diff --git a/apis/apps/v2beta1/const.go b/apis/apps/v2beta1/const.go
index 55e353782..48cfaa424 100644
--- a/apis/apps/v2beta1/const.go
+++ b/apis/apps/v2beta1/const.go
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ const (
 	LabelsPodTemplateHashKey string = "apps.emqx.io/pod-template-hash"
 )
 
+const (
+	// annotations
+	AnnotationsLastEMQXConfigKey string = "apps.emqx.io/last-emqx-configuration"
+)
+
 const (
 	// https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/workloads/pods/pod-lifecycle/#pod-readiness-gate
 	PodOnServing corev1.PodConditionType = "apps.emqx.io/on-serving"
diff --git a/controllers/apps/v2beta1/sync_emqx_config.go b/controllers/apps/v2beta1/sync_emqx_config.go
index 70ed7f3ac..7c27cd0e2 100644
--- a/controllers/apps/v2beta1/sync_emqx_config.go
+++ b/controllers/apps/v2beta1/sync_emqx_config.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
+	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 
 	emperror "emperror.dev/errors"
@@ -11,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	innerReq "github.com/emqx/emqx-operator/internal/requester"
 	"github.com/rory-z/go-hocon"
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
-	k8sErrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 )
@@ -21,32 +21,19 @@ type syncConfig struct {
 }
 
 func (s *syncConfig) reconcile(ctx context.Context, instance *appsv2beta1.EMQX, r innerReq.RequesterInterface) subResult {
-	defaultListenerConfig := ""
-	defaultListenerConfig += fmt.Sprintln("listeners.tcp.default.bind = 1883")
-	defaultListenerConfig += fmt.Sprintln("listeners.ssl.default.bind = 8883")
-	defaultListenerConfig += fmt.Sprintln("listeners.ws.default.bind  = 8083")
-	defaultListenerConfig += fmt.Sprintln("listeners.wss.default.bind = 8084")
-
-	hoconConfig, _ := hocon.ParseString(defaultListenerConfig + instance.Spec.Config.Data)
-	configMap := generateConfigMap(instance, hoconConfig.String())
+	hoconConfig := mergeDefaultConfig(instance.Spec.Config.Data)
+	confStr := hoconConfig.String()
 
-	storageConfigMap := &corev1.ConfigMap{}
-	if err := s.Client.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(configMap), storageConfigMap); err != nil {
-		if k8sErrors.IsNotFound(err) {
-			if err := s.Handler.Create(configMap); err != nil {
-				return subResult{err: emperror.Wrap(err, "failed to create configMap")}
-			}
-			return subResult{}
+	lastConfigStr, ok := instance.Annotations[appsv2beta1.AnnotationsLastEMQXConfigKey]
+	if !ok {
+		if err := s.update(ctx, instance, confStr); err != nil {
+			return subResult{err: emperror.Wrap(err, "failed to update emqx config")}
 		}
-		return subResult{err: emperror.Wrap(err, "failed to get configMap")}
+		return subResult{}
 	}
 
-	patchResult, _ := s.Patcher.Calculate(
-		storageConfigMap.DeepCopy(),
-		configMap.DeepCopy(),
-	)
-
-	if !patchResult.IsEmpty() && r != nil {
+	lastHoconConfig, _ := hocon.ParseString(lastConfigStr)
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(hoconConfig, lastHoconConfig) {
 		_, coreReady := instance.Status.GetCondition(appsv2beta1.CoreNodesReady)
 		if coreReady == nil || !instance.Status.IsConditionTrue(appsv2beta1.CoreNodesReady) {
 			return subResult{}
@@ -62,14 +49,44 @@ func (s *syncConfig) reconcile(ctx context.Context, instance *appsv2beta1.EMQX,
 			return subResult{err: emperror.Wrap(err, "failed to put emqx config")}
 		}
 
-		if err := s.Client.Update(ctx, configMap); err != nil {
-			return subResult{err: emperror.Wrap(err, "failed to update configMap")}
+		if err := s.update(ctx, instance, confStr); err != nil {
+			return subResult{err: emperror.Wrap(err, "failed to update emqx config")}
 		}
+
+		return subResult{}
 	}
 
 	return subResult{}
 }
 
+func (s *syncConfig) update(ctx context.Context, instance *appsv2beta1.EMQX, confStr string) error {
+	configMap := generateConfigMap(instance, confStr)
+	if err := s.Handler.CreateOrUpdateList(instance, s.Scheme, []client.Object{configMap}); err != nil {
+		return emperror.Wrap(err, "failed to create or update configMap")
+	}
+
+	if instance.Annotations == nil {
+		instance.Annotations = map[string]string{}
+	}
+	instance.Annotations[appsv2beta1.AnnotationsLastEMQXConfigKey] = confStr
+	if err := s.Client.Update(ctx, instance); err != nil {
+		return emperror.Wrap(err, "failed to update emqx instance annotation")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func mergeDefaultConfig(config string) *hocon.Config {
+	defaultListenerConfig := ""
+	defaultListenerConfig += fmt.Sprintln("listeners.tcp.default.bind = 1883")
+	defaultListenerConfig += fmt.Sprintln("listeners.ssl.default.bind = 8883")
+	defaultListenerConfig += fmt.Sprintln("listeners.ws.default.bind  = 8083")
+	defaultListenerConfig += fmt.Sprintln("listeners.wss.default.bind = 8084")
+
+	hoconConfig, _ := hocon.ParseString(defaultListenerConfig + config)
+	return hoconConfig
+}
+
 func generateConfigMap(instance *appsv2beta1.EMQX, data string) *corev1.ConfigMap {
 	return &corev1.ConfigMap{
 		TypeMeta: metav1.TypeMeta{