diff --git a/cmd/operator/main_test.go b/cmd/operator/main_test.go
index 3c09196..fa51676 100644
--- a/cmd/operator/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/operator/main_test.go
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ func TestHappyReconciliations(t *testing.T) {
 				Repository: "org/repo",
 			},
 		},
-		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator},
+		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: "e2e-tests"},
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ func TestHappyReconciliations(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator},
+		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: "e2e-tests"},
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ func TestHappyReconciliations(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator},
+		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: "e2e-tests"},
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ func TestHappyReconciliations(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator},
+		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: "e2e-tests"},
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ func TestEnvironmentSourcePattern(t *testing.T) {
 				Revision: "main",
 			},
 		},
-		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator},
+		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: "e2e-tests"},
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -708,7 +708,7 @@ func TestReleasePruning(t *testing.T) {
 				Repository: "org/repo",
 			},
 		},
-		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator},
+		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: "e2e-tests", Force: true},
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ func TestReleasePruning(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator},
+		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: "e2e-tests", Force: true},
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ func TestReleasePruning(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator},
+		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: "e2e-tests", Force: true},
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ func TestReleasePruning(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator},
+		metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: "e2e-tests", Force: true},
 	)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
diff --git a/cmd/operator/reconciler_release.go b/cmd/operator/reconciler_release.go
index d263e5f..f966a7f 100644
--- a/cmd/operator/reconciler_release.go
+++ b/cmd/operator/reconciler_release.go
@@ -86,13 +86,13 @@ func ReleaseReconciler(params ReleaseReconcilerParams) ctrl.Funcs {
 			switch {
 			case shouldPrune && !hasPruneReleaseFinalizer:
 				release.Finalizers = append(release.Finalizers, finalizerPruneRelease)
-				if _, err := releaseIntf.Apply(ctx, release, metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator, Force: true}); err != nil {
-					return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to apply prune-release finalizer: %w", err)
+				if _, err := releaseIntf.Update(ctx, release, metav1.UpdateOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator}); err != nil {
+					return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to add prune-release finalizer: %w", err)
 				}
 				return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 			case !shouldPrune && hasPruneReleaseFinalizer:
 				release.Finalizers = slices.DeleteFunc(release.Finalizers, func(finalizer string) bool { return finalizer == finalizerPruneRelease })
-				if _, err := releaseIntf.Apply(ctx, release, metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator, Force: true}); err != nil {
+				if _, err := releaseIntf.Update(ctx, release, metav1.UpdateOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator}); err != nil {
 					return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to remove prune-release finalizer: %w", err)
 				}
 				return ctrl.Result{}, nil
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func ReleaseReconciler(params ReleaseReconcilerParams) ctrl.Funcs {
 				}
 				if hasPruneReleaseFinalizer {
 					release.Finalizers = slices.DeleteFunc(release.Finalizers, func(finalizer string) bool { return finalizer == finalizerPruneRelease })
-					if _, err := releaseIntf.Apply(ctx, release, metav1.ApplyOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator, Force: true}); err != nil {
+					if _, err := releaseIntf.Update(ctx, release, metav1.UpdateOptions{FieldManager: joyOperator}); err != nil {
 						return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("failed to remove prune-release finalizer post app deletion: %w", err)
 					}
 				}