diff --git a/pkg/sdkserver/sdkserver.go b/pkg/sdkserver/sdkserver.go
index fd9658dba0..7eab5af5fc 100644
--- a/pkg/sdkserver/sdkserver.go
+++ b/pkg/sdkserver/sdkserver.go
@@ -1383,12 +1383,17 @@ func (s *SDKServer) updatePlayerCapacity(ctx context.Context) error {
 	gsCopy.Status.Players.Capacity = s.gsPlayerCapacity
 	s.gsUpdateMutex.RUnlock()
 
-	gs, err = s.gameServerGetter.GameServers(s.namespace).Update(ctx, gsCopy, metav1.UpdateOptions{})
+	patch, err := gs.Patch(gsCopy)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	s.recorder.Event(gs, corev1.EventTypeNormal, "PlayerCapacity", fmt.Sprintf("Set to %d", gs.Status.Players.Capacity))
-	return nil
+
+	gs, err = s.gameServerGetter.GameServers(s.namespace).Patch(ctx, gs.GetObjectMeta().GetName(), types.JSONPatchType, patch, metav1.PatchOptions{})
+	if err == nil {
+		s.recorder.Event(gs, corev1.EventTypeNormal, "PlayerCapacity", fmt.Sprintf("Set to %d", gs.Status.Players.Capacity))
+	}
+
+	return err
 }
 
 // updateConnectedPlayers updates the Player IDs and Count fields in the GameServer's Status.
@@ -1416,12 +1421,17 @@ func (s *SDKServer) updateConnectedPlayers(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	gs, err = s.gameServerGetter.GameServers(s.namespace).Update(ctx, gsCopy, metav1.UpdateOptions{})
+	patch, err := gs.Patch(gsCopy)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	s.recorder.Event(gs, corev1.EventTypeNormal, "PlayerCount", fmt.Sprintf("Set to %d", gs.Status.Players.Count))
-	return nil
+
+	gs, err = s.gameServerGetter.GameServers(s.namespace).Patch(ctx, gs.GetObjectMeta().GetName(), types.JSONPatchType, patch, metav1.PatchOptions{})
+	if err == nil {
+		s.recorder.Event(gs, corev1.EventTypeNormal, "PlayerCount", fmt.Sprintf("Set to %d", gs.Status.Players.Count))
+	}
+
+	return err
 }
 
 // NewSDKServerContext returns a Context that cancels when SIGTERM or os.Interrupt
diff --git a/pkg/sdkserver/sdkserver_test.go b/pkg/sdkserver/sdkserver_test.go
index 5bedc75b88..6199e6ecc7 100644
--- a/pkg/sdkserver/sdkserver_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sdkserver/sdkserver_test.go
@@ -1863,30 +1863,32 @@ func TestSDKServerPlayerCapacity(t *testing.T) {
 	sc, err := defaultSidecar(m)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	m.AgonesClient.AddReactor("list", "gameservers", func(action k8stesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
-		gs := agonesv1.GameServer{
-			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
-				Name: "test", Namespace: "default",
+	gs := agonesv1.GameServer{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+			Name: "test", Namespace: "default",
+		},
+		Spec: agonesv1.GameServerSpec{
+			SdkServer: agonesv1.SdkServer{
+				LogLevel: "Debug",
 			},
-			Spec: agonesv1.GameServerSpec{
-				SdkServer: agonesv1.SdkServer{
-					LogLevel: "Debug",
-				},
-				Players: &agonesv1.PlayersSpec{
-					InitialCapacity: 10,
-				},
+			Players: &agonesv1.PlayersSpec{
+				InitialCapacity: 10,
 			},
-		}
-		gs.ApplyDefaults()
+		},
+	}
+	gs.ApplyDefaults()
+
+	m.AgonesClient.AddReactor("list", "gameservers", func(action k8stesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
 		return true, &agonesv1.GameServerList{Items: []agonesv1.GameServer{*gs.DeepCopy()}}, nil
 	})
 
 	updated := make(chan int64, 10)
-	m.AgonesClient.AddReactor("update", "gameservers", func(action k8stesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
-		ua := action.(k8stesting.UpdateAction)
-		gs := ua.GetObject().(*agonesv1.GameServer)
-		updated <- gs.Status.Players.Capacity
-		return true, gs, nil
+	m.AgonesClient.AddReactor("patch", "gameservers", func(action k8stesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
+
+		gsCopy := PatchGameServer(t, action, &gs)
+
+		updated <- gsCopy.Status.Players.Capacity
+		return true, gsCopy, nil
 	})
 
 	assert.NoError(t, sc.WaitForConnection(ctx))
@@ -1920,7 +1922,7 @@ func TestSDKServerPlayerCapacity(t *testing.T) {
 	case value := <-updated:
 		assert.Equal(t, int64(20), value)
 	case <-time.After(time.Minute):
-		assert.Fail(t, "Should have been updated")
+		assert.Fail(t, "Should have been patched")
 	}
 
 	agtesting.AssertEventContains(t, m.FakeRecorder.Events, "PlayerCapacity Set to 20")
@@ -2014,30 +2016,31 @@ func TestSDKServerPlayerConnectAndDisconnect(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	capacity := int64(3)
-	m.AgonesClient.AddReactor("list", "gameservers", func(action k8stesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
-		gs := agonesv1.GameServer{
-			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
-				Name: "test", Namespace: "default",
+	gs := agonesv1.GameServer{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+			Name: "test", Namespace: "default",
+		},
+		Spec: agonesv1.GameServerSpec{
+			SdkServer: agonesv1.SdkServer{
+				LogLevel: "Debug",
 			},
-			Spec: agonesv1.GameServerSpec{
-				SdkServer: agonesv1.SdkServer{
-					LogLevel: "Debug",
-				},
-				// this is here to give us a reference, so we know when sc.Run() has completed.
-				Players: &agonesv1.PlayersSpec{
-					InitialCapacity: capacity,
-				},
+			// this is here to give us a reference, so we know when sc.Run() has completed.
+			Players: &agonesv1.PlayersSpec{
+				InitialCapacity: capacity,
 			},
-		}
-		gs.ApplyDefaults()
-		return true, &agonesv1.GameServerList{Items: []agonesv1.GameServer{gs}}, nil
+		},
+	}
+	gs.ApplyDefaults()
+
+	m.AgonesClient.AddReactor("list", "gameservers", func(action k8stesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
+		return true, &agonesv1.GameServerList{Items: []agonesv1.GameServer{*gs.DeepCopy()}}, nil
 	})
+
 	updated := make(chan *agonesv1.PlayerStatus, 10)
-	m.AgonesClient.AddReactor("update", "gameservers", func(action k8stesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
-		ua := action.(k8stesting.UpdateAction)
-		gs := ua.GetObject().(*agonesv1.GameServer)
-		updated <- gs.Status.Players
-		return true, gs, nil
+	m.AgonesClient.AddReactor("patch", "gameservers", func(action k8stesting.Action) (bool, runtime.Object, error) {
+		gsCopy := PatchGameServer(t, action, &gs)
+		updated <- gsCopy.Status.Players
+		return true, gsCopy, nil
 	})
 
 	assert.NoError(t, sc.WaitForConnection(ctx))