diff --git a/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1alpha1/helpers.go b/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1alpha1/helpers.go
index c269ce861..4a6f66b89 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1alpha1/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/certmanager/v1alpha1/helpers.go
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ func IssuerHasCondition(iss *Issuer, condition IssuerCondition) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func UpdateIssuerStatusCondition(iss *Issuer, conditionType IssuerConditionType, status ConditionStatus, reason, message string) *Issuer {
-	toUpdate := iss.DeepCopy()
+func (iss *Issuer) UpdateStatusCondition(conditionType IssuerConditionType, status ConditionStatus, reason, message string) {
 	newCondition := IssuerCondition{
 		Type:    conditionType,
 		Status:  status,
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ func UpdateIssuerStatusCondition(iss *Issuer, conditionType IssuerConditionType,
 	if len(iss.Status.Conditions) == 0 {
 		glog.Infof("Setting lastTransitionTime for Issuer %q condition %q to %v", iss.Name, conditionType, t)
 		newCondition.LastTransitionTime = metav1.NewTime(t)
-		toUpdate.Status.Conditions = []IssuerCondition{newCondition}
+		iss.Status.Conditions = []IssuerCondition{newCondition}
 	} else {
 		for i, cond := range iss.Status.Conditions {
 			if cond.Type == conditionType {
@@ -89,10 +88,9 @@ func UpdateIssuerStatusCondition(iss *Issuer, conditionType IssuerConditionType,
 					newCondition.LastTransitionTime = cond.LastTransitionTime
 				}
 
-				toUpdate.Status.Conditions[i] = newCondition
+				iss.Status.Conditions[i] = newCondition
 				break
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	return toUpdate
 }
diff --git a/pkg/issuer/acme/setup.go b/pkg/issuer/acme/setup.go
index d72d9f105..9bd529919 100644
--- a/pkg/issuer/acme/setup.go
+++ b/pkg/issuer/acme/setup.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func (a *Acme) Setup() (v1alpha1.IssuerStatus, error) {
 		s := messageAccountRegistrationFailed + err.Error()
 		glog.Info(s)
 		a.recorder.Event(a.issuer, v1.EventTypeWarning, errorAccountRegistrationFailed, s)
-		v1alpha1.UpdateIssuerStatusCondition(update, v1alpha1.IssuerConditionReady, v1alpha1.ConditionFalse, errorAccountRegistrationFailed, s)
+		update.UpdateStatusCondition(v1alpha1.IssuerConditionReady, v1alpha1.ConditionFalse, errorAccountRegistrationFailed, s)
 		return update.Status, fmt.Errorf(s)
 	}
 
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func (a *Acme) Setup() (v1alpha1.IssuerStatus, error) {
 	if err == nil {
 		glog.Info(messageAccountVerified)
 		a.recorder.Event(a.issuer, v1.EventTypeNormal, successAccountVerified, messageAccountVerified)
-		v1alpha1.UpdateIssuerStatusCondition(update, v1alpha1.IssuerConditionReady, v1alpha1.ConditionTrue, successAccountVerified, messageAccountVerified)
+		update.UpdateStatusCondition(v1alpha1.IssuerConditionReady, v1alpha1.ConditionTrue, successAccountVerified, messageAccountVerified)
 		return update.Status, nil
 	}
 
@@ -76,13 +76,13 @@ func (a *Acme) Setup() (v1alpha1.IssuerStatus, error) {
 		s := messageAccountRegistrationFailed + err.Error()
 		glog.Info(s)
 		a.recorder.Event(a.issuer, v1.EventTypeWarning, errorAccountRegistrationFailed, s)
-		v1alpha1.UpdateIssuerStatusCondition(update, v1alpha1.IssuerConditionReady, v1alpha1.ConditionFalse, errorAccountRegistrationFailed, s)
+		update.UpdateStatusCondition(v1alpha1.IssuerConditionReady, v1alpha1.ConditionFalse, errorAccountRegistrationFailed, s)
 		return update.Status, err
 	}
 
 	glog.V(4).Info(messageAccountRegistered)
 	a.recorder.Event(a.issuer, v1.EventTypeNormal, successAccountRegistered, messageAccountRegistered)
-	v1alpha1.UpdateIssuerStatusCondition(update, v1alpha1.IssuerConditionReady, v1alpha1.ConditionTrue, successAccountRegistered, messageAccountRegistered)
+	update.UpdateStatusCondition(v1alpha1.IssuerConditionReady, v1alpha1.ConditionTrue, successAccountRegistered, messageAccountRegistered)
 	update.Status.ACMEStatus().URI = account.URI
 
 	return update.Status, nil