diff --git a/pkg/api/v1/custom_roles.go b/pkg/api/v1/custom_roles.go
index 725d43c549..8bb2d1957d 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1/custom_roles.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1/custom_roles.go
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ package v1
 
 import (
 	"go.mongodb.org/atlas/mongodbatlas"
-
-	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/pkg/util/toptr"
 )
 
 type CustomRole struct {
@@ -47,8 +45,8 @@ func (in *CustomRole) ToAtlas() *mongodbatlas.CustomDBRole {
 		resources := make([]mongodbatlas.Resource, 0, len(action.Resources))
 
 		for _, resource := range action.Resources {
-			if resource.Cluster == nil {
-				resource.Cluster = toptr.MakePtr(false)
+			if resource.Cluster != nil && !*resource.Cluster {
+				resource.Cluster = nil
 			}
 			resources = append(resources, mongodbatlas.Resource{
 				Collection: resource.Collection,
diff --git a/pkg/api/v1/custom_roles_test.go b/pkg/api/v1/custom_roles_test.go
index 505b60091c..99bce0ef6f 100644
--- a/pkg/api/v1/custom_roles_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/v1/custom_roles_test.go
@@ -76,12 +76,12 @@ func TestAtlasCustomRoles_ToAtlas(t *testing.T) {
 						Action: "testName",
 						Resources: []mongodbatlas.Resource{
 							{
-								Cluster:    toptr.MakePtr(false),
+								Cluster:    nil,
 								DB:         toptr.MakePtr("testDB"),
 								Collection: toptr.MakePtr("testCollection"),
 							},
 							{
-								Cluster:    toptr.MakePtr(false),
+								Cluster:    nil,
 								DB:         toptr.MakePtr("testDB2"),
 								Collection: toptr.MakePtr("testCollection2"),
 							},
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func TestAtlasCustomRoles_ToAtlas(t *testing.T) {
 						Action: "testName3",
 						Resources: []mongodbatlas.Resource{
 							{
-								Cluster:    toptr.MakePtr(false),
+								Cluster:    nil,
 								DB:         toptr.MakePtr(""),
 								Collection: toptr.MakePtr(""),
 							},
diff --git a/pkg/controller/atlasproject/custom_roles.go b/pkg/controller/atlasproject/custom_roles.go
index 2e51387ef2..75dfc9e960 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/atlasproject/custom_roles.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/atlasproject/custom_roles.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/pkg/api/v1/status"
-	"github.com/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-kubernetes/pkg/util/toptr"
 
 	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
 	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp/cmpopts"
@@ -74,8 +73,8 @@ func fetchCustomRoles(ctx *workflow.Context, projectID string) ([]v1.CustomRole,
 			resources := make([]v1.Resource, 0, len(atlasAction.Resources))
 
 			for _, atlasResource := range atlasAction.Resources {
-				if atlasResource.Cluster == nil {
-					atlasResource.Cluster = toptr.MakePtr(false)
+				if atlasResource.Cluster != nil && !*atlasResource.Cluster {
+					atlasResource.Cluster = nil
 				}
 				resources = append(resources, v1.Resource{
 					Cluster:    atlasResource.Cluster,
diff --git a/test/int/project_test.go b/test/int/project_test.go
index 965c373fa6..0fefa02ffa 100644
--- a/test/int/project_test.go
+++ b/test/int/project_test.go
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ var _ = Describe("AtlasProject", Label("int", "AtlasProject"), func() {
 	AfterEach(func() {
 		if createdProject != nil && createdProject.Status.ID != "" {
 			By("Removing Atlas Project " + createdProject.Status.ID)
+			Expect(k8sClient.Get(context.Background(), kube.ObjectKeyFromObject(createdProject), createdProject)).To(Succeed())
 			Expect(k8sClient.Delete(context.Background(), createdProject)).To(Succeed())
 			Eventually(checkAtlasProjectRemoved(createdProject.Status.ID), 20, interval).Should(BeTrue())
 		}