diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/dynamic-resource-allocation/resourceslice/resourceslicecontroller.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/dynamic-resource-allocation/resourceslice/resourceslicecontroller.go
index 3e9c052ec40..7660d503a72 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/dynamic-resource-allocation/resourceslice/resourceslicecontroller.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/dynamic-resource-allocation/resourceslice/resourceslicecontroller.go
@@ -491,14 +491,17 @@ func (c *Controller) syncPool(ctx context.Context, poolName string) error {
 
 	if pool, ok := resources.Pools[poolName]; ok {
 		// Match each existing slice against the desired slices.
-		// Two slices match if they contain exactly the same
-		// device IDs, in an arbitrary order. Such a matched
-		// slice gets updated with the desired content if
-		// there is a difference.
+		// Two slices "match" if they contain exactly the
+		// same device IDs, in an arbitrary order. As a
+		// special case, slices are also considered
+		// "matched" in the scenario where there's a single
+		// existing slice and a single desired slice. Such a
+		// matched slice gets updated with the desired
+		// content if there is a difference.
 		//
-		// This supports updating the definition of devices
-		// in a slice. Adding or removing devices is done
-		// by deleting the old slice and creating a new one.
+		// In the case where there is more than one existing
+		// or desired slices, adding or removing devices is
+		// done by deleting the old slice and creating a new one.
 		//
 		// This is primarily a simplification of the code:
 		// to support adding or removing devices from
@@ -511,24 +514,32 @@ func (c *Controller) syncPool(ctx context.Context, poolName string) error {
 		// At the end of the loop, each current slice is either
 		// a match or obsolete.
 		currentSliceForDesiredSlice := make(map[int]*resourceapi.ResourceSlice, len(pool.Slices))
-		for _, currentSlice := range currentSlices {
-			matched := false
-			for i := range pool.Slices {
-				if _, ok := currentSliceForDesiredSlice[i]; ok {
-					// Already has a match.
-					continue
+		if len(currentSlices) == 1 && len(pool.Slices) == 1 {
+			// If there's just one existing slice and one desired slice, assume
+			// they "matched" such that if required, it is the existing slice
+			// which gets updated and we avoid an unnecessary deletion and
+			// recreation of the slice.
+			currentSliceForDesiredSlice[0] = currentSlices[0]
+		} else {
+			for _, currentSlice := range currentSlices {
+				matched := false
+				for i := range pool.Slices {
+					if _, ok := currentSliceForDesiredSlice[i]; ok {
+						// Already has a match.
+						continue
+					}
+					if sameSlice(currentSlice, &pool.Slices[i]) {
+						currentSliceForDesiredSlice[i] = currentSlice
+						logger.V(5).Info("Matched existing slice", "slice", klog.KObj(currentSlice), "matchIndex", i)
+						matched = true
+						break
+					}
 				}
-				if sameSlice(currentSlice, &pool.Slices[i]) {
-					currentSliceForDesiredSlice[i] = currentSlice
-					logger.V(5).Info("Matched existing slice", "slice", klog.KObj(currentSlice), "matchIndex", i)
-					matched = true
-					break
+				if !matched {
+					obsoleteSlices = append(obsoleteSlices, currentSlice)
+					logger.V(5).Info("Unmatched existing slice", "slice", klog.KObj(currentSlice))
 				}
 			}
-			if !matched {
-				obsoleteSlices = append(obsoleteSlices, currentSlice)
-				logger.V(5).Info("Unmatched existing slice", "slice", klog.KObj(currentSlice))
-			}
 		}
 
 		// Desired metadata which must be set in each slice.
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/dynamic-resource-allocation/resourceslice/resourceslicecontroller_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/dynamic-resource-allocation/resourceslice/resourceslicecontroller_test.go
index 226b998071a..faa7ac18a98 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/dynamic-resource-allocation/resourceslice/resourceslicecontroller_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/dynamic-resource-allocation/resourceslice/resourceslicecontroller_test.go
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ func TestControllerSyncPool(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			expectedResourceSlices: nil,
 		},
-		"delete-and-add-slice": {
+		"one-existing-and-one-desired-slice-should-be-updated-inplace": {
 			nodeUID: nodeUID,
 			initialObjects: []runtime.Object{
 				// no devices
@@ -288,14 +288,52 @@ func TestControllerSyncPool(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 			expectedStats: Stats{
-				NumDeletes: 1,
+				NumUpdates: 1,
+			},
+			expectedResourceSlices: []resourceapi.ResourceSlice{
+				*MakeResourceSlice().Name(resourceSlice1).UID(resourceSlice1).ResourceVersion("1").
+					NodeOwnerReferences(ownerName, string(nodeUID)).NodeName(ownerName).
+					Driver(driverName).Devices([]resourceapi.Device{{Name: deviceName}}).
+					Pool(resourceapi.ResourcePool{Name: poolName, Generation: 1, ResourceSliceCount: 1}).Obj(),
+			},
+		},
+		"delete-and-add-slice-when-more-than-one-existing-or-desired-slice": {
+			nodeUID: nodeUID,
+			initialObjects: []runtime.Object{
+				// No devices in first ResourceSlice.
+				MakeResourceSlice().Name(resourceSlice1).UID(resourceSlice1).
+					NodeOwnerReferences(ownerName, string(nodeUID)).NodeName(ownerName).
+					Driver(driverName).Devices([]resourceapi.Device{}).
+					Pool(resourceapi.ResourcePool{Name: poolName, Generation: 1, ResourceSliceCount: 2}).Obj(),
+				MakeResourceSlice().Name(resourceSlice2).UID(resourceSlice2).
+					NodeOwnerReferences(ownerName, string(nodeUID)).NodeName(ownerName).
+					Driver(driverName).Devices([]resourceapi.Device{{Name: deviceName2}}).
+					Pool(resourceapi.ResourcePool{Name: poolName, Generation: 1, ResourceSliceCount: 2}).Obj(),
+			},
+			inputDriverResources: &DriverResources{
+				Pools: map[string]Pool{
+					poolName: {
+						Slices: []Slice{
+							{Devices: []resourceapi.Device{{Name: deviceName1}}},
+							{Devices: []resourceapi.Device{{Name: deviceName2}}},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			expectedStats: Stats{
 				NumCreates: 1,
+				NumUpdates: 1,
+				NumDeletes: 1,
 			},
 			expectedResourceSlices: []resourceapi.ResourceSlice{
 				*MakeResourceSlice().Name(generatedName1).GenerateName(generateName).
 					NodeOwnerReferences(ownerName, string(nodeUID)).NodeName(ownerName).
-					Driver(driverName).Devices([]resourceapi.Device{{Name: deviceName}}).
-					Pool(resourceapi.ResourcePool{Name: poolName, Generation: 2, ResourceSliceCount: 1}).Obj(),
+					Driver(driverName).Devices([]resourceapi.Device{{Name: deviceName1}}).
+					Pool(resourceapi.ResourcePool{Name: poolName, Generation: 2, ResourceSliceCount: 2}).Obj(),
+				*MakeResourceSlice().Name(resourceSlice2).UID(resourceSlice2).ResourceVersion("1").
+					NodeOwnerReferences(ownerName, string(nodeUID)).NodeName(ownerName).
+					Driver(driverName).Devices([]resourceapi.Device{{Name: deviceName2}}).
+					Pool(resourceapi.ResourcePool{Name: poolName, Generation: 2, ResourceSliceCount: 2}).Obj(),
 			},
 		},
 		"delete-redundant-slice": {