diff --git a/lib/chef/knife/topo/node_update_helper.rb b/lib/chef/knife/topo/node_update_helper.rb
index 8a35ef3..70fe158 100644
--- a/lib/chef/knife/topo/node_update_helper.rb
+++ b/lib/chef/knife/topo/node_update_helper.rb
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def update_node_with_values(node, updates)
     def update_attrs(node, attrs)
       return false unless attrs
       attrs.delete('tags')
-      original = node.normal.clone
+      original = Marshal.load(Marshal.dump(node.normal))
       node.normal = Chef::Mixin::DeepMerge.merge(node.normal, attrs)
       original != node.normal
     end
diff --git a/lib/chef/knife/topo/version.rb b/lib/chef/knife/topo/version.rb
index 663b552..9be208b 100644
--- a/lib/chef/knife/topo/version.rb
+++ b/lib/chef/knife/topo/version.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 # version
 module KnifeTopo
-  VERSION = '2.0.2'
+  VERSION = '2.0.3'
 end
diff --git a/spec/unit/topo_update_spec.rb b/spec/unit/topo_update_spec.rb
index 8e5a070..cacb42c 100644
--- a/spec/unit/topo_update_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/topo_update_spec.rb
@@ -171,5 +171,13 @@
       @cmd.update_node_with_values(node, 'normal' => { 'attr1' => 'val2' })
       expect(node['attr1']).to eq('val2')
     end
+
+    it 'detects and saves change in nested attributes' do
+      node = Chef::Node.new
+      node.normal = { 'level1' => { 'level2' => { 'attr1' => 'val1' } } }
+      expect(node).to receive(:save)
+      @cmd.do_node_updates(node, 'normal' => { 'level1' =>
+        { 'level2' => { 'attr1' => 'val2' } } })
+    end
   end
 end