diff --git a/pkg/utils/overriding/merging.go b/pkg/utils/overriding/merging.go
index 95fbeb80f..2ce6fc60c 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/overriding/merging.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/overriding/merging.go
@@ -25,20 +25,31 @@ func MergeDevWorkspaceTemplateSpec(
 	parentFlattenedContent *workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent,
 	pluginFlattenedContents ...*workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent) (*workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent, error) {
 
-	allContents := []*workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{parentFlattenedContent}
-	allContents = append(allContents, pluginFlattenedContents...)
-	allContents = append(allContents, mainContent)
-
-	if err := ensureNoConflictWithParent(mainContent, parentFlattenedContent); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	allContents := []*workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
+	if parentFlattenedContent != nil {
+		allContents = append(allContents, parentFlattenedContent)
+	}
+	if len(pluginFlattenedContents) > 0 {
+		allContents = append(allContents, pluginFlattenedContents...)
 	}
+	allContents = append(allContents, mainContent)
 
-	if err := ensureNoConflictsWithPlugins(mainContent, pluginFlattenedContents...); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	// Check for conflicts
+	if parentFlattenedContent != nil {
+		if err := ensureNoConflictWithParent(mainContent, parentFlattenedContent); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
-	// also need to ensure no conflict between parent and plugins
-	if err := ensureNoConflictsWithPlugins(parentFlattenedContent, pluginFlattenedContents...); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if len(pluginFlattenedContents) > 0 {
+		if err := ensureNoConflictsWithPlugins(mainContent, pluginFlattenedContents...); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if parentFlattenedContent != nil {
+			// also need to ensure no conflict between parent and plugins
+			if err := ensureNoConflictsWithPlugins(parentFlattenedContent, pluginFlattenedContents...); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	result := workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
diff --git a/pkg/utils/overriding/overriding_test.go b/pkg/utils/overriding/overriding_test.go
index df82e794c..4af4ab6fa 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/overriding/overriding_test.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/overriding/overriding_test.go
@@ -304,6 +304,75 @@ func TestMerging(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestPluginOverrides(t *testing.T) {
+	originalFile := "test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/original.yaml"
+	patchFile := "test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/patch.yaml"
+	resultFile := "test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/result.yaml"
+
+	originalDWT := workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
+	patch := workspaces.PluginOverrides{}
+	expectedDWT := workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
+
+	readFileToStruct(t, originalFile, &originalDWT)
+	readFileToStruct(t, patchFile, &patch)
+	readFileToStruct(t, resultFile, &expectedDWT)
+
+	gotDWT, err := OverrideDevWorkspaceTemplateSpec(&originalDWT, patch)
+	if assert.NoError(t, err) {
+		assert.Equal(t, &expectedDWT, gotDWT)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMergingOnlyPlugins(t *testing.T) {
+	baseFile := "test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/main.yaml"
+	pluginFile := "test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/plugin.yaml"
+	resultFile := "test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/result.yaml"
+
+	baseDWT := workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
+	pluginDWT := workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
+	expectedDWT := workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
+
+	readFileToStruct(t, baseFile, &baseDWT)
+	readFileToStruct(t, pluginFile, &pluginDWT)
+	readFileToStruct(t, resultFile, &expectedDWT)
+
+	gotDWT, err := MergeDevWorkspaceTemplateSpec(&baseDWT, nil, &pluginDWT)
+	if assert.NoError(t, err) {
+		assert.Equal(t, &expectedDWT, gotDWT)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestMergingOnlyParent(t *testing.T) {
+	// Reuse only plugin case since it's compatible
+	baseFile := "test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/main.yaml"
+	parentFile := "test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/plugin.yaml"
+	resultFile := "test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/result.yaml"
+
+	baseDWT := workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
+	parentDWT := workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
+	expectedDWT := workspaces.DevWorkspaceTemplateSpecContent{}
+
+	readFileToStruct(t, baseFile, &baseDWT)
+	readFileToStruct(t, parentFile, &parentDWT)
+	readFileToStruct(t, resultFile, &expectedDWT)
+
+	gotDWT, err := MergeDevWorkspaceTemplateSpec(&baseDWT, &parentDWT)
+	if assert.NoError(t, err) {
+		assert.Equal(t, &expectedDWT, gotDWT)
+	}
+}
+
+func readFileToStruct(t *testing.T, path string, into interface{}) {
+	bytes, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to read test file from %s: %s", path, err.Error())
+	}
+	err = yaml.Unmarshal(bytes, into)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Failed to unmarshal file into struct: %s", err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
 // Since order of error message lines is not deterministic, it's necessary to compare
 // in a weaker way than asserting string equality.
 func compareErrorMessages(t *testing.T, expected, actual string, failReason string) {
diff --git a/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/main.yaml b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..244a81a8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+components:
+  - name: test-component
+    container:
+      image: test-image
diff --git a/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/plugin.yaml b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/plugin.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..235ac56af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/plugin.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+components:
+  - name: test-plugin-component
+    container:
+      image: test-plugin-image
diff --git a/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/result.yaml b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/result.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..03d13f269
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/merges/no-parent/result.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+components:
+  - name: test-plugin-component
+    container:
+      image: test-plugin-image
+  - name: test-component
+    container:
+      image: test-image
diff --git a/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/original.yaml b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/original.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5dd047f0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/original.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+projects:
+  - name: test-project
+    git:
+      remotes:
+        origin: "https://test-data.io"
+
+components:
+  - name: my-component
+    container:
+      image: testimg
+
+commands:
+  - id: test-command
+    exec:
+      component: my-component
+      commandLine: "echo 'just a test'"
+
+events:
+  preStart:
+    - test-command
diff --git a/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/patch.yaml b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/patch.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce0b6aba8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/patch.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+components:
+  - name: my-component
+    container:
+      image: overridden-image
+
+commands:
+  - id: test-command
+    exec:
+      component: my-component
+      commandLine: "echo 'this bit is updated'"
diff --git a/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/result.yaml b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/result.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..786ade288
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/utils/overriding/test-fixtures/patches/override-just-plugin/result.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+projects:
+  - name: test-project
+    git:
+      remotes:
+        origin: "https://test-data.io"
+
+components:
+  - name: my-component
+    container:
+      image: overridden-image
+
+commands:
+  - id: test-command
+    exec:
+      component: my-component
+      commandLine: "echo 'this bit is updated'"
+
+events:
+  preStart:
+    - test-command