diff --git a/params/github.go b/params/github.go
index 7f99750f..4b37b83b 100644
--- a/params/github.go
+++ b/params/github.go
@@ -431,6 +431,7 @@ type RunnerReference struct {
 	Status            interface{} `json:"status"`
 	DisableUpdate     bool        `json:"disableUpdate"`
 	ProvisioningState string      `json:"provisioningState"`
+	Labels            []Label     `json:"labels,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type RunnerScaleSetJitRunnerConfig struct {
diff --git a/workers/entity/controller.go b/workers/entity/controller.go
index b0adcb36..41708ec2 100644
--- a/workers/entity/controller.go
+++ b/workers/entity/controller.go
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ func (c *Controller) Stop() error {
 
 	c.running = false
 	close(c.quit)
-	c.quit = nil
 	c.consumer.Close()
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/workers/entity/worker.go b/workers/entity/worker.go
index 95026c73..8aebb747 100644
--- a/workers/entity/worker.go
+++ b/workers/entity/worker.go
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ func (w *Worker) Stop() error {
 	if err := w.scaleSetController.Stop(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("stopping scale set controller: %w", err)
 	}
-	w.scaleSetController = nil
 
 	w.running = false
 	close(w.quit)
@@ -85,7 +84,6 @@ func (w *Worker) Start() (err error) {
 	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
 			w.scaleSetController.Stop()
-			w.scaleSetController = nil
 		}
 	}()
 
diff --git a/workers/provider/provider.go b/workers/provider/provider.go
index 7d648bd7..ba95d733 100644
--- a/workers/provider/provider.go
+++ b/workers/provider/provider.go
@@ -241,6 +241,11 @@ func (p *Provider) handleInstanceEvent(event dbCommon.ChangePayload) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	if instance.ScaleSetID == 0 {
+		slog.DebugContext(p.ctx, "skipping instance event for non scale set instance")
+		return
+	}
+
 	switch event.Operation {
 	case dbCommon.CreateOperation:
 		slog.DebugContext(p.ctx, "got create operation")
diff --git a/workers/provider/util.go b/workers/provider/util.go
index 1868611e..7e6395ff 100644
--- a/workers/provider/util.go
+++ b/workers/provider/util.go
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@ func composeProviderWatcher() dbCommon.PayloadFilterFunc {
 			commonParams.InstancePendingDelete,
 			commonParams.InstancePendingForceDelete,
 		),
+		watcher.WithEntityTypeFilter(dbCommon.ScaleSetEntityType),
 	)
 }
diff --git a/workers/scaleset/controller.go b/workers/scaleset/controller.go
index a5c198e7..02528656 100644
--- a/workers/scaleset/controller.go
+++ b/workers/scaleset/controller.go
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@ func (c *Controller) Stop() error {
 
 	c.running = false
 	close(c.quit)
-	c.quit = nil
 	c.consumer.Close()
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/workers/scaleset/scaleset.go b/workers/scaleset/scaleset.go
index a2ca2515..a4b690ef 100644
--- a/workers/scaleset/scaleset.go
+++ b/workers/scaleset/scaleset.go
@@ -84,10 +84,8 @@ func (w *Worker) Stop() error {
 	w.running = false
 	if w.quit != nil {
 		close(w.quit)
-		w.quit = nil
 	}
 	w.listener.Stop()
-	w.listener = nil
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -214,7 +212,6 @@ func (w *Worker) Start() (err error) {
 	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
 			consumer.Close()
-			w.consumer = nil
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -282,8 +279,6 @@ func (w *Worker) handleScaleSetEvent(event dbCommon.ChangePayload) {
 				slog.ErrorContext(w.ctx, "error stopping listener", "error", err)
 			}
 		}
-		// nolint:golangci-lint,godox
-		// TODO: should we kick off auto-scaling if desired runner count changes?
 		w.scaleSet = scaleSet
 		w.mux.Unlock()
 	default:
diff --git a/workers/scaleset/scaleset_listener.go b/workers/scaleset/scaleset_listener.go
index 77f4077b..07b3bf96 100644
--- a/workers/scaleset/scaleset_listener.go
+++ b/workers/scaleset/scaleset_listener.go
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ func (l *scaleSetListener) Stop() error {
 
 	l.messageSession.Close()
 	l.running = false
-	l.listenerCtx = nil
 	close(l.quit)
 	l.cancelFunc()
 	return nil
@@ -201,10 +200,6 @@ func (l *scaleSetListener) loop() {
 			return
 		default:
 			slog.DebugContext(l.ctx, "getting message", "last_message_id", l.lastMessageID, "max_runners", l.scaleSetHelper.GetScaleSet().MaxRunners)
-			// nolint:golangci-lint,godox
-			// TODO(gabriel-samfira): consume initial message on startup and consolidate.
-			// The scale set may have undergone several messages while GARM was
-			// down.
 			msg, err := l.messageSession.GetMessage(
 				l.listenerCtx, l.lastMessageID, l.scaleSetHelper.GetScaleSet().MaxRunners)
 			if err != nil {