diff --git a/machinery/objects.go b/machinery/objects.go
index 9630c80..8c1bbb6 100644
--- a/machinery/objects.go
+++ b/machinery/objects.go
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ func (e *ObjectEngine) Reconcile(
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating resource: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		if err := e.migrateFieldManagersToSSA(ctx, desiredObject); err != nil {
+		if err := e.migrateFieldManagersToSSA(ctx, desiredObject, options); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("migrating to SSA after create: %w", err)
 		}
 
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ func (e *ObjectEngine) create(
 	options types.ObjectReconcileOptions, opts ...client.CreateOption,
 ) error {
 	if options.Paused {
-		return nil
+		opts = append(opts, client.DryRunAll)
 	}
 
 	return e.writer.Create(ctx, obj, opts...)
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ func (e *ObjectEngine) apply(
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if err := e.migrateFieldManagersToSSA(ctx, actualObject); err != nil {
+	if err := e.migrateFieldManagersToSSA(ctx, actualObject, options); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -666,7 +666,12 @@ func (e *ObjectEngine) getObjectRevision(obj client.Object) (int64, error) {
 // SSA really is complicated: https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/issues/99003
 func (e *ObjectEngine) migrateFieldManagersToSSA(
 	ctx context.Context, object Object,
+	options types.ObjectReconcileOptions,
 ) error {
+	if options.Paused {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	patch, err := csaupgrade.UpgradeManagedFieldsPatch(
 		object, sets.New(e.fieldOwner), e.fieldOwner)
 
diff --git a/machinery/objects_test.go b/machinery/objects_test.go
index c1e32c4..ef9ecc9 100644
--- a/machinery/objects_test.go
+++ b/machinery/objects_test.go
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ func TestObjectEngine(t *testing.T) {
 				types.WithPaused{},
 			},
 			mockSetup: func(
-				cache *cacheMock, _ *testutil.CtrlClient,
+				cache *cacheMock, writer *testutil.CtrlClient,
 				_ *comparatorMock, _ *unstructured.Unstructured,
 			) {
 				cache.
@@ -754,12 +754,12 @@ func TestObjectEngine(t *testing.T) {
 						client.ObjectKey{Name: "testi", Namespace: "test"},
 						mock.Anything, mock.Anything).
 					Return(apierrors.NewNotFound(schema.GroupResource{}, ""))
+
+				writer.
+					On("Create", mock.Anything, mock.Anything, mock.Anything, mock.Anything).
+					Return(nil)
 			},
 			expectedAction: ActionCreated,
-			afterAssert: func(t *testing.T, writer *testutil.CtrlClient) {
-				t.Helper()
-				writer.AssertNotCalled(t, "Create")
-			},
 		},
 		{
 			name:          "Paused, apply skipped",
@@ -941,6 +941,104 @@ func TestObjectEngine(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestObjectEngine_Collision(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("non paused", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		cache := &cacheMock{}
+		writer := testutil.NewClient()
+		divergeDetector := &comparatorMock{}
+
+		oe := NewObjectEngine(
+			scheme.Scheme,
+			cache, writer,
+			divergeDetector,
+			testFieldOwner,
+			testSystemPrefix,
+			"",
+			nil,
+		)
+		configMap := &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name:      "oe-test",
+				Namespace: "test",
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"test1": "test",
+				"test2": "test",
+			},
+		}
+
+		ctx := t.Context()
+
+		cache.
+			On("Get", mock.Anything, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(configMap), mock.Anything, mock.Anything).
+			Return(apierrors.NewNotFound(schema.GroupResource{}, ""))
+
+		writer.
+			On("Create", mock.Anything, mock.Anything, mock.Anything).
+			Return(apierrors.NewAlreadyExists(schema.GroupResource{
+				Group: "test", Resource: "banana",
+			}, "cavendish"))
+
+		_, err := oe.Reconcile(ctx, 1, configMap)
+
+		var terr *CreateCollisionError
+
+		require.ErrorAs(t, err, &terr)
+		require.ErrorContains(t, err, `banana.test "cavendish" already exists`)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("paused", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		cache := &cacheMock{}
+		writer := testutil.NewClient()
+		divergeDetector := &comparatorMock{}
+
+		oe := NewObjectEngine(
+			scheme.Scheme,
+			cache, writer,
+			divergeDetector,
+			testFieldOwner,
+			testSystemPrefix,
+			"",
+			nil,
+		)
+		configMap := &corev1.ConfigMap{
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name:      "oe-test",
+				Namespace: "test",
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"test1": "test",
+				"test2": "test",
+			},
+		}
+
+		ctx := t.Context()
+
+		cache.
+			On("Get", mock.Anything, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(configMap), mock.Anything, mock.Anything).
+			Return(apierrors.NewNotFound(schema.GroupResource{}, ""))
+
+		writer.
+			On("Create", mock.Anything, mock.Anything, mock.Anything).
+			Return(apierrors.NewAlreadyExists(schema.GroupResource{
+				Group: "test", Resource: "banana",
+			}, "cavendish"))
+
+		_, err := oe.Reconcile(ctx, 1, configMap, types.WithPaused{})
+
+		var terr *CreateCollisionError
+
+		require.ErrorAs(t, err, &terr)
+		require.ErrorContains(t, err, `banana.test "cavendish" already exists`)
+	})
+}
+
 func TestObjectEngine_Reconcile_SanityChecks(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
@@ -1655,7 +1753,7 @@ func TestObjectEngine_MigrateFieldManagersToSSA_NoPatch(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	err := oe.migrateFieldManagersToSSA(context.Background(), obj)
+	err := oe.migrateFieldManagersToSSA(context.Background(), obj, types.ObjectReconcileOptions{})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	writer.AssertNotCalled(t, "Patch")