diff --git a/shared/src/akri/instance.rs b/shared/src/akri/instance.rs
index d08f62ed5..c22fb8089 100644
--- a/shared/src/akri/instance.rs
+++ b/shared/src/akri/instance.rs
@@ -296,9 +296,14 @@ pub async fn update_instance(
 ) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
     log::trace!("update_instance enter");
     let instances_client: Api<Instance> = Api::namespaced(kube_client.clone(), namespace);
-    let instance_json = serde_json::json!(instance_to_update);
-    let patch = Patch::Strategic(&instance_json);
-    let instance_patch_params = PatchParams::default();
+    let existing_instance = find_instance(name, namespace, kube_client).await?;
+    let modified_instance = KubeAkriInstance {
+        metadata: existing_instance.metadata,
+        spec: instance_to_update.clone(),
+        status: existing_instance.status,
+        types: existing_instance.types,
+    };
+    let patch = Patch::Apply(&modified_instance);
     log::trace!("update_instance instances_client.patch(name, &instance_patch_params, instance_to_update).await?");
     match instances_client
         .patch(name, &instance_patch_params, &patch)