diff --git a/src/RecursivePublishable.php b/src/RecursivePublishable.php
index 014ba676..d7eb81a3 100644
--- a/src/RecursivePublishable.php
+++ b/src/RecursivePublishable.php
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 use SilverStripe\ORM\FieldType\DBDatetime;
 use SilverStripe\ORM\Queries\SQLUpdate;
 use SilverStripe\Model\List\SS_List;
+use SilverStripe\UserForms\Model\EditableCustomRule;
 
 /**
  * Provides owns / owned_by and recursive publishing API for all objects.
@@ -63,37 +64,48 @@ public function publishRecursive()
             $owner = $this->owner;
 
             // get the last published version
-            $original = null;
+            $liveOwner = null;
             if ($owner->hasExtension(Versioned::class) && $owner->isPublished()) {
-                $original = Versioned::get_by_stage($owner->baseClass(), Versioned::LIVE)
+                $liveOwner = Versioned::get_by_stage($owner->baseClass(), Versioned::LIVE)
                     ->byID($owner->ID);
             }
 
-            $owner->invokeWithExtensions('onBeforePublishRecursive', $original);
-
-            // Create a new changeset for this item and publish it
-            $changeset = ChangeSet::create();
-            $changeset->IsInferred = true;
-            $changeset->Name = _t(
-                __CLASS__ . '.INFERRED_TITLE',
-                "Generated by publish of '{title}' at {created}",
-                [
-                    'title' => $owner->Title,
-                    'created' => DBDatetime::now()->Nice()
-                ]
-            );
+            $owner->invokeWithExtensions('onBeforePublishRecursive', $liveOwner);
+
+            $draftObjs = $this->getRecursivelyOwnedVersionedDataObjectsByStage($owner, Versioned::DRAFT);
+            $liveObjs = $this->getRecursivelyOwnedVersionedDataObjectsByStage($liveOwner, Versioned::LIVE);
+            $liveOnlyKeys = array_diff(array_keys($liveObjs), array_keys($draftObjs));
+
+            // Delete any records that were in live but not in draft
+            foreach ($liveOnlyKeys as $key) {
+                if (array_key_exists($key, $liveObjs)) {
+                    /** @var DataObject|Versioned $liveObj */
+                    $liveObj = $liveObjs[$key];
+                    $liveObj->doUnpublish();
+                    // $liveObj->suppressDeletedVersion(function () use ($liveObj) {
+                    //     $liveObj->doUnpublish();
+                    // });
+                    // $liveObj->deleteFromStage(Versioned::LIVE);
+                    // $liveObj->suppressDeletedVersion(function () use ($liveObj) {
+                    //     $liveObj->deleteFromStage(Versioned::LIVE);
+                    // });
+                    // $liveObj->isOnLiveOnly
+                }
+            }
 
-            $changeset->write();
-            $changeset->addObject($owner);
+            // Recursively publish owned DataObjects, starting with most nested ones
+            foreach (array_reverse($draftObjs) as $obj) {
+                $obj->publishSingle();
+            }
 
-            $result = $changeset->publish(true);
-            if (!$result) {
-                return $result;
+            // Finally, publish this object
+            if ($owner->hasExtension(Versioned::class)) {
+                $owner->publishSingle();
             }
 
             $owner->invokeWithExtensions('onAfterPublishRecursive', $original);
 
-            return $result;
+            return true;
         });
     }
 
@@ -470,4 +482,28 @@ protected function onAfterDelete(): void
     {
         RecursiveStagesService::reset();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a map of {dataClass}.{ID} => DataObject of DataObjectsions that are:
+     * - Recursively owned by the current object
+     * - Have the Versioned extension
+     * - Exist in the same stage as the current object
+     */
+    private function getRecursivelyOwnedVersionedDataObjectsByStage(?DataObject $owner, string $stage): array
+    {
+        if (!$owner) {
+            return [];
+        }
+        $objs = Versioned::withVersionedMode(function () use ($owner, $stage) {
+            Versioned::set_stage($stage);
+            return array_filter(
+                $owner->findOwned(true)->toArray(),
+                fn(DataObject $obj) => $obj->hasExtension(Versioned::class)
+            );
+        });
+        return array_combine(
+            array_map(fn(DataObject $obj) => get_class($obj) . '.' . $obj->ID, $objs),
+            $objs
+        );
+    }
 }