diff --git a/kubespawner/reflector.py b/kubespawner/reflector.py
index 92f705f2..5780b8bd 100644
--- a/kubespawner/reflector.py
+++ b/kubespawner/reflector.py
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@ class NamespacedResourceReflector(LoggingConfigurable):
         """
     )
 
+    fields = Dict(
+        {},
+        config=True,
+        help="""
+        Fields to restrict the reflected objects
+        """
+    )
+
     namespace = Unicode(
         None,
         allow_none=True,
@@ -88,8 +96,10 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
         # FIXME: Protect against malicious labels?
         self.label_selector = ','.join(['{}={}'.format(k, v) for k, v in self.labels.items()])
+        self.field_selector = ','.join(['{}={}'.format(k, v) for k, v in self.fields.items()])
 
         self.first_load_future = Future()
+        self._stop_event = threading.Event()
 
         self.start()
 
@@ -101,7 +111,8 @@ def _list_and_update(self):
         """
         initial_resources = getattr(self.api, self.list_method_name)(
             self.namespace,
-            label_selector=self.label_selector
+            label_selector=self.label_selector,
+            field_selector=self.field_selector
         )
         # This is an atomic operation on the dictionary!
         self.resources = {p.metadata.name: p for p in initial_resources.items}
@@ -133,7 +144,7 @@ def _watch_and_update(self):
         """
         cur_delay = 0.1
         while True:
-            self.log.info("watching for %s with label selector %s in namespace %s", self.kind, self.label_selector, self.namespace)
+            self.log.info("watching for %s with label selector %s / field selector %s in namespace %s", self.kind, self.label_selector, self.field_selector, self.namespace)
             w = watch.Watch()
             try:
                 resource_version = self._list_and_update()
@@ -144,6 +155,7 @@ def _watch_and_update(self):
                         getattr(self.api, self.list_method_name),
                         self.namespace,
                         label_selector=self.label_selector,
+                        field_selector=self.field_selector,
                         resource_version=resource_version,
                 ):
                     cur_delay = 0.1
@@ -154,6 +166,9 @@ def _watch_and_update(self):
                     else:
                         # This is an atomic operation on the dictionary!
                         self.resources[resource.metadata.name] = resource
+                    if self._stop_event.is_set():
+                        break
+
             except Exception:
                 cur_delay = cur_delay * 2
                 if cur_delay > 30:
@@ -166,6 +181,9 @@ def _watch_and_update(self):
                 continue
             finally:
                 w.stop()
+                if self._stop_event.is_set():
+                    self.log.info("%s watcher stopped", self.kind)
+                    break
 
     def start(self):
         """
@@ -186,4 +204,5 @@ def start(self):
         self.watch_thread.daemon = True
         self.watch_thread.start()
 
-
+    def stop(self):
+        self._stop_event.set()
diff --git a/kubespawner/spawner.py b/kubespawner/spawner.py
index 27215fd3..4e28bfbe 100644
--- a/kubespawner/spawner.py
+++ b/kubespawner/spawner.py
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@ class PodReflector(NamespacedResourceReflector):
     def pods(self):
         return self.resources
 
+class EventReflector(NamespacedResourceReflector):
+    kind = 'events'
+
+    list_method_name = 'list_namespaced_event'
+
+    @property
+    def events(self):
+        return self.resources
+
 class KubeSpawner(Spawner):
     """
     Implement a JupyterHub spawner to spawn pods in a Kubernetes Cluster.
@@ -1019,6 +1028,17 @@ def start(self):
                 else:
                     raise
 
+        main_loop = IOLoop.current()
+        def on_reflector_failure():
+            self.log.critical("Events reflector failed, halting Hub.")
+            main_loop.stop()
+
+        # events are selected based on pod name, which will include previous launch/stop
+        self.events = EventReflector(
+                parent=self, namespace=self.namespace,
+                fields={'involvedObject.kind': 'Pod', 'involvedObject.name': self.pod_name},
+                on_failure=on_reflector_failure
+            )
         # If we run into a 409 Conflict error, it means a pod with the
         # same name already exists. We stop it, wait for it to stop, and
         # try again. We try 4 times, and if it still fails we give up.
@@ -1058,6 +1078,10 @@ def start(self):
         )
 
         pod = self.pod_reflector.pods[self.pod_name]
+        self.log.debug('pod %s events before launch: %s', self.pod_name, self.events.events)
+        # Note: we stop the event watcher once launch is successful, but the reflector
+        # will only stop when the next event comes in, likely when it is stopped.
+        self.events.stop()
         return (pod.status.pod_ip, self.port)
 
     @gen.coroutine