded"),
 			),
-			expected:      sdkFakeAgentPool(sdkWithNodeTaints(make([]*string, 0))),
+			expected: sdkFakeAgentPool(sdkWithNodeTaints(
+				func() *[]string {
+					return &[]string{}
+				}())),
 			expectedError: nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -373,15 +376,19 @@ func TestParameters(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			),
 			existing: sdkFakeAgentPool(
-				func(pool *armcontainerservice.AgentPool) {
-					pool.Properties.NodeTaints = []*string{
-						ptr.To(azureutil.AzureSystemNodeLabelPrefix + "-fake-taint"),
-						ptr.To("fake-old-taint"),
+				func(pool *containerservice.AgentPool) {
+					dummyTaints := []string{
+						azureutil.AzureSystemNodeLabelPrefix + "-fake-taint",
+						"fake-old-taint",
 					}
+					pool.NodeTaints = &dummyTaints
 				},
 				sdkWithProvisioningState("Succeeded"),
 			),
-			expected:      sdkFakeAgentPool(sdkWithNodeTaints([]*string{ptr.To(azureutil.AzureSystemNodeLabelPrefix + "-fake-taint")})),
+			expected: sdkFakeAgentPool(sdkWithNodeTaints(func() *[]string {
+				dummy := []string{azureutil.AzureSystemNodeLabelPrefix + "-fake-taint"}
+				return &dummy
+			}())),
 			expectedError: nil,
 		},
 		{
@@ -429,7 +436,7 @@ func TestParameters(t *testing.T) {
 				func(pool *AgentPoolSpec) { pool.NodeLabels = nil },
 			),
 			existing: sdkFakeAgentPool(
-				func(pool *armcontainerservice.AgentPool) { pool.Properties.NodeLabels = nil },
+				func(pool *containerservice.AgentPool) { pool.NodeLabels = nil },
 				sdkWithProvisioningState("Succeeded"),
 			),
 			expected:      nil,
@@ -497,8 +504,8 @@ func TestMergeSystemNodeLabels(t *testing.T) {
 			name:       "labels are nil when both the capz and aks labels are nil",
 			capzLabels: nil,
 			aksLabels: map[string]*string{
-				"foo":   ptr.To("bar"),
-				"hello": ptr.To("world"),
+				"foo":   pointer.String("bar"),
+				"hello": pointer.String("world"),
 			},
 			expected: map[string]*string{},
 		},