diff --git a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResource.java b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResource.java
index 3a6a5de242..abf6005597 100644
--- a/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResource.java
+++ b/operator-framework-core/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/processing/dependent/kubernetes/KubernetesDependentResource.java
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ public R create(R target, P primary, Context<P> context) {
 
   public R update(R actual, R target, P primary, Context<P> context) {
     var updatedActual = processor.replaceSpecOnActual(actual, target, context);
-    return prepare(target, primary, "Updating").createOrReplace(updatedActual);
+    return prepare(target, primary, "Updating").replace(updatedActual);
   }
 
   public Result<R> match(R actualResource, P primary, Context<P> context) {
diff --git a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/AbstractOperatorExtension.java b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/AbstractOperatorExtension.java
index 5661a7fc69..7164dd42af 100644
--- a/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/AbstractOperatorExtension.java
+++ b/operator-framework-junit5/src/main/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/junit/AbstractOperatorExtension.java
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ public <T extends HasMetadata> T create(Class<T> type, T resource) {
   }
 
   public <T extends HasMetadata> T replace(Class<T> type, T resource) {
-    return kubernetesClient.resources(type).inNamespace(namespace).createOrReplace(resource);
+    return kubernetesClient.resources(type).inNamespace(namespace).replace(resource);
   }
 
   @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
diff --git a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/createupdateeventfilter/CreateUpdateEventFilterTestReconciler.java b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/createupdateeventfilter/CreateUpdateEventFilterTestReconciler.java
index 853c15b90c..aa50e5fa4f 100644
--- a/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/createupdateeventfilter/CreateUpdateEventFilterTestReconciler.java
+++ b/operator-framework/src/test/java/io/javaoperatorsdk/operator/sample/createupdateeventfilter/CreateUpdateEventFilterTestReconciler.java
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public UpdateControl<CreateUpdateEventFilterTestCustomResource> reconcile(
               client
                   .configMaps()
                   .inNamespace(resource.getMetadata().getNamespace())
-                  .createOrReplace(configMap);
+                  .replace(configMap);
           informerEventSource.handleRecentResourceUpdate(resourceID,
               newConfigMap, configMap);
         } catch (RuntimeException e) {