diff --git a/pkg/api/v1alpha1/cluster_map_types.go b/pkg/api/v1alpha1/cluster_map_types.go
index 939f6c7c8..e003ed78b 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1alpha1/cluster_map_types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1alpha1/cluster_map_types.go
@@ -36,3 +36,10 @@ type Cluster struct {
 	// expecting it to be in document bundle. Parent kubeconfig will be used to get kubeconfig
 	DynamicKubeConfig bool `json:"dynamicKubeConf,omitempty"`
 }
+
+// DefaultClusterMap can be used to safely unmarshal ClusterMap object without nil pointers
+func DefaultClusterMap() *ClusterMap {
+	return &ClusterMap{
+		Map: make(map[string]*Cluster),
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/api/v1alpha1/clusterctl_types.go b/pkg/api/v1alpha1/clusterctl_types.go
index d3ff667ac..1f90df457 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1alpha1/clusterctl_types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1alpha1/clusterctl_types.go
@@ -105,3 +105,12 @@ type MoveOptions struct {
 	// The namespace where the workload cluster is hosted. If unspecified, the target context's namespace is used.
 	Namespace string `json:"namespace,omitempty"`
 }
+
+// DefaultClusterctl can be used to safely unmarshal Clusterctl object without nil pointers
+func DefaultClusterctl() *Clusterctl {
+	return &Clusterctl{
+		InitOptions: &InitOptions{},
+		MoveOptions: &MoveOptions{},
+		Providers:   make([]*Provider, 0),
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/api/v1alpha1/imageconfiguration_types.go b/pkg/api/v1alpha1/imageconfiguration_types.go
index 52d0d75f3..0ebb882a4 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1alpha1/imageconfiguration_types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1alpha1/imageconfiguration_types.go
@@ -49,3 +49,11 @@ type ImageConfiguration struct {
 	Container *Container `json:"container,omitempty"`
 	Builder   *Builder   `json:"builder,omitempty"`
 }
+
+// DefaultImageConfiguration can be used to safely unmarshal ImageConfiguration object without nil pointers
+func DefaultImageConfiguration() *ImageConfiguration {
+	return &ImageConfiguration{
+		Container: &Container{},
+		Builder:   &Builder{},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/api/v1alpha1/phase_types.go b/pkg/api/v1alpha1/phase_types.go
index e33abb216..7ed4394cc 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1alpha1/phase_types.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1alpha1/phase_types.go
@@ -34,3 +34,12 @@ type PhaseConfig struct {
 	ExecutorRef        *corev1.ObjectReference `json:"executorRef"`
 	DocumentEntryPoint string                  `json:"documentEntryPoint"`
 }
+
+// DefaultPhase can be used to safely unmarshal phase object without nil pointers
+func DefaultPhase() *Phase {
+	return &Phase{
+		Config: PhaseConfig{
+			ExecutorRef: &corev1.ObjectReference{},
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/bootstrap/isogen/executor.go b/pkg/bootstrap/isogen/executor.go
index b21313ff4..7c0e147af 100644
--- a/pkg/bootstrap/isogen/executor.go
+++ b/pkg/bootstrap/isogen/executor.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ type Executor struct {
 
 // RegisterExecutor adds executor to phase executor registry
 func RegisterExecutor(registry map[schema.GroupVersionKind]ifc.ExecutorFactory) error {
-	obj := &v1alpha1.ImageConfiguration{}
+	obj := v1alpha1.DefaultImageConfiguration()
 	gvks, _, err := v1alpha1.Scheme.ObjectKinds(obj)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/pkg/clusterctl/client/executor.go b/pkg/clusterctl/client/executor.go
index aa77f7e1d..e968e702b 100644
--- a/pkg/clusterctl/client/executor.go
+++ b/pkg/clusterctl/client/executor.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func RegisterExecutor(registry map[schema.GroupVersionKind]ifc.ExecutorFactory)
 
 // NewExecutor creates instance of 'clusterctl init' phase executor
 func NewExecutor(cfg ifc.ExecutorConfig) (ifc.Executor, error) {
-	options := &airshipv1.Clusterctl{}
+	options := airshipv1.DefaultClusterctl()
 	if err := cfg.ExecutorDocument.ToAPIObject(options, airshipv1.Scheme); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/phase/helper.go b/pkg/phase/helper.go
index 00c095e05..d90ca61f5 100644
--- a/pkg/phase/helper.go
+++ b/pkg/phase/helper.go
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ func (helper *Helper) Phase(phaseID ifc.ID) (*v1alpha1.Phase, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	// Overwrite phase used for selector, with a phase with default values
+	phase = v1alpha1.DefaultPhase()
 	if err = doc.ToAPIObject(phase, v1alpha1.Scheme); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ func (helper *Helper) ListPhases() ([]*v1alpha1.Phase, error) {
 
 	phases := []*v1alpha1.Phase{}
 	for _, doc := range docs {
-		p := &v1alpha1.Phase{}
+		p := v1alpha1.DefaultPhase()
 		if err = doc.ToAPIObject(p, v1alpha1.Scheme); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -142,7 +144,7 @@ func (helper *Helper) ClusterMapAPIobj() (*v1alpha1.ClusterMap, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	cMap := &v1alpha1.ClusterMap{}
+	cMap := v1alpha1.DefaultClusterMap()
 	selector, err := document.NewSelector().ByObject(cMap, v1alpha1.Scheme)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err