diff --git a/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1/openapi_generated.go b/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1/openapi_generated.go
index 46cc544e40..9f7616b74e 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1/openapi_generated.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1/openapi_generated.go
@@ -1240,6 +1240,13 @@ func schema_pkg_apis_sensor_v1alpha1_TriggerTemplate(ref common.ReferenceCallbac
 							Ref:         ref("github.com/argoproj/argo-events/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1.ArtifactLocation"),
 						},
 					},
+					"operation": {
+						SchemaProps: spec.SchemaProps{
+							Description: "Operation refers to the type of operation performed on the trigger resource. Default value is Create.",
+							Type:        []string{"string"},
+							Format:      "",
+						},
+					},
 				},
 				Required: []string{"name", "source"},
 			},
diff --git a/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1/types.go b/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1/types.go
index f1d1d34d19..65044f3347 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1/types.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1/types.go
@@ -70,6 +70,15 @@ const (
 	TriggerCycleFailure TriggerCycleState = "Failure" // one or more triggers failed
 )
 
+// KubernetesResourceOperation refers to the type of operation performed on the K8s resource
+type KubernetesResourceOperation string
+
+// possible values for KubernetesResourceOperation
+const (
+	Create KubernetesResourceOperation = "Create" // creates the resource
+	Update KubernetesResourceOperation = "Update" // updates the resource
+)
+
 // Sensor is the definition of a sensor resource
 // +genclient
 // +genclient:noStatus
@@ -219,6 +228,10 @@ type TriggerTemplate struct {
 	*metav1.GroupVersionResource `json:",inline" protobuf:"bytes,3,opt,name=groupVersionResource"`
 	// Source of the K8 resource file(s)
 	Source *ArtifactLocation `json:"source" protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=source"`
+	// Operation refers to the type of operation performed on the trigger resource.
+	// Default value is Create.
+	// +optional
+	Operation KubernetesResourceOperation `json:"operation,omitempty" protobuf:"bytes,5,opt,name=operation"`
 }
 
 // TriggerSwitch describes condition which must be satisfied in order to execute a trigger.
diff --git a/sensors/event-notifications.go b/sensors/event-notifications.go
index 066e170a0f..9e98fc3123 100644
--- a/sensors/event-notifications.go
+++ b/sensors/event-notifications.go
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ func (sensorCtx *SensorContext) operateEventNotification(notification *types.Not
 			Version:  trigger.Template.GroupVersionResource.Version,
 			Resource: trigger.Template.GroupVersionResource.Resource,
 		})
-		newObj, err := triggers.Execute(sensorCtx.Sensor, uObj, client)
+		if trigger.Template.Operation == "" {
+			trigger.Template.Operation = v1alpha1.Create
+		}
+		newObj, err := triggers.Execute(sensorCtx.Sensor, uObj, client, trigger.Template.Operation)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/sensors/triggers/execute.go b/sensors/triggers/execute.go
index dc2c9d32c5..c86496fc61 100644
--- a/sensors/triggers/execute.go
+++ b/sensors/triggers/execute.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package triggers
 import (
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo-events/pkg/apis/sensor/v1alpha1"
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo-events/store"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/dynamic"
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ func FetchResource(kubeClient kubernetes.Interface, sensor *v1alpha1.Sensor, tri
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
-func Execute(sensor *v1alpha1.Sensor, obj *unstructured.Unstructured, client dynamic.NamespaceableResourceInterface) (*unstructured.Unstructured, error) {
+func Execute(sensor *v1alpha1.Sensor, obj *unstructured.Unstructured, client dynamic.NamespaceableResourceInterface, op v1alpha1.KubernetesResourceOperation) (*unstructured.Unstructured, error) {
 	namespace := obj.GetNamespace()
 	// Defaults to sensor's namespace
 	if namespace == "" {
@@ -53,5 +54,12 @@ func Execute(sensor *v1alpha1.Sensor, obj *unstructured.Unstructured, client dyn
 	}
 	obj.SetNamespace(namespace)
 
-	return client.Namespace(namespace).Create(obj, metav1.CreateOptions{})
+	switch op {
+	case v1alpha1.Create:
+		return client.Namespace(namespace).Create(obj, metav1.CreateOptions{})
+	case v1alpha1.Update:
+		return client.Namespace(namespace).Update(obj, metav1.UpdateOptions{})
+	default:
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("unknown operation type %s", string(op))
+	}
 }
diff --git a/sensors/triggers/execute_test.go b/sensors/triggers/execute_test.go
index 1a654589d5..7316c2345a 100644
--- a/sensors/triggers/execute_test.go
+++ b/sensors/triggers/execute_test.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func TestExecute(t *testing.T) {
 		Version:  trigger.Template.GroupVersionResource.Version,
 		Group:    trigger.Template.GroupVersionResource.Group,
 	})
-	uObj, err := Execute(sensorObj, deployment, namespacableClient)
+	uObj, err := Execute(sensorObj, deployment, namespacableClient, v1alpha1.Create)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.NotNil(t, uObj)
 	assert.Equal(t, uObj.GetName(), deployment.GetName())