diff --git a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
index a00acb4..fe9739b 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
@@ -628,6 +628,11 @@ module Vmpooler
           prepare_template(pool, provider)
           prepared_template = $redis.hget('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool['name'])
         end
+      elsif not prepared_template == pool['template']
+        mutex.synchronize do
+          prepare_template(pool, provider)
+          prepared_template = $redis.hget('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool['name'])
+        end
       end
       return if configured_template.nil?
       return if configured_template == prepared_template
@@ -896,8 +901,6 @@ module Vmpooler
       $redis.set('vmpooler__tasks__clone', 0)
       # Clear out vmpooler__migrations since stale entries may be left after a restart
       $redis.del('vmpooler__migration')
-      # Ensure template deltas are created on each startup
-      $redis.del('vmpooler__template__prepared')
 
       # Copy vSphere settings to correct location.  This happens with older configuration files
       if !$config[:vsphere].nil? && ($config[:providers].nil? || $config[:providers][:vsphere].nil?)
diff --git a/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb b/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb
index be176d6..bf44a01 100644
--- a/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb
@@ -1830,11 +1830,29 @@ EOT
     end
 
     context 'when prepared template is nil' do
-      before(:each) do
+
+      it 'should prepare the template' do
         expect(redis).to receive(:hget).with('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool).and_return(nil)
+        expect(subject).to receive(:prepare_template).with(config[:pools][0], provider)
+
+        subject.evaluate_template(config[:pools][0], provider)
+      end
+
+      it 'should not prepare the template again' do
+        expect(redis).to receive(:hget).with('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool).and_return(current_template)
+        expect(subject).to_not receive(:prepare_template).with(config[:pools][0], provider)
+
+        subject.evaluate_template(config[:pools][0], provider)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the configured pool template does not match the prepared template' do
+      before(:each) do
+        config[:pools][0]['template'] = new_template
       end
 
       it 'should prepare the template' do
+        expect(redis).to receive(:hget).with('vmpooler__template__prepared', pool).and_return(current_template)
         expect(subject).to receive(:prepare_template).with(config[:pools][0], provider)
 
         subject.evaluate_template(config[:pools][0], provider)
@@ -2291,7 +2309,6 @@ EOT
       it 'should run startup tasks only once' do
         expect(redis).to receive(:set).with('vmpooler__tasks__clone', 0).once
         expect(redis).to receive(:del).with('vmpooler__migration').once
-        expect(redis).to receive(:del).with('vmpooler__template__prepared').once
 
         subject.execute!(maxloop,0)
       end