diff --git a/internal/controllers/reconciliation/controller.go b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/controller.go
index f8d5bc8c..b01ae20c 100644
--- a/internal/controllers/reconciliation/controller.go
+++ b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/controller.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func New(mgr *reconstitution.Manager, upstream *rest.Config) error {
 	})
 }
 
-func (c *Controller) Name() string { return "syncController" }
+func (c *Controller) Name() string { return "reconciliationController" }
 
 func (c *Controller) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req *reconstitution.Request) (ctrl.Result, error) {
 	logger := logr.FromContextOrDiscard(ctx)
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ func (c *Controller) buildPatch(ctx context.Context, prev, resource *reconstitut
 
 	model := c.openapi.LookupResource(resource.Object.GroupVersionKind())
 	if model == nil {
+		// TODO: Remove?
 		// Fall back to non-strategic merge
 		logr.FromContextOrDiscard(ctx).Info("falling back to non-strategic merge patch because resource was not found in openapi spec")
 		return jsonmergepatch.CreateThreeWayJSONMergePatch(prevManifest, []byte(resource.Manifest), desiredJS)
diff --git a/internal/controllers/reconciliation/discoverycache.go b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/discoverycache.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bcb8fa29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/discoverycache.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package reconciliation
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+
+	"k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/util/openapi"
+)
+
+// TODO
+
+type discoveryCache struct {
+	mut     sync.Mutex
+	current openapi.Resources
+}
+
+func (d *discoveryCache) Get() openapi.Resources {
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1/config/crd/enotest.azure.io_testresources.yaml b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1/config/crd/enotest.azure.io_testresources.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..228b7c60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1/config/crd/enotest.azure.io_testresources.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+---
+apiVersion: apiextensions.k8s.io/v1
+kind: CustomResourceDefinition
+metadata:
+  annotations:
+    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.13.0
+  name: testresources.enotest.azure.io
+spec:
+  group: enotest.azure.io
+  names:
+    kind: TestResource
+    listKind: TestResourceList
+    plural: testresources
+    singular: testresource
+  scope: Namespaced
+  versions:
+  - name: v1
+    schema:
+      openAPIV3Schema:
+        properties:
+          apiVersion:
+            description: 'APIVersion defines the versioned schema of this representation
+              of an object. Servers should convert recognized schemas to the latest
+              internal value, and may reject unrecognized values. More info: https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/devel/sig-architecture/api-conventions.md#resources'
+            type: string
+          kind:
+            description: 'Kind is a string value representing the REST resource this
+              object represents. Servers may infer this from the endpoint the client
+              submits requests to. Cannot be updated. In CamelCase. More info: https://git.k8s.io/community/contributors/devel/sig-architecture/api-conventions.md#types-kinds'
+            type: string
+          metadata:
+            type: object
+          spec:
+            properties:
+              values:
+                items:
+                  properties:
+                    int:
+                      type: integer
+                  type: object
+                type: array
+            type: object
+          status:
+            type: object
+        type: object
+    served: true
+    storage: true
+    subresources:
+      status: {}
diff --git a/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1/types.go b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1/types.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f1362289
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1/types.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+// +kubebuilder:object:generate=true
+// +groupName=enotest.azure.io
+package v1
+
+import (
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/scheme"
+)
+
+//go:generate controller-gen object crd rbac:roleName=resourceprovider paths=./...
+
+var (
+	SchemeGroupVersion = schema.GroupVersion{Group: "enotest.azure.io", Version: "v1"}
+	SchemeBuilder      = &scheme.Builder{GroupVersion: SchemeGroupVersion}
+)
+
+func init() {
+	SchemeBuilder.Register(&TestResourceList{}, &TestResource{})
+}
+
+// +kubebuilder:object:root=true
+type TestResourceList struct {
+	metav1.TypeMeta `json:",inline"`
+	metav1.ListMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
+	Items           []TestResource `json:"items"`
+}
+
+// +kubebuilder:object:root=true
+// +kubebuilder:subresource:status
+type TestResource struct {
+	metav1.TypeMeta   `json:",inline"`
+	metav1.ObjectMeta `json:"metadata,omitempty"`
+
+	Spec   TestResourceSpec   `json:"spec,omitempty"`
+	Status TestResourceStatus `json:"status,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type TestResourceSpec struct {
+	Values []*TestValue `json:"values,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type TestValue struct {
+	Int int `json:"int,omitempty"`
+}
+
+type TestResourceStatus struct {
+}
diff --git a/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d666b0de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+//go:build !ignore_autogenerated
+
+// Code generated by controller-gen. DO NOT EDIT.
+
+package v1
+
+import (
+	runtime "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
+)
+
+// DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
+func (in *TestResource) DeepCopyInto(out *TestResource) {
+	*out = *in
+	out.TypeMeta = in.TypeMeta
+	in.ObjectMeta.DeepCopyInto(&out.ObjectMeta)
+	in.Spec.DeepCopyInto(&out.Spec)
+	out.Status = in.Status
+}
+
+// DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new TestResource.
+func (in *TestResource) DeepCopy() *TestResource {
+	if in == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := new(TestResource)
+	in.DeepCopyInto(out)
+	return out
+}
+
+// DeepCopyObject is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new runtime.Object.
+func (in *TestResource) DeepCopyObject() runtime.Object {
+	if c := in.DeepCopy(); c != nil {
+		return c
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
+func (in *TestResourceList) DeepCopyInto(out *TestResourceList) {
+	*out = *in
+	out.TypeMeta = in.TypeMeta
+	in.ListMeta.DeepCopyInto(&out.ListMeta)
+	if in.Items != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Items, &out.Items
+		*out = make([]TestResource, len(*in))
+		for i := range *in {
+			(*in)[i].DeepCopyInto(&(*out)[i])
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new TestResourceList.
+func (in *TestResourceList) DeepCopy() *TestResourceList {
+	if in == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := new(TestResourceList)
+	in.DeepCopyInto(out)
+	return out
+}
+
+// DeepCopyObject is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new runtime.Object.
+func (in *TestResourceList) DeepCopyObject() runtime.Object {
+	if c := in.DeepCopy(); c != nil {
+		return c
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
+func (in *TestResourceSpec) DeepCopyInto(out *TestResourceSpec) {
+	*out = *in
+	if in.Values != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Values, &out.Values
+		*out = make([]*TestValue, len(*in))
+		for i := range *in {
+			if (*in)[i] != nil {
+				in, out := &(*in)[i], &(*out)[i]
+				*out = new(TestValue)
+				**out = **in
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new TestResourceSpec.
+func (in *TestResourceSpec) DeepCopy() *TestResourceSpec {
+	if in == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := new(TestResourceSpec)
+	in.DeepCopyInto(out)
+	return out
+}
+
+// DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
+func (in *TestResourceStatus) DeepCopyInto(out *TestResourceStatus) {
+	*out = *in
+}
+
+// DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new TestResourceStatus.
+func (in *TestResourceStatus) DeepCopy() *TestResourceStatus {
+	if in == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := new(TestResourceStatus)
+	in.DeepCopyInto(out)
+	return out
+}
+
+// DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
+func (in *TestValue) DeepCopyInto(out *TestValue) {
+	*out = *in
+}
+
+// DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new TestValue.
+func (in *TestValue) DeepCopy() *TestValue {
+	if in == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	out := new(TestValue)
+	in.DeepCopyInto(out)
+	return out
+}
diff --git a/internal/controllers/reconciliation/integration_test.go b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/integration_test.go
index c9605cad..58786389 100644
--- a/internal/controllers/reconciliation/integration_test.go
+++ b/internal/controllers/reconciliation/integration_test.go
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 
 	apiv1 "github.com/Azure/eno/api/v1"
+	testv1 "github.com/Azure/eno/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1"
 	"github.com/Azure/eno/internal/controllers/synthesis"
 	"github.com/Azure/eno/internal/reconstitution"
 	"github.com/Azure/eno/internal/testutil"
 )
 
-func TestControllerBasics(t *testing.T) {
+func TestControllerPodBasics(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := testutil.NewContext(t)
 	mgr := testutil.NewManager(t)
 	cli := mgr.GetClient()
@@ -41,10 +42,16 @@ func TestControllerBasics(t *testing.T) {
 			slice.Spec.Resources = []apiv1.Manifest{{
 				Manifest: `{
 					"apiVersion": "v1",
-					"kind": "ConfigMap",
+					"kind": "Pod",
 					"metadata": {
-						"name": "test-configmap",
+						"name": "test-pod",
 						"namespace": "default"
+					},
+					"spec": {
+						"containers": [{
+							"name": "test",
+							"image": "test-image-1"
+						}]
 					}
 				}`,
 			}}
@@ -52,13 +59,116 @@ func TestControllerBasics(t *testing.T) {
 			slice.Spec.Resources = []apiv1.Manifest{{
 				Manifest: `{
 					"apiVersion": "v1",
-					"kind": "ConfigMap",
+					"kind": "Pod",
+					"metadata": {
+						"name": "test-pod",
+						"namespace": "default"
+					},
+					"spec": {
+						"containers": [{
+							"name": "test",
+							"image": "test-image-2"
+						}]
+					}
+				}`,
+			}}
+		default:
+			t.Fatalf("unknown pseudo-image: %s", s.Spec.Image)
+		}
+		return []*apiv1.ResourceSlice{slice}
+	})
+
+	require.NoError(t, New(rm, mgr.RestConfig))
+	mgr.Start(t)
+
+	syn := &apiv1.Synthesizer{}
+	syn.Name = "test-syn"
+	syn.Spec.Image = "create"
+	require.NoError(t, cli.Create(ctx, syn))
+
+	comp := &apiv1.Composition{}
+	comp.Name = "test-comp"
+	comp.Namespace = "default"
+	comp.Spec.Synthesizer.Name = syn.Name
+	require.NoError(t, cli.Create(ctx, comp))
+
+	t.Run("creation", func(t *testing.T) {
+		testutil.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+			pod := &corev1.Pod{}
+			pod.Name = "test-pod"
+			pod.Namespace = "default"
+			return cli.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(pod), pod) == nil
+		})
+	})
+
+	// we expect this to use strategic merge
+	t.Run("update", func(t *testing.T) {
+		err := retry.RetryOnConflict(retry.DefaultBackoff, func() error {
+			if err := cli.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(syn), syn); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			syn.Spec.Image = "update"
+			return cli.Update(ctx, syn)
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		testutil.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+			pod := &corev1.Pod{}
+			pod.Name = "test-pod"
+			pod.Namespace = "default"
+			require.NoError(t, cli.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(pod), pod))
+			return pod.Spec.Containers[0].Image == "test-image-2"
+		})
+	})
+}
+
+func TestControllerCRBasics(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := testutil.NewContext(t)
+	mgr := testutil.NewManager(t)
+	cli := mgr.GetClient()
+
+	require.NoError(t, synthesis.NewRolloutController(mgr.Manager, time.Millisecond))
+	require.NoError(t, synthesis.NewStatusController(mgr.Manager))
+	require.NoError(t, synthesis.NewPodLifecycleController(mgr.Manager, &synthesis.Config{
+		WrapperImage: "test-wrapper",
+		MaxRestarts:  2,
+		Timeout:      time.Second * 5,
+	}))
+
+	rm, err := reconstitution.New(mgr.Manager, time.Millisecond)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	testutil.NewPodController(t, mgr.Manager, func(c *apiv1.Composition, s *apiv1.Synthesizer) []*apiv1.ResourceSlice {
+		slice := &apiv1.ResourceSlice{}
+		slice.GenerateName = "test-"
+		slice.Namespace = "default"
+		slice.Spec.CompositionGeneration = c.Generation
+		switch s.Spec.Image {
+		case "create":
+			slice.Spec.Resources = []apiv1.Manifest{{
+				Manifest: `{
+					"apiVersion": "enotest.azure.io/v1",
+					"kind": "TestResource",
+					"metadata": {
+						"name": "test-resource",
+						"namespace": "default"
+					},
+					"spec": {
+						"values": [{ "int": 123 }]
+					}
+				}`,
+			}}
+		case "update":
+			slice.Spec.Resources = []apiv1.Manifest{{
+				Manifest: `{
+					"apiVersion": "enotest.azure.io/v1",
+					"kind": "TestResource",
 					"metadata": {
-						"name": "test-configmap",
+						"name": "test-resource",
 						"namespace": "default"
 					},
-					"data": {
-						"test-key": "test-value"
+					"spec": {
+						"values": [{ "int": 234 }, { "int": 345 }]
 					}
 				}`,
 			}}
@@ -84,13 +194,14 @@ func TestControllerBasics(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("creation", func(t *testing.T) {
 		testutil.Eventually(t, func() bool {
-			cm := &corev1.ConfigMap{}
-			cm.Name = "test-configmap"
-			cm.Namespace = "default"
-			return cli.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(cm), cm) == nil
+			cr := &testv1.TestResource{}
+			cr.Name = "test-resource"
+			cr.Namespace = "default"
+			return cli.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(cr), cr) == nil
 		})
 	})
 
+	// we do not expect this to use strategic merge because CRs do not support it
 	t.Run("update", func(t *testing.T) {
 		err := retry.RetryOnConflict(retry.DefaultBackoff, func() error {
 			if err := cli.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(syn), syn); err != nil {
@@ -102,11 +213,11 @@ func TestControllerBasics(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		testutil.Eventually(t, func() bool {
-			cm := &corev1.ConfigMap{}
-			cm.Name = "test-configmap"
-			cm.Namespace = "default"
-			require.NoError(t, cli.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(cm), cm))
-			return cm.Data != nil && cm.Data["test-key"] == "test-value"
+			cr := &testv1.TestResource{}
+			cr.Name = "test-resource"
+			cr.Namespace = "default"
+			require.NoError(t, cli.Get(ctx, client.ObjectKeyFromObject(cr), cr))
+			return len(cr.Spec.Values) == 2 && cr.Spec.Values[0].Int == 234 && cr.Spec.Values[1].Int == 345
 		})
 	})
 }
diff --git a/internal/testutil/testutil.go b/internal/testutil/testutil.go
index 113d84a7..fb0ae40f 100644
--- a/internal/testutil/testutil.go
+++ b/internal/testutil/testutil.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/reconcile"
 
 	apiv1 "github.com/Azure/eno/api/v1"
+	testv1 "github.com/Azure/eno/internal/controllers/reconciliation/fixtures/v1"
 	"github.com/Azure/eno/internal/manager"
 )
 
@@ -66,7 +67,10 @@ func NewManager(t *testing.T) *Manager {
 	root := filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(b), "..", "..")
 
 	env := &envtest.Environment{
-		CRDDirectoryPaths:     []string{filepath.Join(root, "api", "v1", "config", "crd")},
+		CRDDirectoryPaths: []string{
+			filepath.Join(root, "api", "v1", "config", "crd"),
+			filepath.Join(root, "internal", "controllers", "reconciliation", "fixtures", "v1", "config", "crd"),
+		},
 		ErrorIfCRDPathMissing: true,
 
 		// We can't use KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS when also setting DOWNSTREAM_KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS
@@ -88,6 +92,7 @@ func NewManager(t *testing.T) *Manager {
 		MetricsAddr:     "127.0.0.1:0",
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, testv1.SchemeBuilder.AddToScheme(mgr.GetScheme())) // test-specific CRDs
 
 	m := &Manager{
 		Manager:              mgr,
@@ -102,6 +107,10 @@ func NewManager(t *testing.T) *Manager {
 
 	downstreamEnv := &envtest.Environment{
 		BinaryAssetsDirectory: dir,
+		CRDDirectoryPaths: []string{
+			filepath.Join(root, "internal", "controllers", "reconciliation", "fixtures", "v1", "config", "crd"),
+		},
+		ErrorIfCRDPathMissing: true,
 	}
 
 	// k8s <1.13 will not start if these flags are set