diff --git a/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/master_ignition_customizations.go b/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/master_ignition_customizations.go
index 6f42fc612f5..01f1973255b 100644
--- a/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/master_ignition_customizations.go
+++ b/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/master_ignition_customizations.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset"
+	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/ignition"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/installconfig"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/tls"
 	mcfgv1 "github.com/openshift/machine-config-operator/pkg/apis/machineconfiguration.openshift.io/v1"
@@ -45,10 +46,12 @@ func (a *MasterIgnitionCustomizations) Generate(dependencies asset.Parents) erro
 	defaultPointerIgnition := pointerIgnitionConfig(installConfig.Config, rootCA.Cert(), "master")
 	savedPointerIgnition := master.Config
 
-	if savedPointerIgnition != defaultPointerIgnition {
+	savedPointerIgnitionJson, err := ignition.Marshal(savedPointerIgnition)
+	defaultPointerIgnitionJson, err := ignition.Marshal(defaultPointerIgnition)
+	if string(savedPointerIgnitionJson) != string(defaultPointerIgnitionJson) {
 		logrus.Infof("Master pointer ignition was modified. Saving contents to a machineconfig")
 		mc := &mcfgv1.MachineConfig{}
-		mc, err := generatePointerMachineConfig(*savedPointerIgnition, "master")
+		mc, err = generatePointerMachineConfig(*savedPointerIgnition, "master")
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to generate master installer machineconfig")
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/master_ignition_customizations_test.go b/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/master_ignition_customizations_test.go
index 9bfca8f7469..c770ea7f65e 100644
--- a/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/master_ignition_customizations_test.go
+++ b/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/master_ignition_customizations_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset"
+	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/ignition"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/installconfig"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/tls"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/ipnet"
@@ -15,36 +16,67 @@ import (
 
 // TestMasterIgnitionCustomizationsGenerate tests generating the master ignition check asset.
 func TestMasterIgnitionCustomizationsGenerate(t *testing.T) {
-	installConfig := &installconfig.InstallConfig{
-		Config: &types.InstallConfig{
-			Networking: &types.Networking{
-				ServiceNetwork: []ipnet.IPNet{*ipnet.MustParseCIDR("10.0.1.0/24")},
-			},
-			Platform: types.Platform{
-				AWS: &aws.Platform{
-					Region: "us-east",
-				},
-			},
+	cases := []struct {
+		name          string
+		customize     bool
+		assetExpected bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "not customized",
+			customize: false,
+			assetExpected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "pointer customized",
+			customize: true,
+			assetExpected: true,
 		},
 	}
 
-	rootCA := &tls.RootCA{}
-	err := rootCA.Generate(nil)
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating root CA")
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			installConfig := &installconfig.InstallConfig{
+				Config: &types.InstallConfig{
+					Networking: &types.Networking{
+						ServiceNetwork: []ipnet.IPNet{*ipnet.MustParseCIDR("10.0.1.0/24")},
+					},
+					Platform: types.Platform{
+						AWS: &aws.Platform{
+							Region: "us-east",
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			}
 
-	parents := asset.Parents{}
-	parents.Add(installConfig, rootCA)
+			rootCA := &tls.RootCA{}
+			err := rootCA.Generate(nil)
+			assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating root CA")
 
-	master := &Master{}
-	err = master.Generate(parents)
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating master asset")
+			parents := asset.Parents{}
+			parents.Add(installConfig, rootCA)
+	
+			master := &Master{}
+			err = master.Generate(parents)
+			assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating master asset")
 
-	parents.Add(master)
-	masterIgnCheck := &MasterIgnitionCustomizations{}
-	err = masterIgnCheck.Generate(parents)
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating master ignition check asset")
+			if tc.customize == true {
+				// Modify the master config, emulating a customization to the pointer
+				master.Config.Storage.Files = append(master.Config.Storage.Files,
+					ignition.FileFromString("/etc/foo", "root", 0644, "foo"))
+			}
 
-	actualFiles := masterIgnCheck.Files()
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(actualFiles), "unexpected number of files in master state")
-	assert.Equal(t, masterMachineConfigFileName, actualFiles[0].Filename, "unexpected name for master ignition config")
+			parents.Add(master)
+			masterIgnCheck := &MasterIgnitionCustomizations{}
+			err = masterIgnCheck.Generate(parents)
+			assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating master ignition check asset")
+
+			actualFiles := masterIgnCheck.Files()
+			if tc.assetExpected == true {
+				assert.Equal(t, 1, len(actualFiles), "unexpected number of files in master state")
+				assert.Equal(t, masterMachineConfigFileName, actualFiles[0].Filename, "unexpected name for master ignition config")
+			} else {
+				assert.Equal(t, 0, len(actualFiles), "unexpected number of files in master state")
+			}
+		})
+	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/worker_ignition_customizations.go b/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/worker_ignition_customizations.go
index f74e4f3fa1b..fb455f03d36 100644
--- a/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/worker_ignition_customizations.go
+++ b/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/worker_ignition_customizations.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset"
+	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/ignition"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/installconfig"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/tls"
 	mcfgv1 "github.com/openshift/machine-config-operator/pkg/apis/machineconfiguration.openshift.io/v1"
@@ -46,10 +47,12 @@ func (a *WorkerIgnitionCustomizations) Generate(dependencies asset.Parents) erro
 	savedPointerIgnition := worker.Config
 
 	// Create a machineconfig if the ignition has been modified
-	if savedPointerIgnition != defaultPointerIgnition {
+	savedPointerIgnitionJson, err := ignition.Marshal(savedPointerIgnition)
+	defaultPointerIgnitionJson, err := ignition.Marshal(defaultPointerIgnition)
+	if string(savedPointerIgnitionJson) != string(defaultPointerIgnitionJson) {
 		logrus.Infof("Worker pointer ignition was modified. Saving contents to a machineconfig")
 		mc := &mcfgv1.MachineConfig{}
-		mc, err := generatePointerMachineConfig(*savedPointerIgnition, "worker")
+		mc, err = generatePointerMachineConfig(*savedPointerIgnition, "worker")
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to generate worker installer machineconfig")
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/worker_ignition_customizations_test.go b/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/worker_ignition_customizations_test.go
index 5ea7d08e596..3c9ff274cd3 100644
--- a/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/worker_ignition_customizations_test.go
+++ b/pkg/asset/ignition/machine/worker_ignition_customizations_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset"
+	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/ignition"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/installconfig"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/tls"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/ipnet"
@@ -15,36 +16,67 @@ import (
 
 // TestWorkerIgnitionCustomizationsGenerate tests generating the worker ignition check asset.
 func TestWorkerIgnitionCustomizationsGenerate(t *testing.T) {
-	installConfig := &installconfig.InstallConfig{
-		Config: &types.InstallConfig{
-			Networking: &types.Networking{
-				ServiceNetwork: []ipnet.IPNet{*ipnet.MustParseCIDR("10.0.1.0/24")},
-			},
-			Platform: types.Platform{
-				AWS: &aws.Platform{
-					Region: "us-east",
-				},
-			},
+	cases := []struct {
+		name          string
+		customize     bool
+		assetExpected bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "not customized",
+			customize: false,
+			assetExpected: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "pointer customized",
+			customize: true,
+			assetExpected: true,
 		},
 	}
 
-	rootCA := &tls.RootCA{}
-	err := rootCA.Generate(nil)
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating root CA")
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			installConfig := &installconfig.InstallConfig{
+				Config: &types.InstallConfig{
+					Networking: &types.Networking{
+						ServiceNetwork: []ipnet.IPNet{*ipnet.MustParseCIDR("10.0.1.0/24")},
+					},
+					Platform: types.Platform{
+						AWS: &aws.Platform{
+							Region: "us-east",
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			}
 
-	parents := asset.Parents{}
-	parents.Add(installConfig, rootCA)
+			rootCA := &tls.RootCA{}
+			err := rootCA.Generate(nil)
+			assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating root CA")
 
-	worker := &Worker{}
-	err = worker.Generate(parents)
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating worker asset")
+			parents := asset.Parents{}
+			parents.Add(installConfig, rootCA)
+	
+			worker := &Worker{}
+			err = worker.Generate(parents)
+			assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating worker asset")
 
-	parents.Add(worker)
-	workerIgnCheck := &WorkerIgnitionCustomizations{}
-	err = workerIgnCheck.Generate(parents)
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating worker ignition check asset")
+			if tc.customize == true {
+				// Modify the worker config, emulating a customization to the pointer
+				worker.Config.Storage.Files = append(worker.Config.Storage.Files,
+					ignition.FileFromString("/etc/foo", "root", 0644, "foo"))
+			}
 
-	actualFiles := workerIgnCheck.Files()
-	assert.Equal(t, 1, len(actualFiles), "unexpected number of files in worker state")
-	assert.Equal(t, workerMachineConfigFileName, actualFiles[0].Filename, "unexpected name for worker ignition config")
+			parents.Add(worker)
+			workerIgnCheck := &WorkerIgnitionCustomizations{}
+			err = workerIgnCheck.Generate(parents)
+			assert.NoError(t, err, "unexpected error generating worker ignition check asset")
+
+			actualFiles := workerIgnCheck.Files()
+			if tc.assetExpected == true {
+				assert.Equal(t, 1, len(actualFiles), "unexpected number of files in worker state")
+				assert.Equal(t, workerMachineConfigFileName, actualFiles[0].Filename, "unexpected name for worker ignition config")
+			} else {
+				assert.Equal(t, 0, len(actualFiles), "unexpected number of files in worker state")
+			}
+		})
+	}
 }