diff --git a/roles/sys-stk-front-proxy/defaults/main.yml b/roles/sys-stk-front-proxy/defaults/main.yml
index 925ef14284..34d6e60c50 100644
--- a/roles/sys-stk-front-proxy/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/sys-stk-front-proxy/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 ---
 # default vhost flavour
 webserver_vhost_flavour: "basic" # valid: basic, ws_generic
+front_proxy_stale_config_status_codes: [-1, 404]
diff --git a/roles/sys-stk-front-proxy/tasks/main.yml b/roles/sys-stk-front-proxy/tasks/main.yml
index 70e6e82c11..ed95da58b1 100644
--- a/roles/sys-stk-front-proxy/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/sys-stk-front-proxy/tasks/main.yml
@@ -144,8 +144,10 @@
   notify: restart-openresty
   when:
     - nginx_conf.changed
-    - front_proxy_reload_check.status is defined
-    - front_proxy_reload_check.status not in front_proxy_status_codes
+    - front_proxy_reload_check.status | default(-1) not in front_proxy_status_codes
+    - >-
+      not openresty_reload.changed
+      or front_proxy_reload_check.status | default(-1) in front_proxy_stale_config_status_codes
 
 - name: "🔄 Flush the fallback redeploy for '{{ front_proxy_domain }}'"
   ansible.builtin.meta: flush_handlers