diff --git a/pkg/cluster/controller/projects/projects/zz_project.go b/pkg/cluster/controller/projects/projects/zz_project.go
index 3fd0ca12..c69a17a4 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/controller/projects/projects/zz_project.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/controller/projects/projects/zz_project.go
@@ -376,28 +376,12 @@ func (e *external) lateInitialize(ctx context.Context, cr *v1alpha1.Project, pro
 	}
 	in.MergeRequestsTemplate = clients.LateInitializeStringPtr(in.MergeRequestsTemplate, project.MergeRequestsTemplate)
 
-	if in.Mirror == nil {
-		in.Mirror = &project.Mirror
-	}
-	if in.MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches == nil {
-		in.MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches = &project.MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches
-	}
-	if in.MirrorTriggerBuilds == nil {
-		in.MirrorTriggerBuilds = &project.MirrorTriggerBuilds
-	}
-	if in.MirrorUserID == nil && project.MirrorUserID != 0 { // since project.MirrorUserID is non-nullable, value `0` treated as `not set`
-		val := project.MirrorUserID
-		in.MirrorUserID = &val
-	}
 	if in.OnlyAllowMergeIfAllDiscussionsAreResolved == nil {
 		in.OnlyAllowMergeIfAllDiscussionsAreResolved = &project.OnlyAllowMergeIfAllDiscussionsAreResolved
 	}
 	if in.OnlyAllowMergeIfPipelineSucceeds == nil {
 		in.OnlyAllowMergeIfPipelineSucceeds = &project.OnlyAllowMergeIfPipelineSucceeds
 	}
-	if in.OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches == nil {
-		in.OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches = &project.OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches
-	}
 
 	in.OperationsAccessLevel = clients.LateInitializeAccessControlValue(in.OperationsAccessLevel, project.OperationsAccessLevel)
 
@@ -448,6 +432,8 @@ func (e *external) lateInitialize(ctx context.Context, cr *v1alpha1.Project, pro
 	in.Visibility = clients.LateInitializeVisibilityValue(in.Visibility, project.Visibility)
 	in.WikiAccessLevel = clients.LateInitializeAccessControlValue(in.WikiAccessLevel, project.WikiAccessLevel)
 
+	// Mirror fields are deliberately not late-initialized (see TestLateInitializeSkipsMirrorFields).
+
 	if err := e.lateInitializePushRules(ctx, cr); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, errLateInitializePushRules)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/controller/projects/projects/zz_project_test.go b/pkg/cluster/controller/projects/projects/zz_project_test.go
index d5d068d0..63f66f0c 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/controller/projects/projects/zz_project_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/controller/projects/projects/zz_project_test.go
@@ -1540,3 +1540,31 @@ func TestSanitizeImportURL(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// TestLateInitializeSkipsMirrorFields guards against stamping mirror_user on
+// non-mirrored projects: unset mirror fields must stay nil after late-init.
+func TestLateInitializeSkipsMirrorFields(t *testing.T) {
+	e := &external{client: &fake.MockClient{
+		MockGetProjectPushRules: func(pid interface{}, options ...gitlab.RequestOptionFunc) (*gitlab.ProjectPushRules, *gitlab.Response, error) {
+			return nil, &gitlab.Response{Response: &http.Response{StatusCode: http.StatusNotFound}}, nil
+		},
+	}}
+	cr := &v1alpha1.Project{}
+	glProject := &gitlab.Project{
+		Mirror:                           true,
+		MirrorUserID:                     5,
+		MirrorTriggerBuilds:              true,
+		OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches:      true,
+		MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches: true,
+	}
+
+	if err := e.lateInitialize(context.Background(), cr, glProject); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("lateInitialize returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	p := cr.Spec.ForProvider
+	if p.Mirror != nil || p.MirrorUserID != nil || p.MirrorTriggerBuilds != nil ||
+		p.OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches != nil || p.MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches != nil {
+		t.Errorf("mirror fields must stay nil, got %+v", p)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/namespaced/controller/projects/projects/project.go b/pkg/namespaced/controller/projects/projects/project.go
index 56e7767b..2d786db8 100644
--- a/pkg/namespaced/controller/projects/projects/project.go
+++ b/pkg/namespaced/controller/projects/projects/project.go
@@ -374,28 +374,12 @@ func (e *external) lateInitialize(ctx context.Context, cr *v1alpha1.Project, pro
 	}
 	in.MergeRequestsTemplate = clients.LateInitializeStringPtr(in.MergeRequestsTemplate, project.MergeRequestsTemplate)
 
-	if in.Mirror == nil {
-		in.Mirror = &project.Mirror
-	}
-	if in.MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches == nil {
-		in.MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches = &project.MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches
-	}
-	if in.MirrorTriggerBuilds == nil {
-		in.MirrorTriggerBuilds = &project.MirrorTriggerBuilds
-	}
-	if in.MirrorUserID == nil && project.MirrorUserID != 0 { // since project.MirrorUserID is non-nullable, value `0` treated as `not set`
-		val := project.MirrorUserID
-		in.MirrorUserID = &val
-	}
 	if in.OnlyAllowMergeIfAllDiscussionsAreResolved == nil {
 		in.OnlyAllowMergeIfAllDiscussionsAreResolved = &project.OnlyAllowMergeIfAllDiscussionsAreResolved
 	}
 	if in.OnlyAllowMergeIfPipelineSucceeds == nil {
 		in.OnlyAllowMergeIfPipelineSucceeds = &project.OnlyAllowMergeIfPipelineSucceeds
 	}
-	if in.OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches == nil {
-		in.OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches = &project.OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches
-	}
 
 	in.OperationsAccessLevel = clients.LateInitializeAccessControlValue(in.OperationsAccessLevel, project.OperationsAccessLevel)
 
@@ -446,6 +430,8 @@ func (e *external) lateInitialize(ctx context.Context, cr *v1alpha1.Project, pro
 	in.Visibility = clients.LateInitializeVisibilityValue(in.Visibility, project.Visibility)
 	in.WikiAccessLevel = clients.LateInitializeAccessControlValue(in.WikiAccessLevel, project.WikiAccessLevel)
 
+	// Mirror fields are deliberately not late-initialized (see TestLateInitializeSkipsMirrorFields).
+
 	if err := e.lateInitializePushRules(ctx, cr); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, errLateInitializePushRules)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/namespaced/controller/projects/projects/project_test.go b/pkg/namespaced/controller/projects/projects/project_test.go
index 75cca308..1558d768 100644
--- a/pkg/namespaced/controller/projects/projects/project_test.go
+++ b/pkg/namespaced/controller/projects/projects/project_test.go
@@ -1538,3 +1538,31 @@ func TestSanitizeImportURL(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// TestLateInitializeSkipsMirrorFields guards against stamping mirror_user on
+// non-mirrored projects: unset mirror fields must stay nil after late-init.
+func TestLateInitializeSkipsMirrorFields(t *testing.T) {
+	e := &external{client: &fake.MockClient{
+		MockGetProjectPushRules: func(pid interface{}, options ...gitlab.RequestOptionFunc) (*gitlab.ProjectPushRules, *gitlab.Response, error) {
+			return nil, &gitlab.Response{Response: &http.Response{StatusCode: http.StatusNotFound}}, nil
+		},
+	}}
+	cr := &v1alpha1.Project{}
+	glProject := &gitlab.Project{
+		Mirror:                           true,
+		MirrorUserID:                     5,
+		MirrorTriggerBuilds:              true,
+		OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches:      true,
+		MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches: true,
+	}
+
+	if err := e.lateInitialize(context.Background(), cr, glProject); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("lateInitialize returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	p := cr.Spec.ForProvider
+	if p.Mirror != nil || p.MirrorUserID != nil || p.MirrorTriggerBuilds != nil ||
+		p.OnlyMirrorProtectedBranches != nil || p.MirrorOverwritesDivergedBranches != nil {
+		t.Errorf("mirror fields must stay nil, got %+v", p)
+	}
+}