diff --git a/cloudflare/resource_cloudflare_zone.go b/cloudflare/resource_cloudflare_zone.go
index 2b937dcd65..832c5f9e91 100644
--- a/cloudflare/resource_cloudflare_zone.go
+++ b/cloudflare/resource_cloudflare_zone.go
@@ -217,15 +217,21 @@ func resourceCloudflareZoneUpdate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) erro
 	}
 
 	// In the cases where the zone isn't completely setup yet, we need to
-	// check the `status` field and should it be pending, use the `Name`
+	// check the `status` field and should it be pending, use the `LegacyID`
 	// from `zone.PlanPending` instead to account for paid plans.
 	if zone.Status == "pending" && zone.PlanPending.Name != "" {
-		d.Set("plan", zone.PlanPending.Name)
+		d.Set("plan", zone.PlanPending.LegacyID)
 	}
 
-	if plan, ok := d.GetOk("plan"); ok {
-		planName := planIDForName(plan.(string))
-		if err := setRatePlan(client, zoneID, planName, false); err != nil {
+	if change := d.HasChange("plan"); change {
+		// If we're upgrading from a free plan, we need to use POST (not PUT) as the
+		// the subscription needs to be created, not modified despite the resource
+		// already existing.
+		existingPlan, newPlan := d.GetChange("plan")
+		wasFreePlan := existingPlan.(string) == "free"
+		planID := newPlan.(string)
+
+		if err := setRatePlan(client, zoneID, planID, wasFreePlan); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}