diff --git a/pkg/runtime/reconciler.go b/pkg/runtime/reconciler.go
index ff02467..1d96e52 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/reconciler.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/reconciler.go
@@ -745,6 +745,13 @@ func (r *resourceReconciler) updateResource(
 		return latest, err
 	}
 
+	// We don't want to attempt updating the resource until it is Synced!
+	if synced, err := IsSyncedInRes(ctx, rm, latest); !synced {
+		rlog.Info(
+			"requeing until resource is synced",
+		)
+		return latest, err
+	}
 	// Check to see if the latest observed state already matches the
 	// desired state and if not, update the resource
 	delta := r.rd.Delta(desired, latest)
diff --git a/pkg/runtime/util.go b/pkg/runtime/util.go
index adc994a..229a25a 100644
--- a/pkg/runtime/util.go
+++ b/pkg/runtime/util.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 package runtime
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
@@ -70,6 +71,27 @@ func IsSynced(res acktypes.AWSResource) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// IsSyncedInRes is like IsSynced, but instead of returnning false
+// when the Synced condition is not there, it returns true.
+// Note(michaelhtm) We will be using this as a preUpdate check to
+// see if a resource has a NotSynced condition
+func IsSyncedInRes(ctx context.Context, rm acktypes.AWSResourceManager, res acktypes.AWSResource) (bool, error) {
+	for _, c := range res.Conditions() {
+		if c.Type == ackv1alpha1.ConditionTypeResourceSynced {
+			if c.Status == corev1.ConditionTrue {
+				return true, nil
+			}
+			// TODO(michaelhtm) we should probably start relying more and more in IsSynced below.
+			// Or maybe store the RequeueError in ackCondition.RequeueError...
+			return false, fmt.Errorf("resource is not synced")
+			
+		}
+	}
+
+	synced, err := rm.IsSynced(ctx, res)
+	return synced, err
+}
+
 // IsReadOnly returns true if the supplied AWSResource has an annotation
 // indicating that it is in read-only mode.
 func IsReadOnly(res acktypes.AWSResource) bool {