# Config change without restart semantics: first 30 minutes checklist

Source: https://releasefailures.com/incidents/config-change-without-restart-semantics/
Content version: 1.0.0
Verified on: 2026-10-21
Licence: CC BY 4.0

Definition: A config edit is applied to some instances and not others, producing inconsistent behaviour.
- [ ] FM-01 Check whether errors alternate between recovery and failure on the same interval as config file distribution.
- [ ] FM-02 List the config or secret version each instance holds and group the failing instances by version.
- [ ] FM-03 Stop propagation of the newly generated config file to the remaining nodes.
- [ ] FM-04 Decide to roll back by deploying the last known-good config file to every node rather than waiting for the gradual rollout to converge.
- [ ] FM-05 If a secret rotation is involved, run the missed rotation step and restart the processes that load the secret only at start, in all regions.
- [ ] FM-06 Match the error fluctuation against the config distribution interval before escalating the event as an attack.
- [ ] FM-07 Publish a status update that names the affected functions and states that recovery may look partial while instances converge.
- [ ] FM-08 Close the incident only after every instance reports the same config version and error rates return to baseline.