diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/gitsync_types.go b/api/v1alpha1/gitsync_types.go
index e702ff5..df5ed10 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/gitsync_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/gitsync_types.go
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ type CommitTemplate struct {
 
 // GitSyncSpec defines the desired state of GitSync
 type GitSyncSpec struct {
-	ComponentRef   Ref             `json:"componentRef"`
 	SnapshotRef    Ref             `json:"snapshotRef"`
 	Interval       metav1.Duration `json:"interval"`
 	URL            string          `json:"url"`
diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index d370f75..6143044 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ func (in *GitSyncList) DeepCopyObject() runtime.Object {
 // DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
 func (in *GitSyncSpec) DeepCopyInto(out *GitSyncSpec) {
 	*out = *in
-	out.ComponentRef = in.ComponentRef
 	out.SnapshotRef = in.SnapshotRef
 	out.Interval = in.Interval
 	out.AuthRef = in.AuthRef
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/delivery.ocm.software_gitsyncs.yaml b/config/crd/bases/delivery.ocm.software_gitsyncs.yaml
index f2fb798..2d2c8f1 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/delivery.ocm.software_gitsyncs.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/delivery.ocm.software_gitsyncs.yaml
@@ -63,17 +63,6 @@ spec:
                 - message
                 - name
                 type: object
-              componentRef:
-                description: Ref defines a name and namespace ref to any object.
-                properties:
-                  name:
-                    type: string
-                  namespace:
-                    type: string
-                required:
-                - name
-                - namespace
-                type: object
               interval:
                 type: string
               prune:
@@ -97,7 +86,6 @@ spec:
             - authRef
             - branch
             - commitTemplate
-            - componentRef
             - interval
             - snapshotRef
             - subPath
diff --git a/controllers/gitsync_controller_test.go b/controllers/gitsync_controller_test.go
index b013ebc..c83b828 100644
--- a/controllers/gitsync_controller_test.go
+++ b/controllers/gitsync_controller_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestGitSyncReconciler(t *testing.T) {
-	cv := DefaultComponent.DeepCopy()
 	snapshot := DefaultSnapshot.DeepCopy()
 	secret := &v1.Secret{
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
@@ -36,10 +35,6 @@ func TestGitSyncReconciler(t *testing.T) {
 			Namespace: "default",
 		},
 		Spec: v1alpha1.GitSyncSpec{
-			ComponentRef: v1alpha1.Ref{
-				Name:      cv.Name,
-				Namespace: cv.Namespace,
-			},
 			SnapshotRef: v1alpha1.Ref{
 				Name:      snapshot.Name,
 				Namespace: snapshot.Namespace,
@@ -60,7 +55,7 @@ func TestGitSyncReconciler(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	client := env.FakeKubeClient(WithObjets(gitSync, snapshot, cv, secret), WithAddToScheme(ocmv1.AddToScheme))
+	client := env.FakeKubeClient(WithObjets(gitSync, snapshot, secret), WithAddToScheme(ocmv1.AddToScheme))
 	m := &mockGit{
 		digest: "test-digest",
 	}