diff --git a/lib/middlewares/populateSettings.js b/lib/middlewares/populateSettings.js
index e91e0bab..9c4e6ec2 100644
--- a/lib/middlewares/populateSettings.js
+++ b/lib/middlewares/populateSettings.js
@@ -82,12 +82,15 @@ const populateSettings = function (req, res, next) {
 
     const operatorSettings = settingsCache.get(`${operatorId}-latest`)
 
-    if (!versionId && !!needsSettingsReload[operatorId]) {
-      logger.debug('Fetching and caching a new latest config value, as a reload was requested')
+    if (!versionId && (!!needsSettingsReload[operatorId] || !operatorSettings)) {
+      !!needsSettingsReload[operatorId]
+        ? logger.debug('Fetching and caching a new latest config value, as a reload was requested')
+        : logger.debug('Fetching the latest config version because there\'s no cached value')
+
       return newSettingsLoader.loadLatest()
         .then(settings => {
           settingsCache.set(`${operatorId}-latest`, settings)
-          delete needsSettingsReload[operatorId]
+          if (!!needsSettingsReload[operatorId]) delete needsSettingsReload[operatorId]
           req.settings = settings
         })
         .then(() => next())
@@ -99,17 +102,6 @@ const populateSettings = function (req, res, next) {
       req.settings = operatorSettings
       return next()
     }
-
-    if (!versionId && !operatorSettings) {
-      logger.debug('Fetching the latest config version because there\'s no cached value')
-      return newSettingsLoader.loadLatest()
-        .then(settings => {
-          settingsCache.set(`${operatorId}-latest`, settings)
-          req.settings = settings
-        })
-        .then(() => next())
-        .catch(next)
-    }
   } catch (e) {
     logger.error(e)
   }