diff --git a/pkg/apply/apply.go b/pkg/apply/apply.go
index 9e4752790e..bcc75630dd 100644
--- a/pkg/apply/apply.go
+++ b/pkg/apply/apply.go
@@ -125,29 +125,37 @@ func ApplyObject(ctx context.Context, client cnoclient.Client, obj Object, subco
 		log.Printf("could not encode %s for apply", objDesc)
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not encode for patching: %w", err)
 	}
-	us, err := clusterClient.Dynamic().Resource(rm.Resource).Namespace(namespace).Patch(ctx, name, types.ApplyPatchType, data, patchOptions, subresources...)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to apply / update %s: %w", objDesc, err)
-	}
-
 	// consider removing in OCP 4.18 when we know field manager 'cluster-network-operator' no longer possibly
 	// exists in any object from all upgrade paths
+	// Retrieve the current state of the resource
 	if isDepFieldManagerCleanupNeeded(subcontroller) {
-		us.SetGroupVersionKind(gvk)
-
-		if doesManagerOpExist(us.GetManagedFields(), depreciatedFieldManager, metav1.ManagedFieldsOperationUpdate,
-			metav1.ManagedFieldsOperationApply) {
-
-			us.SetGroupVersionKind(obj.GetObjectKind().GroupVersionKind())
-			if err = mergeManager(ctx, clusterClient, us, depreciatedFieldManager, fieldManager, rm.Resource); err != nil {
-				klog.Errorf("Failed to merge field managers %q for object %q %s %s: %v", depreciatedFieldManager,
-					gvk.String(), obj.GetNamespace(), obj.GetName(), err)
-			} else {
-				klog.Infof("Depreciated field manager %s for object %q %s %s", depreciatedFieldManager,
-					gvk.String(), obj.GetNamespace(), obj.GetName())
+		us, err := clusterClient.Dynamic().Resource(rm.Resource).Namespace(namespace).Get(ctx, name, metav1.GetOptions{})
+		if err != nil && !apierrors.IsNotFound(err) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to get current state of %s: %w", objDesc, err)
+		}
+		if us != nil {
+			us.SetGroupVersionKind(gvk)
+
+			if doesManagerOpExist(us.GetManagedFields(), depreciatedFieldManager, metav1.ManagedFieldsOperationUpdate,
+				metav1.ManagedFieldsOperationApply) {
+
+				us.SetGroupVersionKind(obj.GetObjectKind().GroupVersionKind())
+				if err = mergeManager(ctx, clusterClient, us, depreciatedFieldManager, fieldManager, rm.Resource); err != nil {
+					klog.Errorf("Failed to merge field managers %q for object %q %s %s: %v", depreciatedFieldManager,
+						gvk.String(), obj.GetNamespace(), obj.GetName(), err)
+				} else {
+					klog.Infof("Depreciated field manager %s for object %q %s %s", depreciatedFieldManager,
+						gvk.String(), obj.GetNamespace(), obj.GetName())
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
+	_, err = clusterClient.Dynamic().Resource(rm.Resource).Namespace(namespace).Patch(ctx, name, types.ApplyPatchType, data, patchOptions, subresources...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to apply / update %s: %w", objDesc, err)
+	}
+
 	log.Printf("Apply / Create of %s was successful", objDesc)
 	return nil
 }