diff --git a/database/sql/pools.go b/database/sql/pools.go
index 01d1afc4..89500ed9 100644
--- a/database/sql/pools.go
+++ b/database/sql/pools.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package sql
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -73,11 +74,16 @@ func (s *sqlDatabase) DeletePoolByID(_ context.Context, poolID string) (err erro
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "fetching pool by ID")
 	}
 
-	defer func() {
+	defer func(pool Pool) {
 		if err == nil {
-			s.sendNotify(common.PoolEntityType, common.DeleteOperation, pool)
+			asParams, innerErr := s.sqlToCommonPool(pool)
+			if innerErr == nil {
+				s.sendNotify(common.PoolEntityType, common.DeleteOperation, asParams)
+			} else {
+				slog.With(slog.Any("error", innerErr)).ErrorContext(s.ctx, "error sending delete notification", "pool", poolID)
+			}
 		}
-	}()
+	}(pool)
 
 	if q := s.conn.Unscoped().Delete(&pool); q.Error != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(q.Error, "removing pool")
diff --git a/database/watcher/watcher_store_test.go b/database/watcher/watcher_store_test.go
index 895dab9d..fa82a339 100644
--- a/database/watcher/watcher_store_test.go
+++ b/database/watcher/watcher_store_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,37 @@ type WatcherStoreTestSuite struct {
 	ctx   context.Context
 }
 
+func (s *WatcherStoreTestSuite) TestControllerWatcher() {
+	consumer, err := watcher.RegisterConsumer(
+		s.ctx, "controller-test",
+		watcher.WithEntityTypeFilter(common.ControllerEntityType),
+		watcher.WithOperationTypeFilter(common.UpdateOperation),
+	)
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+	s.Require().NotNil(consumer)
+	s.T().Cleanup(func() { consumer.Close() })
+
+	metadataURL := "http://metadata.example.com"
+	updateParams := params.UpdateControllerParams{
+		MetadataURL: &metadataURL,
+	}
+
+	controller, err := s.store.UpdateController(updateParams)
+	s.Require().NoError(err)
+	s.Require().Equal(metadataURL, controller.MetadataURL)
+
+	select {
+	case event := <-consumer.Watch():
+		s.Require().Equal(common.ChangePayload{
+			EntityType: common.ControllerEntityType,
+			Operation:  common.UpdateOperation,
+			Payload:    controller,
+		}, event)
+	case <-time.After(1 * time.Second):
+		s.T().Fatal("expected payload not received")
+	}
+}
+
 func (s *WatcherStoreTestSuite) TestEnterpriseWatcher() {
 	consumer, err := watcher.RegisterConsumer(
 		s.ctx, "enterprise-test",
diff --git a/database/watcher/watcher_test.go b/database/watcher/watcher_test.go
index 21d15093..6d1091ed 100644
--- a/database/watcher/watcher_test.go
+++ b/database/watcher/watcher_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
 
 	"github.com/cloudbase/garm/database"
@@ -156,6 +157,18 @@ func (s *WatcherTestSuite) TestConsumetWithFilter() {
 	}
 }
 
+func maybeInitController(db common.Store) error {
+	if _, err := db.ControllerInfo(); err == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if _, err := db.InitController(); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "initializing controller")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func TestWatcherTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
 	// Watcher tests
 	watcherSuite := &WatcherTestSuite{
@@ -171,6 +184,11 @@ func TestWatcherTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create db connection: %s", err)
 	}
 
+	err = maybeInitController(store)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to init controller: %s", err)
+	}
+
 	adminCtx := garmTesting.ImpersonateAdminContext(ctx, store, t)
 	watcherStoreSuite := &WatcherStoreTestSuite{
 		ctx:   adminCtx,