diff --git a/octodns/processor/base.py b/octodns/processor/base.py
index 51f19dd..7e8a63a 100644
--- a/octodns/processor/base.py
+++ b/octodns/processor/base.py
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, \
     unicode_literals
 
-from ..zone import Zone
-
 
 class BaseProcessor(object):
 
diff --git a/octodns/provider/base.py b/octodns/provider/base.py
index 16cad7a..3d6c62e 100644
--- a/octodns/provider/base.py
+++ b/octodns/provider/base.py
@@ -34,21 +34,29 @@ class BaseProvider(BaseSource):
 
     def _process_desired_zone(self, desired):
         '''
-        An opportunity for providers to modify that desired zone records before
-        planning.
+        An opportunity for providers to modify the desired zone records before
+        planning. `desired` is a "shallow" copy, see `Zone.copy` for more
+        information
 
-        - Must do their work and then call super with the results of that work
-        - Must not modify the `desired` parameter or its records and should
-          make a copy of anything it's modifying
+        - Must do their work and then call `super` with the results of that
+          work, returning the result of the `super` call.
+        - Must not modify `desired` directly, should call `desired.copy` and
+          modify the shallow copy returned from that.
+        - Must not modify records directly, `record.copy` should be called,
+          the results of which can be modified, and then `Zone.add_record` may
+          be used with `replace=True`
+        - Must call `Zone.remove_record` to remove records from the copy of
+          `desired`
         - Must call supports_warn_or_except with information about any changes
           that are made to have them logged or throw errors depending on the
-          configuration
+          provider configuration
         '''
         if self.SUPPORTS_MUTLIVALUE_PTR:
             # nothing do here
             return desired
 
-        new_desired = Zone(desired.name, desired.sub_zones)
+        # Shallow copy
+        new_desired = desired.copy()
         for record in desired.records:
             if record._type == 'PTR' and len(record.values) > 1:
                 # replace with a single-value copy
@@ -59,8 +67,7 @@ class BaseProvider(BaseSource):
                 self.supports_warn_or_except(msg, fallback)
                 record = record.copy()
                 record.values = [record.value]
-
-            new_desired.add_record(record)
+                new_desired.add_record(record, replace=True)
 
         return new_desired
 
diff --git a/octodns/provider/route53.py b/octodns/provider/route53.py
index 477a53e..37ce413 100644
--- a/octodns/provider/route53.py
+++ b/octodns/provider/route53.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ from six import text_type
 from ..equality import EqualityTupleMixin
 from ..record import Record, Update
 from ..record.geo import GeoCodes
-from ..zone import Zone
 from .base import BaseProvider
 
 octal_re = re.compile(r'\\(\d\d\d)')
@@ -926,11 +925,10 @@ class Route53Provider(BaseProvider):
         return data
 
     def _process_desired_zone(self, desired):
-        ret = Zone(desired.name, desired.sub_zones)
+        ret = desired.copy()
         for record in desired.records:
             if getattr(record, 'dynamic', False):
                 # Make a copy of the record in case we have to muck with it
-                record = record.copy()
                 dynamic = record.dynamic
                 rules = []
                 for i, rule in enumerate(dynamic.rules):
@@ -957,9 +955,10 @@ class Route53Provider(BaseProvider):
                         rule.data['geos'] = filtered_geos
                     rules.append(rule)
 
-                dynamic.rules = rules
-
-            ret.add_record(record)
+                if rules != dynamic.rules:
+                    record = record.copy()
+                    record.dynamic.rules = rules
+                    ret.add_record(record, replace=True)
 
         return super(Route53Provider, self)._process_desired_zone(ret)