diff --git a/generic-argo-apps-chart/templates/genericTemplate.yaml b/generic-argo-apps-chart/templates/genericTemplate.yaml
index b8b0bc3..6e948fc 100644
--- a/generic-argo-apps-chart/templates/genericTemplate.yaml
+++ b/generic-argo-apps-chart/templates/genericTemplate.yaml
@@ -54,13 +54,15 @@ spec:
   syncPolicy:
     syncOptions:
       - CreateNamespace=true
-{{- if $config.serverSideApply }}
+{{- if $config.replace }}
       # Opt-in per appSpec entry. Needed when adopting a resource that was
-      # created outside Argo and has fields the new manifest changes type
-      # on (e.g. an env var moving from `value` to `valueFrom`) — a plain
-      # strategic-merge patch can add the new field without clearing the
-      # old one, which the API rejects. SSA transfers field ownership
-      # correctly instead.
-      - ServerSideApply=true
+      # created outside Argo (no last-applied-configuration annotation for
+      # a normal patch to diff against) and has a field the new manifest
+      # changes type on (e.g. an env var moving from `value` to
+      # `valueFrom`) — a patch can add the new field without clearing the
+      # old one, which the API rejects either way, patch or SSA. Replace
+      # does a full PUT of the whole object instead of a merge, so the
+      # submitted spec never contains the stale field at all.
+      - Replace=true
 {{- end }}
 {{- end }}
diff --git a/values/incubator-infra-k8s-admin-prd-ase1-values.yaml b/values/incubator-infra-k8s-admin-prd-ase1-values.yaml
index 00420a1..64dc6d1 100644
--- a/values/incubator-infra-k8s-admin-prd-ase1-values.yaml
+++ b/values/incubator-infra-k8s-admin-prd-ase1-values.yaml
@@ -44,8 +44,10 @@ appSpec:
     valuesDir: gitea
     # Adoption-only: the live init container still has plaintext `value`
     # fields for GITEA_ADMIN_USERNAME/PASSWORD from the original imperative
-    # install; our values switch those to `valueFrom: secretKeyRef`. A
-    # normal patch can't clear the old field while adding the new one —
-    # see the note in generic-argo-apps-chart's template. Safe to remove
-    # once the live object no longer carries the old `value` fields.
-    serverSideApply: true
\ No newline at end of file
+    # install; our values switch those to `valueFrom: secretKeyRef`. Patch
+    # (client-side or server-side) can't clear the old field while adding
+    # the new one — see the note in generic-argo-apps-chart's template.
+    # Replace does a full PUT instead, so it just works. Safe to remove
+    # once the live object no longer carries the old `value` fields —
+    # after that first successful sync, plain patching is fine again.
+    replace: true
\ No newline at end of file