diff --git a/config-reloader/controller/controller.go b/config-reloader/controller/controller.go
index efe780e7..c0843a5d 100644
--- a/config-reloader/controller/controller.go
+++ b/config-reloader/controller/controller.go
@@ -16,11 +16,12 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Controller struct {
-	Updater    Updater
-	OutputDir  string
-	Reloader   *fluentd.Reloader
-	Datasource datasource.Datasource
-	Generator  *generator.Generator
+	Updater          Updater
+	OutputDir        string
+	Reloader         *fluentd.Reloader
+	Datasource       datasource.Datasource
+	Generator        *generator.Generator
+	NumTotalConfigNS int
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) Run(ctx context.Context, stop <-chan struct{}) {
@@ -78,12 +79,12 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config) (*Controller, error) {
 func (c *Controller) RunOnce(ctx context.Context) error {
 	logrus.Infof("Running main control loop")
 
-	allNamespaces, err := c.Datasource.GetNamespaces(ctx)
+	allConfigNamespaces, err := c.Datasource.GetNamespaces(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	c.Generator.SetModel(allNamespaces)
+	c.Generator.SetModel(allConfigNamespaces)
 	configHashes, err := c.Generator.RenderToDisk(ctx, c.OutputDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil
@@ -91,7 +92,9 @@ func (c *Controller) RunOnce(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	needsReload := false
 
-	for _, nsConfig := range allNamespaces {
+	logrus.Debugf("Config hashes returned in RunOnce loop: %v", configHashes)
+
+	for _, nsConfig := range allConfigNamespaces {
 		newHash, found := configHashes[nsConfig.Name]
 		if !found {
 			logrus.Infof("No config updates for namespace %s", nsConfig.Name)
@@ -105,6 +108,13 @@ func (c *Controller) RunOnce(ctx context.Context) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// lastly, if number of configs has changed, then need to reload configurations obviously!
+	// this means a crd was deleted or reapplied, and GetNamespaces does not return it anymore
+	if c.NumTotalConfigNS != len(allConfigNamespaces) {
+		needsReload = true
+		c.NumTotalConfigNS = len(allConfigNamespaces)
+	}
+
 	if needsReload {
 		c.Reloader.ReloadConfiguration()
 	}
diff --git a/config-reloader/fluentd/reloader.go b/config-reloader/fluentd/reloader.go
index 5fc1ee9a..d9258116 100644
--- a/config-reloader/fluentd/reloader.go
+++ b/config-reloader/fluentd/reloader.go
@@ -24,19 +24,21 @@ func NewReloader(ctx context.Context, port int) *Reloader {
 	}
 }
 
-// ReloadConfiguration talks to fluentd's RPC endpoont. If r is nil does nothing
+// ReloadConfiguration talks to fluentd's RPC endpoint. If r is nil does nothing
 func (r *Reloader) ReloadConfiguration() {
 	if r == nil {
 		logrus.Infof("Not reloading fluentd (fake or filesystem datasource used)")
 		return
 	}
 
+	logrus.Debugf("Reloading fluentd configuration gracefully via POST to /api/config.gracefulReload")
+
 	resp, err := http.Post(fmt.Sprintf("http://127.0.0.1:%d/api/config.gracefulReload", r.port), "application/json", nil)
 	if err != nil {
-		logrus.Errorf("fluentd config.reload post request failed: %+v", err)
+		logrus.Errorf("fluentd config.gracefulReload post request failed: %+v", err)
 	} else if resp.StatusCode != 200 {
 		defer resp.Body.Close()
 		body, _ := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
-		logrus.Errorf("fluentd config.reload endpoint returned statuscode %v; response: %v", resp.StatusCode, string(body))
+		logrus.Errorf("fluentd config.gracefulReload endpoint returned statuscode %v; response: %v", resp.StatusCode, string(body))
 	}
 }
diff --git a/config-reloader/generator/generator.go b/config-reloader/generator/generator.go
index 6f502b1c..ea6ebc85 100644
--- a/config-reloader/generator/generator.go
+++ b/config-reloader/generator/generator.go
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ func (g *Generator) SetStatusUpdater(ctx context.Context, su datasource.StatusUp
 	g.su = su
 }
 
-// New creates a default impl
+// New creates a default implementation
 func New(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config) *Generator {
 	templatesDir, _ := filepath.Abs(cfg.TemplatesDir)
 	var validator fluentd.Validator