diff --git a/components/ws-daemon/pkg/controller/snapshot_controller.go b/components/ws-daemon/pkg/controller/snapshot_controller.go
index 8dbdef09315f8b..52796ea56ed357 100644
--- a/components/ws-daemon/pkg/controller/snapshot_controller.go
+++ b/components/ws-daemon/pkg/controller/snapshot_controller.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/retry"
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/event"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/log"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/predicate"
@@ -21,15 +22,17 @@ import (
 // SnapshotReconciler reconciles a Snapshot object
 type SnapshotReconciler struct {
 	client.Client
-	nodeName   string
-	operations *WorkspaceOperations
+	maxConcurrentReconciles int
+	nodeName                string
+	operations              *WorkspaceOperations
 }
 
-func NewSnapshotController(c client.Client, nodeName string, wso *WorkspaceOperations) *SnapshotReconciler {
+func NewSnapshotController(c client.Client, nodeName string, maxConcurrentReconciles int, wso *WorkspaceOperations) *SnapshotReconciler {
 	return &SnapshotReconciler{
-		Client:     c,
-		nodeName:   nodeName,
-		operations: wso,
+		Client:                  c,
+		maxConcurrentReconciles: maxConcurrentReconciles,
+		nodeName:                nodeName,
+		operations:              wso,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -37,6 +40,9 @@ func NewSnapshotController(c client.Client, nodeName string, wso *WorkspaceOpera
 func (r *SnapshotReconciler) SetupWithManager(mgr ctrl.Manager) error {
 	return ctrl.NewControllerManagedBy(mgr).
 		Named("snapshot").
+		WithOptions(controller.Options{
+			MaxConcurrentReconciles: r.maxConcurrentReconciles,
+		}).
 		For(&workspacev1.Snapshot{}).
 		WithEventFilter(snapshotEventFilter(r.nodeName)).
 		Complete(r)
diff --git a/components/ws-daemon/pkg/controller/workspace_controller.go b/components/ws-daemon/pkg/controller/workspace_controller.go
index 5c3a9b2aaade95..36d07da388397a 100644
--- a/components/ws-daemon/pkg/controller/workspace_controller.go
+++ b/components/ws-daemon/pkg/controller/workspace_controller.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/client-go/util/retry"
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/event"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/log"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/predicate"
@@ -49,20 +50,22 @@ type WorkspaceControllerOpts struct {
 
 type WorkspaceController struct {
 	client.Client
-	NodeName   string
-	operations *WorkspaceOperations
-	metrics    *workspaceMetrics
+	NodeName                string
+	maxConcurrentReconciles int
+	operations              *WorkspaceOperations
+	metrics                 *workspaceMetrics
 }
 
-func NewWorkspaceController(c client.Client, nodeName string, ops *WorkspaceOperations, reg prometheus.Registerer) (*WorkspaceController, error) {
+func NewWorkspaceController(c client.Client, nodeName string, maxConcurrentReconciles int, ops *WorkspaceOperations, reg prometheus.Registerer) (*WorkspaceController, error) {
 	metrics := newWorkspaceMetrics()
 	reg.Register(metrics)
 
 	return &WorkspaceController{
-		Client:     c,
-		NodeName:   nodeName,
-		operations: ops,
-		metrics:    metrics,
+		Client:                  c,
+		NodeName:                nodeName,
+		maxConcurrentReconciles: maxConcurrentReconciles,
+		operations:              ops,
+		metrics:                 metrics,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -70,6 +73,9 @@ func NewWorkspaceController(c client.Client, nodeName string, ops *WorkspaceOper
 func (wsc *WorkspaceController) SetupWithManager(mgr ctrl.Manager) error {
 	return ctrl.NewControllerManagedBy(mgr).
 		Named("workspace").
+		WithOptions(controller.Options{
+			MaxConcurrentReconciles: wsc.maxConcurrentReconciles,
+		}).
 		For(&workspacev1.Workspace{}).
 		WithEventFilter(eventFilter(wsc.NodeName)).
 		Complete(wsc)
diff --git a/components/ws-daemon/pkg/daemon/config.go b/components/ws-daemon/pkg/daemon/config.go
index ad7e94add0c9df..43e0bbcd31d4a0 100644
--- a/components/ws-daemon/pkg/daemon/config.go
+++ b/components/ws-daemon/pkg/daemon/config.go
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@ type Config struct {
 }
 
 type WorkspaceControllerConfig struct {
-	Enabled           bool   `json:"enabled"`
-	WorkingAreaSuffix string `json:"workingAreaSuffix"`
+	Enabled                 bool   `json:"enabled"`
+	WorkingAreaSuffix       string `json:"workingAreaSuffix"`
+	MaxConcurrentReconciles int    `json:"maxConcurrentReconciles,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type RuntimeConfig struct {
diff --git a/components/ws-daemon/pkg/daemon/daemon.go b/components/ws-daemon/pkg/daemon/daemon.go
index 7235f7594c338e..b582efda900e0a 100644
--- a/components/ws-daemon/pkg/daemon/daemon.go
+++ b/components/ws-daemon/pkg/daemon/daemon.go
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ func NewDaemon(config Config) (*Daemon, error) {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		wsctrl, err := controller.NewWorkspaceController(mgr.GetClient(), nodename, workspaceOps, wrappedReg)
+		wsctrl, err := controller.NewWorkspaceController(mgr.GetClient(), nodename, config.WorkspaceController.MaxConcurrentReconciles, workspaceOps, wrappedReg)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ func NewDaemon(config Config) (*Daemon, error) {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		ssctrl := controller.NewSnapshotController(mgr.GetClient(), nodename, workspaceOps)
+		ssctrl := controller.NewSnapshotController(mgr.GetClient(), nodename, config.WorkspaceController.MaxConcurrentReconciles, workspaceOps)
 		err = ssctrl.SetupWithManager(mgr)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/components/ws-manager-api/go/config/config.go b/components/ws-manager-api/go/config/config.go
index 92366e5cc03bb8..3bf44eae9f9b18 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager-api/go/config/config.go
+++ b/components/ws-manager-api/go/config/config.go
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	WorkspaceClasses map[string]*WorkspaceClass `json:"workspaceClass"`
 	// DebugWorkspacePod adds extra finalizer to workspace to prevent it from shutting down. Helps to debug.
 	DebugWorkspacePod bool `json:"debugWorkspacePod,omitempty"`
+	// WorkspaceMaxConcurrentReconciles configures the max amount of concurrent workspace reconciliations on
+	// the workspace controller.
+	WorkspaceMaxConcurrentReconciles int `json:"workspaceMaxConcurrentReconciles,omitempty"`
 	// TimeoutMaxConcurrentReconciles configures the max amount of concurrent workspace reconciliations on
 	// the timeout controller.
 	TimeoutMaxConcurrentReconciles int `json:"timeoutMaxConcurrentReconciles,omitempty"`
diff --git a/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/status.go b/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/status.go
index be3e2d0bb330bf..dbcfbeae27718f 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/status.go
+++ b/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/status.go
@@ -191,7 +191,8 @@ func isDisposalFinished(ws *workspacev1.Workspace) bool {
 	return wsk8s.ConditionPresentAndTrue(ws.Status.Conditions, string(workspacev1.WorkspaceConditionBackupComplete)) ||
 		wsk8s.ConditionPresentAndTrue(ws.Status.Conditions, string(workspacev1.WorkspaceConditionBackupFailure)) ||
 		wsk8s.ConditionPresentAndTrue(ws.Status.Conditions, string(workspacev1.WorkspaceConditionAborted)) ||
-		wsk8s.ConditionWithStatusAndReason(ws.Status.Conditions, string(workspacev1.WorkspaceConditionContentReady), false, "InitializationFailure")
+		// Nothing to dispose if content wasn't ready.
+		!wsk8s.ConditionPresentAndTrue(ws.Status.Conditions, string(workspacev1.WorkspaceConditionContentReady))
 }
 
 // extractFailure returns a pod failure reason and possibly a phase. If phase is nil then
diff --git a/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/workspace_controller.go b/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/workspace_controller.go
index c7be647155b1cd..fd6b34d1b6613e 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/workspace_controller.go
+++ b/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/workspace_controller.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller/controllerutil"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/log"
 
@@ -360,6 +361,9 @@ func (r *WorkspaceReconciler) SetupWithManager(mgr ctrl.Manager) error {
 
 	return ctrl.NewControllerManagedBy(mgr).
 		Named("workspace").
+		WithOptions(controller.Options{
+			MaxConcurrentReconciles: r.Config.WorkspaceMaxConcurrentReconciles,
+		}).
 		For(&workspacev1.Workspace{}).
 		Owns(&corev1.Pod{}).
 		Complete(r)
diff --git a/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/workspace_controller_test.go b/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/workspace_controller_test.go
index 5ca6fda23a845e..48a63638ff4e15 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/workspace_controller_test.go
+++ b/components/ws-manager-mk2/controllers/workspace_controller_test.go
@@ -119,11 +119,28 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			})
 		})
 
+		It("should not take a backup if content init did not happen", func() {
+			ws := newWorkspace(uuid.NewString(), "default")
+			m := collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws)
+			pod := createWorkspaceExpectPod(ws)
+
+			requestStop(ws)
+
+			// No content init, expect cleanup without backup.
+			expectWorkspaceCleanup(ws, pod)
+
+			expectMetricsDelta(m, collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws), metricCounts{
+				stops: 1,
+			})
+		})
+
 		It("should handle backup failure", func() {
 			ws := newWorkspace(uuid.NewString(), "default")
 			m := collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws)
 			pod := createWorkspaceExpectPod(ws)
 
+			markContentReady(ws)
+
 			// Stop the workspace.
 			requestStop(ws)
 
@@ -134,6 +151,7 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			expectWorkspaceCleanup(ws, pod)
 
 			expectMetricsDelta(m, collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws), metricCounts{
+				restores:       1,
 				backups:        1,
 				backupFailures: 1,
 				stops:          1,
@@ -145,6 +163,8 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			m := collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws)
 			pod := createWorkspaceExpectPod(ws)
 
+			markContentReady(ws)
+
 			// Update Pod with failed exit status.
 			updateObjWithRetries(k8sClient, pod, true, func(pod *corev1.Pod) {
 				pod.Status.ContainerStatuses = append(pod.Status.ContainerStatuses, corev1.ContainerStatus{
@@ -165,6 +185,7 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			expectWorkspaceCleanup(ws, pod)
 
 			expectMetricsDelta(m, collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws), metricCounts{
+				restores:      1,
 				startFailures: 1,
 				stops:         1,
 				backups:       1,
@@ -176,6 +197,8 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			m := collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws)
 			pod := createWorkspaceExpectPod(ws)
 
+			markContentReady(ws)
+
 			By("adding Timeout condition")
 			updateObjWithRetries(k8sClient, ws, true, func(ws *workspacev1.Workspace) {
 				ws.Status.Conditions = wsk8s.AddUniqueCondition(ws.Status.Conditions, metav1.Condition{
@@ -190,8 +213,9 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			expectWorkspaceCleanup(ws, pod)
 
 			expectMetricsDelta(m, collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws), metricCounts{
-				stops:   1,
-				backups: 1,
+				restores: 1,
+				stops:    1,
+				backups:  1,
 			})
 		})
 
@@ -200,6 +224,8 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			m := collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws)
 			pod := createWorkspaceExpectPod(ws)
 
+			markContentReady(ws)
+
 			// Update Pod with stop and abort conditions.
 			updateObjWithRetries(k8sClient, ws, true, func(ws *workspacev1.Workspace) {
 				ws.Status.Conditions = wsk8s.AddUniqueCondition(ws.Status.Conditions, metav1.Condition{
@@ -218,7 +244,8 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			expectWorkspaceCleanup(ws, pod)
 
 			expectMetricsDelta(m, collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws), metricCounts{
-				stops: 1,
+				restores: 1,
+				stops:    1,
 			})
 		})
 
@@ -227,6 +254,8 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			m := collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws)
 			pod := createWorkspaceExpectPod(ws)
 
+			markContentReady(ws)
+
 			Expect(k8sClient.Delete(ctx, ws)).To(Succeed())
 
 			expectPhaseEventually(ws, workspacev1.WorkspacePhaseStopping)
@@ -236,8 +265,9 @@ var _ = Describe("WorkspaceController", func() {
 			expectWorkspaceCleanup(ws, pod)
 
 			expectMetricsDelta(m, collectMetricCounts(wsMetrics, ws), metricCounts{
-				stops:   1,
-				backups: 1,
+				restores: 1,
+				stops:    1,
+				backups:  1,
 			})
 		})
 	})
diff --git a/components/ws-manager-mk2/service/manager.go b/components/ws-manager-mk2/service/manager.go
index eaf41d4bda0135..af71a909d90186 100644
--- a/components/ws-manager-mk2/service/manager.go
+++ b/components/ws-manager-mk2/service/manager.go
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func (wsm *WorkspaceManagerServer) StartWorkspace(ctx context.Context, req *wsma
 	}
 
 	var wsr workspacev1.Workspace
-	err = wait.PollWithContext(ctx, 100*time.Millisecond, 5*time.Second, func(c context.Context) (done bool, err error) {
+	err = wait.PollWithContext(ctx, 100*time.Millisecond, 15*time.Second, func(c context.Context) (done bool, err error) {
 		err = wsm.Client.Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Namespace: wsm.Config.Namespace, Name: ws.Name}, &wsr)
 		if err != nil {
 			return false, nil
diff --git a/dev/loadgen/cmd/benchmark.go b/dev/loadgen/cmd/benchmark.go
index 8b0e540b0b4fcf..f4ff348a0da3fa 100644
--- a/dev/loadgen/cmd/benchmark.go
+++ b/dev/loadgen/cmd/benchmark.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ var benchmarkCommand = &cobra.Command{
 		}
 
 		var load loadgen.LoadGenerator
-		load = loadgen.NewFixedLoadGenerator(500*time.Millisecond, 300*time.Millisecond)
+		load = loadgen.NewFixedLoadGenerator(800*time.Millisecond, 300*time.Millisecond)
 		load = loadgen.NewWorkspaceCountLimitingGenerator(load, scenario.Workspaces)
 
 		template := &api.StartWorkspaceRequest{
diff --git a/dev/loadgen/pkg/loadgen/executor.go b/dev/loadgen/pkg/loadgen/executor.go
index 0dfa815e751916..d342b9c6f3d3c5 100644
--- a/dev/loadgen/pkg/loadgen/executor.go
+++ b/dev/loadgen/pkg/loadgen/executor.go
@@ -222,9 +222,12 @@ func (w *WsmanExecutor) StopAll(ctx context.Context) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Warnf("could not get workspaces: %v", err)
 		} else {
-			if len(resp.GetStatus()) == 0 {
+			n := len(resp.GetStatus())
+			if n == 0 {
 				break
 			}
+			ex := resp.GetStatus()[0]
+			log.Infof("%d workspaces remaining, e.g. %s", n, ex.Id)
 		}
 
 		select {
diff --git a/install/installer/pkg/components/ws-daemon/configmap.go b/install/installer/pkg/components/ws-daemon/configmap.go
index b0780ef361604b..21274eb01a2180 100644
--- a/install/installer/pkg/components/ws-daemon/configmap.go
+++ b/install/installer/pkg/components/ws-daemon/configmap.go
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ func configmap(ctx *common.RenderContext) ([]runtime.Object, error) {
 
 		wscontroller.Enabled = ucfg.Workspace.UseWsmanagerMk2
 		wscontroller.WorkingAreaSuffix = "-mk2"
+		wscontroller.MaxConcurrentReconciles = 15
 
 		return nil
 	})
diff --git a/install/installer/pkg/components/ws-manager-mk2/configmap.go b/install/installer/pkg/components/ws-manager-mk2/configmap.go
index 5e895f16c5754f..f0604fd9c7bb26 100644
--- a/install/installer/pkg/components/ws-manager-mk2/configmap.go
+++ b/install/installer/pkg/components/ws-manager-mk2/configmap.go
@@ -221,10 +221,11 @@ func configmap(ctx *common.RenderContext) ([]runtime.Object, error) {
 				Interrupted:         util.Duration(5 * time.Minute),
 			},
 			//EventTraceLog:                "", // todo(sje): make conditional based on config
-			ReconnectionInterval:           util.Duration(30 * time.Second),
-			RegistryFacadeHost:             fmt.Sprintf("reg.%s:%d", ctx.Config.Domain, common.RegistryFacadeServicePort),
-			WorkspaceCACertSecret:          customCASecret,
-			TimeoutMaxConcurrentReconciles: 5,
+			ReconnectionInterval:             util.Duration(30 * time.Second),
+			RegistryFacadeHost:               fmt.Sprintf("reg.%s:%d", ctx.Config.Domain, common.RegistryFacadeServicePort),
+			WorkspaceCACertSecret:            customCASecret,
+			WorkspaceMaxConcurrentReconciles: 15,
+			TimeoutMaxConcurrentReconciles:   15,
 		},
 		Content: struct {
 			Storage storageconfig.StorageConfig `json:"storage"`