diff --git a/mmv1/third_party/terraform/resources/resource_container_cluster.go.erb b/mmv1/third_party/terraform/resources/resource_container_cluster.go.erb
index d0f53829a594..1a7ae1321cf2 100644
--- a/mmv1/third_party/terraform/resources/resource_container_cluster.go.erb
+++ b/mmv1/third_party/terraform/resources/resource_container_cluster.go.erb
@@ -1103,7 +1103,6 @@ func resourceContainerCluster() *schema.Resource {
 							Type:             schema.TypeString,
 							Required:         true,
 							ValidateFunc:     validation.StringInSlice([]string{"UNSPECIFIED", "RAPID", "REGULAR", "STABLE"}, false),
-							DiffSuppressFunc: emptyOrDefaultStringSuppress("UNSPECIFIED"),
 							Description:      `The selected release channel. Accepted values are:
 * UNSPECIFIED: Not set.
 * RAPID: Weekly upgrade cadence; Early testers and developers who requires new features.
@@ -3514,12 +3513,12 @@ func flattenVerticalPodAutoscaling(c *containerBeta.VerticalPodAutoscaling) []ma
 
 func flattenReleaseChannel(c *containerBeta.ReleaseChannel) []map[string]interface{} {
 	result := []map[string]interface{}{}
-	if c != nil {
+	if c != nil && c.Channel != "" {
 		result = append(result, map[string]interface{}{
 			"channel": c.Channel,
 		})
 	} else {
-		// Explicitly set the release channel to the default.
+		// Explicitly set the release channel to the UNSPECIFIED.
 		result = append(result, map[string]interface{}{
 			"channel": "UNSPECIFIED",
 		})
diff --git a/mmv1/third_party/terraform/tests/resource_container_node_pool_test.go.erb b/mmv1/third_party/terraform/tests/resource_container_node_pool_test.go.erb
index c97cbce0274b..0c9647bb7d38 100644
--- a/mmv1/third_party/terraform/tests/resource_container_node_pool_test.go.erb
+++ b/mmv1/third_party/terraform/tests/resource_container_node_pool_test.go.erb
@@ -1183,6 +1183,9 @@ resource "google_container_cluster" "cluster" {
   name               = "%s"
   location           = "us-central1-a"
   initial_node_count = 1
+  release_channel {
+	  channel = "UNSPECIFIED"
+  }
 }
 
 resource "google_container_node_pool" "np_with_management" {