diff --git a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/provider/internal/ResourceProviderService.java b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/provider/internal/ResourceProviderService.java
index 2fca03cea56..12c427f90ab 100644
--- a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/provider/internal/ResourceProviderService.java
+++ b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/provider/internal/ResourceProviderService.java
@@ -173,19 +173,26 @@ public void construct(pulumirpc.Provider.ConstructRequest request,
                     .map(reference -> new DependencyProviderResource(reference))
                     .toArray(DependencyProviderResource[]::new);
 
-            var opts = ComponentResourceOptions.builder()
+            var optsBuilder = ComponentResourceOptions.builder()
                 .aliases(aliases)
                 .dependsOn(dependsOn)
-                .protect(request.getProtect())
                 .providers(providers)
                 .parent(new DependencyResource(request.getParent()))
                 .customTimeouts(deserializeTimeouts(request.getCustomTimeouts()))
                 // TODO deletedWith: https://github.com/pulumi/pulumi-java/issues/944
                 .ignoreChanges(request.getIgnoreChangesList())
-                .retainOnDelete(request.getRetainOnDelete())
-                .replaceOnChanges(request.getReplaceOnChangesList())
-                .build();
+                .replaceOnChanges(request.getReplaceOnChangesList());
 
+            if (request.getProtect()) {
+                optsBuilder = optsBuilder.protect();
+            }
+            if (request.getRetainOnDelete()) {
+                optsBuilder = optsBuilder.retainOnDelete();
+            }
+            
+            
+            var opts = optsBuilder.build(); 
+            
             var domRequest = new com.pulumi.provider.internal.models.ConstructRequest(
                 request.getType(), request.getName(), unmarshal(request.getInputs()), opts);
 
diff --git a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/ComponentResourceOptions.java b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/ComponentResourceOptions.java
index 27109add91f..7d983a8c871 100644
--- a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/ComponentResourceOptions.java
+++ b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/ComponentResourceOptions.java
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public ComponentResourceOptions(
             @Nullable Output<String> id,
             @Nullable Resource parent,
             @Nullable Output<List<Resource>> dependsOn,
-            boolean protect,
+            @Nullable boolean protect,
             @Nullable List<String> ignoreChanges,
             @Nullable String version,
             @Nullable CustomTimeouts customTimeouts,
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public ComponentResourceOptions(
             @Nullable List<Output<Alias>> aliases,
             @Nullable String urn,
             @Nullable List<String> replaceOnChanges,
-            boolean retainOnDelete,
+            @Nullable boolean retainOnDelete,
             @Nullable String pluginDownloadURL,
             @Nullable List<String> hideDiffs,
             @Nullable List<ProviderResource> providers,
diff --git a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/CustomResourceOptions.java b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/CustomResourceOptions.java
index 44dd95cffee..473bd23cdee 100644
--- a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/CustomResourceOptions.java
+++ b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/CustomResourceOptions.java
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ private CustomResourceOptions(
             @Nullable Output<String> id,
             @Nullable Resource parent,
             @Nullable Output<List<Resource>> dependsOn,
-            boolean protect,
+            @Nullable boolean protect,
             @Nullable List<String> ignoreChanges,
             @Nullable String version,
             @Nullable ProviderResource provider,
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ private CustomResourceOptions(
             @Nullable List<ResourceTransformation> resourceTransformations,
             @Nullable List<Output<Alias>> aliases,
             @Nullable String urn,
-            boolean deleteBeforeReplace,
+            @Nullable boolean deleteBeforeReplace,
             @Nullable List<String> additionalSecretOutputs,
             @Nullable String importId,
             @Nullable List<String> replaceOnChanges,
-            boolean retainOnDelete,
+            @Nullable boolean retainOnDelete,
             @Nullable String pluginDownloadURL,
             @Nullable List<String> hideDiffs,
             @Nullable List<Resource> replaceWith
diff --git a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/Resource.java b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/Resource.java
index 7585ac1ca18..d1e9c52ba17 100644
--- a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/Resource.java
+++ b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/Resource.java
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ public abstract class Resource {
     /**
      * When set to true, protect ensures this resource cannot be deleted.
      */
+    @Nullable
     private final boolean protect;
 
     private final List<ResourceTransformation> transformations;
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ protected Resource(
             // this.urn will be set using setter in the subtype constructor after this supertype constructor finishes
             this.type = "";
             this.name = "";
-            this.protect = false;
+            this.protect = null;
             this.transformations = List.of();
             this.providers = Map.of();
             this.provider = null;
@@ -200,7 +201,9 @@ protected Resource(
             // the 'childResources' is a Synchronized Collection, so this is safe operation
             parentResource.childResources.add(this);
 
-            options.protect = options.protect || parentResource.protect; // TODO: is this logic good?
+            if (options.protect == null) {
+                options.protect = parentResource.protect;
+            }
             thisProviders.putAll(options.parent.providers);
         }
 
diff --git a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/ResourceOptions.java b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/ResourceOptions.java
index f53d7ed6ec6..edff9a513d2 100644
--- a/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/ResourceOptions.java
+++ b/sdk/java/pulumi/src/main/java/com/pulumi/resources/ResourceOptions.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ public abstract class ResourceOptions {
     protected Resource parent;
     @Nullable
     protected Output<List<Resource>> dependsOn;
+    @Nullable
     protected boolean protect;
     @Nullable
     protected List<String> ignoreChanges;
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ public abstract class ResourceOptions {
     protected String urn;
     @Nullable
     protected List<String> replaceOnChanges;
+    @Nullable
     protected boolean retainOnDelete;
     @Nullable
     protected String pluginDownloadURL;
@@ -54,7 +56,7 @@ protected ResourceOptions(
             @Nullable Output<String> id,
             @Nullable Resource parent,
             @Nullable Output<List<Resource>> dependsOn,
-            boolean protect,
+            @Nullable boolean protect,
             @Nullable List<String> ignoreChanges,
             @Nullable String version,
             @Nullable ProviderResource provider,
@@ -63,7 +65,7 @@ protected ResourceOptions(
             @Nullable List<Output<Alias>> aliases,
             @Nullable String urn,
             @Nullable List<String> replaceOnChanges,
-            boolean retainOnDelete,
+            @Nullable boolean retainOnDelete,
             @Nullable String pluginDownloadURL,
             @Nullable List<String> hideDiffs,
             @Nullable List<Resource> replaceWith
@@ -455,7 +457,7 @@ protected static <T extends ResourceOptions> T mergeSharedOptions(T options1, T
 
         options1.id = options2.id == null ? options1.id : options2.id;
         options1.parent = options2.parent == null ? options1.parent : options2.parent;
-        options1.protect = options1.protect || options2.protect;
+        options1.protect = options2.protect == null ? options1.protect : options2.protect;
         options1.urn = options2.urn == null ? options1.urn : options2.urn;
         options1.version = options2.version == null ? options1.version : options2.version;
         options1.provider = options2.provider == null ? options1.provider : options2.provider;