diff --git a/controllers/configurationpolicy_utils.go b/controllers/configurationpolicy_utils.go
index ed38d476..c8acf096 100644
--- a/controllers/configurationpolicy_utils.go
+++ b/controllers/configurationpolicy_utils.go
@@ -300,13 +300,18 @@ func checkListFieldsWithSort(mergedObj []map[string]interface{}, oldObj []map[st
 
 // checkListsMatch is a generic list check that uses an arbitrary sort to ensure it is comparing the right values
 func checkListsMatch(oldVal []interface{}, mergedVal []interface{}) (m bool) {
-	oVal := append([]interface{}{}, oldVal...)
-	mVal := append([]interface{}{}, mergedVal...)
+	if (oldVal == nil && mergedVal != nil) || (oldVal != nil && mergedVal == nil) {
+		return false
+	}
 
-	if (oVal == nil && mVal != nil) || (oVal != nil && mVal == nil) {
+	if len(mergedVal) != len(oldVal) {
 		return false
 	}
 
+	// Make copies of the lists, so we can sort them without mutating this function's inputs
+	oVal := append([]interface{}{}, oldVal...)
+	mVal := append([]interface{}{}, mergedVal...)
+
 	sort.Slice(oVal, func(i, j int) bool {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("%v", oVal[i]) < fmt.Sprintf("%v", oVal[j])
 	})
@@ -314,10 +319,6 @@ func checkListsMatch(oldVal []interface{}, mergedVal []interface{}) (m bool) {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("%v", mVal[x]) < fmt.Sprintf("%v", mVal[y])
 	})
 
-	if len(mVal) != len(oVal) {
-		return false
-	}
-
 	for idx, oNestedVal := range oVal {
 		switch oNestedVal := oNestedVal.(type) {
 		case map[string]interface{}: