diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/AutoReloadConfigDecorator.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/AutoReloadConfigDecorator.java
index ad6e67d..5257c36 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/AutoReloadConfigDecorator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/AutoReloadConfigDecorator.java
@@ -77,9 +77,13 @@
   private void reloadIfNeeded() {
     if (isAutoReload()) {
       ReplicationQueue queue = replicationQueue.get();
+
       long lastModified = getLastModified(currentConfig);
       try {
-        if (lastModified > currentConfigTs && lastModified > lastFailedConfigTs) {
+        if (lastModified > currentConfigTs
+            && lastModified > lastFailedConfigTs
+            && queue.isRunning()
+            && !queue.isReplaying()) {
           queue.stop();
           currentConfig = loadConfig();
           currentConfigTs = lastModified;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java
index 541a595..a728bf3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
   private final ReplicationState.Factory replicationStateFactory;
   private final EventsStorage eventsStorage;
   private volatile boolean running;
+  private volatile boolean replaying;
 
   @Inject
   ReplicationQueue(
@@ -107,6 +108,14 @@
     }
   }
 
+  public boolean isRunning() {
+    return running;
+  }
+
+  public boolean isReplaying() {
+    return replaying;
+  }
+
   void scheduleFullSync(Project.NameKey project, String urlMatch, ReplicationState state) {
     scheduleFullSync(project, urlMatch, state, false);
   }
@@ -154,9 +163,14 @@
   }
 
   private void firePendingEvents() {
-    for (EventsStorage.ReplicateRefUpdate e : eventsStorage.list()) {
-      repLog.info("Firing pending event {}", e);
-      onGitReferenceUpdated(e.project, e.ref);
+    replaying = true;
+    try {
+      for (EventsStorage.ReplicateRefUpdate e : eventsStorage.list()) {
+        repLog.info("Firing pending event {}", e);
+        onGitReferenceUpdated(e.project, e.ref);
+      }
+    } finally {
+      replaying = false;
     }
   }