diff --git a/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go b/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go
index 2cbfaf9..6c33fa7 100644
--- a/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go
+++ b/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ func (r *ZitadelClusterReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Reque
 			}
 
 			if err := errBundle.ErrorOrNil(); err != nil {
-				return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("error reconciling %s: %v", p.Name, err)
+				return ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: 2 * time.Minute}, fmt.Errorf("error reconciling %s: %v", p.Name, err)
 			}
 		}
 		if !result.IsZero() {
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func (r *ZitadelClusterReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Reque
 	if err := r.patchStatus(ctx, &zitadel, r.patcher(ctx, &zitadel)); err != nil && !errors.IsNotFound(err) {
 		return ctrl.Result{}, err
 	}
-	return ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: 5 * time.Minute}, nil
+	return ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: 2 * time.Minute}, nil
 }
 
 func (r *ZitadelClusterReconciler) setSpecDefaults(ctx context.Context, zitadel *zitadelv1alpha1.ZitadelCluster) (ctrl.Result, error) {
@@ -462,27 +462,67 @@ func (r *ZitadelClusterReconciler) reconcileSMTPConfig(ctx context.Context, zita
 	if err != nil {
 		return ctrl.Result{}, err
 	}
-	adminRequest := &adm.AddSMTPConfigRequest{
-		SenderAddress: zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderAddress,
-		SenderName:    zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderName,
-		Tls:           zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.TLS,
-		Host:          zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Host,
+	resp, err := adminClient.GetSMTPConfig(ctx, &adm.GetSMTPConfigRequest{})
+	if err != nil {
+		return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("Error getting SMTP config: %v", err)
 	}
-	if zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.User != nil && zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Password != nil {
+	if resp.SmtpConfig != nil {
+		adminRequest := &adm.UpdateSMTPConfigRequest{
+			SenderAddress: zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderAddress,
+			SenderName:    zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderName,
+			Tls:           zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.TLS,
+			Host:          zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Host,
+		}
+
+		if zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.User != nil && zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Password != nil {
+			adminRequest.User = *zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.User
+		}
+		if zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.ReplyToAddress != nil {
+			adminRequest.ReplyToAddress = *zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.ReplyToAddress
+		}
+
 		passwordSecret, err := r.RefResolver.SecretKeyRef(ctx, zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Password.SecretKeyRef, zitadel.Namespace)
 		if err != nil {
 			return ctrl.Result{}, err
 		}
-		adminRequest.Password = passwordSecret
-		adminRequest.User = *zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.User
-	}
-	if zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.ReplyToAddress != nil {
-		adminRequest.ReplyToAddress = *zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.ReplyToAddress
+		if _, err = adminClient.UpdateSMTPConfig(ctx, adminRequest); err != nil {
+			if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "No changes") {
+				return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("Could not update SMTP config: %v", err)
+			}
+		}
+		if zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Password != nil {
+			if _, err = adminClient.UpdateSMTPConfigPassword(ctx, &adm.UpdateSMTPConfigPasswordRequest{
+				Password: passwordSecret,
+			}); err != nil {
+				if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "No changes") {
+					return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("Could not update SMTP config: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		adminRequest := &adm.AddSMTPConfigRequest{
+			SenderAddress: zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderAddress,
+			SenderName:    zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderName,
+			Tls:           zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.TLS,
+			Host:          zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Host,
+		}
+		if zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.User != nil && zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Password != nil {
+			passwordSecret, err := r.RefResolver.SecretKeyRef(ctx, zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Password.SecretKeyRef, zitadel.Namespace)
+			if err != nil {
+				return ctrl.Result{}, err
+			}
+			adminRequest.Password = passwordSecret
+			adminRequest.User = *zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.User
+		}
+		if zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.ReplyToAddress != nil {
+			adminRequest.ReplyToAddress = *zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.ReplyToAddress
+		}
+
+		if _, err = adminClient.AddSMTPConfig(ctx, adminRequest); err != nil {
+			return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("Could not add SMTP config: %v", err)
+		}
 	}
 
-	if _, err = adminClient.AddSMTPConfig(ctx, adminRequest); err != nil {
-		return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("Could not add SMTP config: %v", err)
-	}
 	return ctrl.Result{}, nil
 }