diff --git a/clients/apply/apply.go b/clients/apply/apply.go
index 0ca1f91..0ac9ddb 100644
--- a/clients/apply/apply.go
+++ b/clients/apply/apply.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"reflect"
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
@@ -33,7 +32,6 @@ type Params struct {
 	Filters []ResourceFilter
 
 	Force              bool
-	OverwriteConflicts bool
 	Quiet              bool
 	RenderTableColors  bool
 	RenderTableBorders bool
@@ -114,16 +112,12 @@ func (c Client) Apply(ctx context.Context, params *Params) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if c.StdIO.IsInteractive() && !params.Force {
+	if !params.Force {
 		if confirmed := c.StdIO.GetConfirm("Confirm application of the above resources"); !confirmed {
 			return errors.New("aborted application of template")
 		}
 	}
 
-	if !params.OverwriteConflicts && hasConflicts(res.Diff) {
-		return errors.New("template has conflicts with existing resources and cannot safely apply")
-	}
-
 	// Flip the dry-run flag and apply the template.
 	req.DryRun = false
 	res, err = c.ApplyTemplate(ctx).TemplateApply(req).Execute()
@@ -167,10 +161,10 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			if l.Old != nil {
 				oldRow = buildRow(l.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *l.Old)
 			}
-			if l.New != nil {
+			if l.New != nil && l.StateStatus != "remove" {
 				newRow = buildRow(l.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *l.New)
 			}
-			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow)
+			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow, false)
 		}
 		printer.Render()
 		_, _ = c.StdIO.Write([]byte("\n"))
@@ -199,10 +193,10 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			if b.Old != nil {
 				oldRow = buildRow(b.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *b.Old)
 			}
-			if b.New != nil {
+			if b.New != nil && b.StateStatus != "remove" {
 				newRow = buildRow(b.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *b.New)
 			}
-			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow)
+			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow, false)
 		}
 		printer.Render()
 		_, _ = c.StdIO.Write([]byte("\n"))
@@ -223,10 +217,10 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			if c.Old != nil {
 				oldRow = buildRow(c.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *c.Old)
 			}
-			if c.New != nil {
+			if c.New != nil && c.StateStatus != "remove" {
 				newRow = buildRow(c.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *c.New)
 			}
-			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow)
+			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow, true)
 		}
 		printer.Render()
 		_, _ = c.StdIO.Write([]byte("\n"))
@@ -247,10 +241,10 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			if d.Old != nil {
 				oldRow = buildRow(d.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *d.Old)
 			}
-			if d.New != nil {
+			if d.New != nil && d.StateStatus != "remove" {
 				newRow = buildRow(d.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *d.New)
 			}
-			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow)
+			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow, true)
 		}
 		printer.Render()
 		_, _ = c.StdIO.Write([]byte("\n"))
@@ -267,10 +261,10 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			if e.Old != nil {
 				oldRow = buildRow(e.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *e.Old)
 			}
-			if e.New != nil {
+			if e.New != nil && e.StateStatus != "remove" {
 				newRow = buildRow(e.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *e.New)
 			}
-			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow)
+			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow, true)
 		}
 		printer.Render()
 		_, _ = c.StdIO.Write([]byte("\n"))
@@ -292,10 +286,10 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			if r.Old != nil {
 				oldRow = buildRow(r.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *r.Old)
 			}
-			if r.New != nil {
+			if r.New != nil && r.StateStatus != "remove" {
 				newRow = buildRow(r.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *r.New)
 			}
-			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow)
+			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow, true)
 		}
 		printer.Render()
 		_, _ = c.StdIO.Write([]byte("\n"))
@@ -316,10 +310,10 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			if t.Old != nil {
 				oldRow = buildRow(t.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *t.Old)
 			}
-			if t.New != nil {
+			if t.New != nil && t.StateStatus != "remove" {
 				newRow = buildRow(t.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *t.New)
 			}
-			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow)
+			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow, true)
 		}
 		printer.Render()
 		_, _ = c.StdIO.Write([]byte("\n"))
@@ -351,10 +345,10 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			if t.Old != nil {
 				oldRow = buildRow(t.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *t.Old)
 			}
-			if t.New != nil {
+			if t.New != nil && t.StateStatus != "remove" {
 				newRow = buildRow(t.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *t.New)
 			}
-			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow)
+			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow, true)
 		}
 		printer.Render()
 		_, _ = c.StdIO.Write([]byte("\n"))
@@ -378,10 +372,10 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			if v.Old != nil {
 				oldRow = buildRow(v.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *v.Old)
 			}
-			if v.New != nil {
+			if v.New != nil && v.StateStatus != "remove" {
 				newRow = buildRow(v.TemplateMetaName, hexId, *v.New)
 			}
-			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow)
+			printer.AppendDiff(oldRow, newRow, false)
 		}
 		printer.Render()
 		_, _ = c.StdIO.Write([]byte("\n"))
@@ -398,11 +392,11 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 			row := []string{m.ResourceType, m.ResourceName, resId, m.LabelTemplateMetaName, m.LabelName, labelId}
 			switch m.StateStatus {
 			case "new":
-				printer.AppendDiff(nil, row)
+				printer.AppendDiff(nil, row, false)
 			case "remove":
-				printer.AppendDiff(row, nil)
+				printer.AppendDiff(row, nil, false)
 			default:
-				printer.AppendDiff(row, row)
+				printer.AppendDiff(row, row, false)
 			}
 		}
 		printer.Render()
@@ -411,55 +405,6 @@ func (c Client) printDiff(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff, params *Params) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func hasConflicts(diff api.TemplateSummaryDiff) bool {
-	for _, l := range diff.Labels {
-		if l.StateStatus != "new" && l.Old != nil && l.New != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(l.Old, l.New) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	for _, b := range diff.Buckets {
-		if b.StateStatus != "new" && b.Old != nil && b.New != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(b.Old, b.New) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	for _, c := range diff.Checks {
-		if c.StateStatus != "new" && c.Old != nil && c.New != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(c.Old, c.New) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	for _, d := range diff.Dashboards {
-		if d.StateStatus != "new" && d.Old != nil && d.New != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(d.Old, d.New) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	for _, e := range diff.NotificationEndpoints {
-		if e.StateStatus != "new" && e.Old != nil && e.New != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(e.Old, e.New) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	for _, r := range diff.NotificationRules {
-		if r.StateStatus != "new" && r.Old != nil && r.New != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(r.Old, r.New) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	for _, t := range diff.TelegrafConfigs {
-		if t.StateStatus != "new" && t.Old != nil && t.New != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(t.Old, t.New) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	for _, t := range diff.Tasks {
-		if t.StateStatus != "new" && t.Old != nil && t.New != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(t.Old, t.New) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	for _, v := range diff.Variables {
-		if v.StateStatus != "new" && v.Old != nil && v.New != nil && !reflect.DeepEqual(v.Old, v.New) {
-			return true
-		}
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
 func (c Client) printSummary(summary api.TemplateSummaryResources, params *Params) error {
 	if c.PrintAsJSON {
 		return c.PrintJSON(struct {
diff --git a/cmd/influx/apply.go b/cmd/influx/apply.go
index c6d9bf3..603301d 100644
--- a/cmd/influx/apply.go
+++ b/cmd/influx/apply.go
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ https://github.com/influxdata/community-templates.
 			},
 			&cli.StringFlag{
 				Name:        "force",
-				Usage:       "Set to 'true' to skip confirmation before applying changes. Set to 'conflict' to skip confirmation and overwrite existing resources",
+				Usage:       "Set to 'yes' to skip confirmation before applying changes (recommended for non-interactive scripts).",
 				Destination: &params.force,
 			},
 			&cli.StringSliceFlag{
@@ -240,12 +240,18 @@ https://github.com/influxdata/community-templates.
 
 			// Parse our strange way of passing 'force'
 			switch params.force {
+			case "":
+				// no force
 			case "conflict":
+				log.Println("WARN: Passing '--force conflict' is deprecated, assuming '--force yes'")
 				parsedParams.Force = true
-				parsedParams.OverwriteConflicts = true
 			case "true":
+				log.Println("WARN: Passing '--force true' is deprecated, assuming '--force yes'")
+				parsedParams.Force = true
+			case "yes":
 				parsedParams.Force = true
 			default:
+				return fmt.Errorf("invalid argument '--force %s', should use '--force yes'", params.force)
 			}
 
 			api := getAPI(ctx)
diff --git a/pkg/template/diff_printer.go b/pkg/template/diff_printer.go
index cf7dc6c..b1a8aa3 100644
--- a/pkg/template/diff_printer.go
+++ b/pkg/template/diff_printer.go
@@ -106,7 +106,11 @@ func (d *DiffPrinter) Append(slc []string) {
 	d.writer.Append(d.prepend(slc, ""))
 }
 
-func (d *DiffPrinter) AppendDiff(remove, add []string) {
+// AppendDiff appends a diff to the diff printer
+//
+// assumeDiff says to mark remove/add as a diff (with two lines), even if they are the same.
+// this is used for types that the CLI does not know how to fully compare.
+func (d *DiffPrinter) AppendDiff(remove, add []string, assumeDiff bool) {
 	defer func() { d.appendCalls++ }()
 
 	if d.appendCalls > 0 {
@@ -127,7 +131,7 @@ func (d *DiffPrinter) AppendDiff(remove, add []string) {
 	var (
 		addColors    = make([]tablewriter.Colors, len(preppedAdd))
 		removeColors = make([]tablewriter.Colors, len(preppedRemove))
-		hasDiff      bool
+		hasDiff      = assumeDiff
 	)
 	addColor, removeColor := noColor, noColor
 	if d.useColor {
diff --git a/pkg/template/diff_printer_test.go b/pkg/template/diff_printer_test.go
index 6fa11a9..bd533d6 100644
--- a/pkg/template/diff_printer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/template/diff_printer_test.go
@@ -29,19 +29,27 @@ func TestDiffPrinter(t *testing.T) {
 		SetHeaders("Wow", "Such", "A", "Fancy", "Printer")
 
 	// Add
-	printer.AppendDiff(nil, []string{"A", "B", "C", "D", "E"})
+	printer.AppendDiff(nil, []string{"A", "B", "C", "D", "E"}, false)
 
 	// No change
-	printer.Append([]string{"foo", "bar", "baz", "qux", "wat"})
+	simple := []string{"foo", "bar", "baz", "qux", "wat"}
+	printer.Append(simple)
+
+	// No change with two arguments
+	printer.AppendDiff(simple, simple, false)
+
+	// No change but force a diff
+	printer.AppendDiff(simple, simple, true)
 
 	// Replace
 	printer.AppendDiff(
 		[]string{"1", "200000000000000", "3", "4", "5"},
 		[]string{"9", "8", "7", "6", "5"},
+		false,
 	)
 
 	// Remove
-	printer.AppendDiff([]string{"x y", "z x", "x y z", "", "y z"}, nil)
+	printer.AppendDiff([]string{"x y", "z x", "x y z", "", "y z"}, nil, false)
 
 	printer.Render()
 	expected := `EXAMPLE    +add | -remove | unchanged
@@ -53,6 +61,14 @@ func TestDiffPrinter(t *testing.T) {
 |     | foo | bar             | baz   | qux   | wat     |
 +-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
 +-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
+|     | foo | bar             | baz   | qux   | wat     |
++-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
++-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
+| -   | foo | bar             | baz   | qux   | wat     |
++-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
+| +   | foo | bar             | baz   | qux   | wat     |
++-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
++-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
 | -   |   1 | 200000000000000 |     3 |     4 |       5 |
 +-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
 | +   |   9 |               8 |     7 |     6 |       5 |
@@ -60,7 +76,7 @@ func TestDiffPrinter(t *testing.T) {
 +-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
 | -   | x y | z x             | x y z |       | y z     |
 +-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
-|                                       TOTAL |    3    |
+|                                       TOTAL |    5    |
 +-----+-----+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
 `
 	require.Equal(t, expected, out.String())