diff --git a/internal/controller/bucket/helpers.go b/internal/controller/bucket/helpers.go
index 4110f2ea..a23bbe8d 100644
--- a/internal/controller/bucket/helpers.go
+++ b/internal/controller/bucket/helpers.go
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ func (c *external) updateBucketCR(ctx context.Context, bucket *v1alpha1.Bucket,
 			case NeedsStatusUpdate:
 				return c.kubeClient.Status().Patch(ctx, bucket, client.MergeFrom(bucketDeepCopy))
 			case NeedsObjectUpdate:
-				return c.kubeClient.Update(ctx, bucket)
+				return c.kubeClient.Patch(ctx, bucket, client.MergeFrom(bucketDeepCopy))
 			default:
 				return nil
 			}