diff --git a/pkg/secretsencrypt/controller.go b/pkg/secretsencrypt/controller.go
index cc149dc76e..fe4f4ac2e6 100644
--- a/pkg/secretsencrypt/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/secretsencrypt/controller.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
-
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/pager"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/record"
@@ -65,8 +65,17 @@ func (h *handler) onChangeNode(key string, node *corev1.Node) (*corev1.Node, err
 		return node, nil
 	}
 
+	// This is consistent with events attached to the node generated by the kubelet
+	// https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/blob/612130dd2f4188db839ea5c2dea07a96b0ad8d1c/pkg/kubelet/kubelet.go#L479-L485
+	nodeRef := &corev1.ObjectReference{
+		Kind:      "Node",
+		Name:      node.Name,
+		UID:       types.UID(node.Name),
+		Namespace: "",
+	}
+
 	if valid, err := h.validateReencryptStage(node, ann); err != nil {
-		h.recorder.Event(node, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
+		h.recorder.Event(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
 		return node, err
 	} else if !valid {
 		return node, nil
@@ -74,19 +83,19 @@ func (h *handler) onChangeNode(key string, node *corev1.Node) (*corev1.Node, err
 
 	reencryptHash, err := GenReencryptHash(h.controlConfig.Runtime, EncryptionReencryptActive)
 	if err != nil {
-		h.recorder.Event(node, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
+		h.recorder.Event(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
 		return node, err
 	}
 	ann = EncryptionReencryptActive + "-" + reencryptHash
 	node.Annotations[EncryptionHashAnnotation] = ann
 	node, err = h.nodes.Update(node)
 	if err != nil {
-		h.recorder.Event(node, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
+		h.recorder.Event(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
 		return node, err
 	}
 
 	if err := h.updateSecrets(node); err != nil {
-		h.recorder.Event(node, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
+		h.recorder.Event(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
 		return node, err
 	}
 
@@ -102,26 +111,26 @@ func (h *handler) onChangeNode(key string, node *corev1.Node) (*corev1.Node, err
 	// Remove last key
 	curKeys, err := GetEncryptionKeys(h.controlConfig.Runtime)
 	if err != nil {
-		h.recorder.Event(node, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
+		h.recorder.Event(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
 		return node, err
 	}
 
 	curKeys = curKeys[:len(curKeys)-1]
 	if err = WriteEncryptionConfig(h.controlConfig.Runtime, curKeys, true); err != nil {
-		h.recorder.Event(node, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
+		h.recorder.Event(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
 		return node, err
 	}
 	logrus.Infoln("Removed key: ", curKeys[len(curKeys)-1])
 	if err != nil {
-		h.recorder.Event(node, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
+		h.recorder.Event(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
 		return node, err
 	}
 	if err := WriteEncryptionHashAnnotation(h.controlConfig.Runtime, node, EncryptionReencryptFinished); err != nil {
-		h.recorder.Event(node, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
+		h.recorder.Event(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
 		return node, err
 	}
 	if err := cluster.Save(h.ctx, h.controlConfig, true); err != nil {
-		h.recorder.Event(node, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
+		h.recorder.Event(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeWarning, secretsUpdateErrorEvent, err.Error())
 		return node, err
 	}
 	return node, nil
@@ -175,6 +184,12 @@ func (h *handler) validateReencryptStage(node *corev1.Node, annotation string) (
 }
 
 func (h *handler) updateSecrets(node *corev1.Node) error {
+	nodeRef := &corev1.ObjectReference{
+		Kind:      "Node",
+		Name:      node.Name,
+		UID:       types.UID(node.Name),
+		Namespace: "",
+	}
 	secretPager := pager.New(pager.SimplePageFunc(func(opts metav1.ListOptions) (runtime.Object, error) {
 		return h.secrets.List("", opts)
 	}))
@@ -185,12 +200,12 @@ func (h *handler) updateSecrets(node *corev1.Node) error {
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to reencrypted secret: %v", err)
 			}
 			if i != 0 && i%10 == 0 {
-				h.recorder.Eventf(node, corev1.EventTypeNormal, secretsProgressEvent, "reencrypted %d secrets", i)
+				h.recorder.Eventf(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeNormal, secretsProgressEvent, "reencrypted %d secrets", i)
 			}
 			i++
 		}
 		return nil
 	})
-	h.recorder.Eventf(node, corev1.EventTypeNormal, secretsUpdateCompleteEvent, "completed reencrypt of %d secrets", i)
+	h.recorder.Eventf(nodeRef, corev1.EventTypeNormal, secretsUpdateCompleteEvent, "completed reencrypt of %d secrets", i)
 	return nil
 }