diff --git a/ansible/roles/watcher/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/watcher/defaults/main.yml
index 28f300bcba..ede753514c 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/watcher/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/watcher/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,36 @@
 ---
 project_name: "watcher"
 
+watcher_services:
+  watcher-api:
+    container_name: watcher_api
+    group: watcher-api
+    enabled: true
+    image: "{{ watcher_api_image_full }}"
+    volumes:
+      - "{{ node_config_directory }}/watcher-api/:{{ container_config_directory }}/:ro"
+      - "/etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro"
+      - "kolla_logs:/var/log/kolla/"
+  watcher-applier:
+    container_name: watcher_applier
+    group: watcher-applier
+    enabled: true
+    image: "{{ watcher_applier_image_full }}"
+    volumes:
+      - "{{ node_config_directory }}/watcher-applier/:{{ container_config_directory }}/:ro"
+      - "/etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro"
+      - "kolla_logs:/var/log/kolla/"
+  watcher-engine:
+    container_name: watcher_engine
+    group: watcher-engine
+    enabled: true
+    image: "{{ watcher_engine_image_full }}"
+    volumes:
+      - "{{ node_config_directory }}/watcher-engine/:{{ container_config_directory }}/:ro"
+      - "/etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro"
+      - "kolla_logs:/var/log/kolla/"
+
+
 ####################
 # Database
 ####################
diff --git a/ansible/roles/watcher/handlers/main.yml b/ansible/roles/watcher/handlers/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e31dd445b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/watcher/handlers/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+---
+- name: Restart watcher-applier container
+  vars:
+    service_name: "watcher-applier"
+    service: "{{ watcher_services[service_name] }}"
+    config_json: "{{ watcher_config_jsons.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+    watcher_conf: "{{ watcher_confs.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+    policy_json: "{{ watcher_policy_jsons.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+    watcher_applier_container: "{{ check_watcher_containers.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+  kolla_docker:
+    action: "recreate_or_restart_container"
+    common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
+    name: "{{ service.container_name }}"
+    image: "{{ service.image }}"
+    volumes: "{{ service.volumes }}"
+  when:
+    - action != "config"
+    - inventory_hostname in groups[service.group]
+    - service.enabled | bool
+    - config_json.changed | bool
+      or watcher_conf.changed | bool
+      or policy_json.changed | bool
+      or watcher_applier_container.changed | bool
+
+- name: Restart watcher-engine container
+  vars:
+    service_name: "watcher-engine"
+    service: "{{ watcher_services[service_name] }}"
+    config_json: "{{ watcher_config_jsons.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+    watcher_conf: "{{ watcher_confs.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+    policy_json: "{{ watcher_policy_jsons.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+    watcher_engine_container: "{{ check_watcher_containers.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+  kolla_docker:
+    action: "recreate_or_restart_container"
+    common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
+    name: "{{ service.container_name }}"
+    image: "{{ service.image }}"
+    volumes: "{{ service.volumes }}"
+  when:
+    - action != "config"
+    - inventory_hostname in groups[service.group]
+    - service.enabled | bool
+    - config_json.changed | bool
+      or watcher_conf.changed | bool
+      or policy_json.changed | bool
+      or watcher_engine_container.changed | bool
+
+- name: Restart watcher-api container
+  vars:
+    service_name: "watcher-api"
+    service: "{{ watcher_services[service_name] }}"
+    config_json: "{{ watcher_config_jsons.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+    watcher_conf: "{{ watcher_confs.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+    policy_json: "{{ watcher_policy_jsons.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+    watcher_api_container: "{{ check_watcher_containers.results|selectattr('item.key', 'equalto', service_name)|first }}"
+  kolla_docker:
+    action: "recreate_or_restart_container"
+    common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
+    name: "{{ service.container_name }}"
+    image: "{{ service.image }}"
+    volumes: "{{ service.volumes }}"
+  when:
+    - action != "config"
+    - inventory_hostname in groups[service.group]
+    - service.enabled | bool
+    - config_json.changed | bool
+      or watcher_conf.changed | bool
+      or policy_json.changed | bool
+      or watcher_api_container.changed | bool
diff --git a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/bootstrap_service.yml b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/bootstrap_service.yml
index 802737bd23..4cacd3dea0 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/bootstrap_service.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/bootstrap_service.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 ---
 - name: Running Watcher bootstrap container
+  vars:
+    watcher_api: "{{ watcher_services['watcher-api'] }}"
   kolla_docker:
     action: "start_container"
     common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
@@ -7,14 +9,11 @@
     environment:
       KOLLA_BOOTSTRAP:
       KOLLA_CONFIG_STRATEGY: "{{ config_strategy }}"
-    image: "{{ watcher_api_image_full }}"
+    image: "{{ watcher_api.image }}"
     labels:
       BOOTSTRAP:
     name: "bootstrap_watcher"
     restart_policy: "never"
-    volumes:
-      - "{{ node_config_directory }}/watcher-api/:{{ container_config_directory }}/:ro"
-      - "/etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro"
-      - "kolla_logs:/var/log/kolla/"
+    volumes: "{{ watcher_api.volumes }}"
   run_once: True
-  delegate_to: "{{ groups['watcher-api'][0] }}"
+  delegate_to: "{{ groups[watcher_api.group][0] }}"
diff --git a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/config.yml b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/config.yml
index 9f32f9398f..b7a3fe4fa5 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/config.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/config.yml
@@ -1,40 +1,48 @@
 ---
 - name: Ensuring config directories exist
   file:
-    path: "{{ node_config_directory }}/{{ item }}"
+    path: "{{ node_config_directory }}/{{ item.key }}"
     state: "directory"
     recurse: yes
-  with_items:
-    - "watcher-api"
-    - "watcher-engine"
-    - "watcher-applier"
+  when: inventory_hostname in groups[item.value.group]
+  with_dict: "{{ watcher_services }}"
 
 - name: Copying over config.json files for services
   template:
-    src: "{{ item }}.json.j2"
-    dest: "{{ node_config_directory }}/{{ item }}/config.json"
-  with_items:
-    - "watcher-api"
-    - "watcher-engine"
-    - "watcher-applier"
+    src: "{{ item.key }}.json.j2"
+    dest: "{{ node_config_directory }}/{{ item.key }}/config.json"
+  register: watcher_config_jsons
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups[item.value.group]
+    - item.value.enabled | bool
+  with_dict: "{{ watcher_services }}"
+  notify:
+    - Restart watcher-api container
+    - Restart watcher-engine container
+    - Restart watcher-applier container
 
 - name: Copying over watcher.conf
   merge_configs:
     vars:
-      service_name: "{{ item }}"
+      service_name: "{{ item.key }}"
     sources:
       - "{{ role_path }}/templates/watcher.conf.j2"
       - "{{ node_config_directory }}/config/global.conf"
       - "{{ node_config_directory }}/config/database.conf"
       - "{{ node_config_directory }}/config/messaging.conf"
       - "{{ node_config_directory }}/config/watcher.conf"
-      - "{{ node_config_directory }}/config/watcher/{{ item }}.conf"
+      - "{{ node_config_directory }}/config/watcher/{{ item.key }}.conf"
       - "{{ node_config_directory }}/config/watcher/{{ inventory_hostname }}/watcher.conf"
-    dest: "{{ node_config_directory }}/{{ item }}/watcher.conf"
-  with_items:
-    - "watcher-api"
-    - "watcher-engine"
-    - "watcher-applier"
+    dest: "{{ node_config_directory }}/{{ item.key }}/watcher.conf"
+  register: watcher_confs
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups[item.value.group]
+    - item.value.enabled | bool
+  with_dict: "{{ watcher_services }}"
+  notify:
+    - Restart watcher-api container
+    - Restart watcher-engine container
+    - Restart watcher-applier container
 
 - name: Check if policies shall be overwritten
   local_action: stat path="{{ node_custom_config }}/watcher/policy.json"
@@ -43,10 +51,32 @@
 - name: Copying over existing policy.json
   template:
     src: "{{ node_custom_config }}/watcher/policy.json"
-    dest: "{{ node_config_directory }}/{{ item }}/policy.json"
-  with_items:
-    - "watcher-api"
-    - "watcher-engine"
-    - "watcher-applier"
+    dest: "{{ node_config_directory }}/{{ item.key }}/policy.json"
+  register: watcher_policy_jsons
   when:
-    watcher_policy.stat.exists
+    - watcher_policy.stat.exists
+    - inventory_hostname in groups[item.value.group]
+    - item.value.enabled | bool
+  with_dict: "{{ watcher_services }}"
+  notify:
+    - Restart watcher-api container
+    - Restart watcher-applier container
+    - Restart watcher-engine container
+
+- name: Check watcher containers
+  kolla_docker:
+    action: "compare_container"
+    common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
+    name: "{{ item.value.container_name }}"
+    image: "{{ item.value.image }}"
+    volumes: "{{ item.value.volumes }}"
+  register: check_watcher_containers
+  when:
+    - action != "config"
+    - inventory_hostname in groups[item.value.group]
+    - item.value.enabled | bool
+  with_dict: "{{ watcher_services }}"
+  notify:
+    - Restart watcher-api container
+    - Restart watcher-applier container
+    - Restart watcher-engine container
diff --git a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/deploy.yml b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/deploy.yml
index d589a67b10..2b77abf57e 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/deploy.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/deploy.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,5 @@
 - include: bootstrap.yml
   when: inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-api']
 
-- include: start.yml
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-api'] or
-        inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-engine'] or
-        inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-applier']
+- name: Flush handlers
+  meta: flush_handlers
diff --git a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/pull.yml b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/pull.yml
index a4e20fb64f..e221c30ed4 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/pull.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/pull.yml
@@ -1,21 +1,10 @@
 ---
-- name: Pulling watcher-api image
+- name: Pulling watcher images
   kolla_docker:
     action: "pull_image"
     common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
-    image: "{{ watcher_api_image_full }}"
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-api']
-
-- name: Pulling watcher-engine image
-  kolla_docker:
-    action: "pull_image"
-    common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
-    image: "{{ watcher_engine_image_full }}"
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-engine']
-
-- name: Pulling watcher-applier image
-  kolla_docker:
-    action: "pull_image"
-    common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
-    image: "{{ watcher_applier_image_full }}"
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-applier']
+    image: "{{ item.value.image }}"
+  when:
+    - inventory_hostname in groups[item.value.group]
+    - item.value.enabled | bool
+  with_dict: "{{ watcher_services }}"
diff --git a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/reconfigure.yml b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/reconfigure.yml
index e28ec6ab6f..e078ef1318 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/reconfigure.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/reconfigure.yml
@@ -1,71 +1,2 @@
 ---
-- name: Ensuring the containers up
-  kolla_docker:
-    name: "{{ item.name }}"
-    action: "get_container_state"
-  register: container_state
-  failed_when: container_state.Running == false
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups[item.group]
-  with_items:
-    - { name: watcher_api, group: watcher-api }
-    - { name: watcher_engine, group: watcher-engine }
-    - { name: watcher_applier, group: watcher-applier }
-
-- include: config.yml
-
-- name: Check the configs
-  command: docker exec {{ item.name }} /usr/local/bin/kolla_set_configs --check
-  changed_when: false
-  failed_when: false
-  register: check_results
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups[item.group]
-  with_items:
-    - { name: watcher_api, group: watcher-api }
-    - { name: watcher_engine, group: watcher-engine }
-    - { name: watcher_applier, group: watcher-applier }
-
-- name: Containers config strategy
-  kolla_docker:
-    name: "{{ item.name }}"
-    action: "get_container_env"
-  register: container_envs
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups[item.group]
-  with_items:
-    - { name: watcher_api, group: watcher-api }
-    - { name: watcher_engine, group: watcher-engine }
-    - { name: watcher_applier, group: watcher-applier }
-
-- name: Remove the containers
-  kolla_docker:
-    name: "{{ item[0]['name'] }}"
-    action: "remove_container"
-  register: remove_containers
-  when:
-    - inventory_hostname in groups[item[0]['group']]
-    - config_strategy == "COPY_ONCE" or item[1]['KOLLA_CONFIG_STRATEGY'] == 'COPY_ONCE'
-    - item[2]['rc'] == 1
-  with_together:
-    - [{ name: watcher_api, group: watcher-api },
-       { name: watcher_engine, group: watcher-engine },
-       { name: watcher_applier, group: watcher-applier }]
-    - "{{ container_envs.results }}"
-    - "{{ check_results.results }}"
-
-- include: start.yml
-  when: remove_containers.changed
-
-- name: Restart containers
-  kolla_docker:
-    name: "{{ item[0]['name'] }}"
-    action: "restart_container"
-  when:
-    - config_strategy == 'COPY_ALWAYS'
-    - item[1]['KOLLA_CONFIG_STRATEGY'] != 'COPY_ONCE'
-    - item[2]['rc'] == 1
-    - inventory_hostname in groups[item[0]['group']]
-  with_together:
-    - [{ name: watcher_api, group: watcher-api },
-       { name: watcher_engine, group: watcher-engine },
-       { name: watcher_applier, group: watcher-applier }]
-    - "{{ container_envs.results }}"
-    - "{{ check_results.results }}"
+- include: deploy.yml
diff --git a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/start.yml b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/start.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index e88e3f853a..0000000000
--- a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/start.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
----
-- name: Starting watcher-applier container
-  kolla_docker:
-    action: "start_container"
-    common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
-    image: "{{ watcher_applier_image_full }}"
-    name: "watcher_applier"
-    volumes:
-      - "{{ node_config_directory }}/watcher-applier/:{{ container_config_directory }}/:ro"
-      - "/etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro"
-      - "kolla_logs:/var/log/kolla/"
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-applier']
-
-- name: Starting watcher-engine container
-  kolla_docker:
-    action: "start_container"
-    common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
-    image: "{{ watcher_engine_image_full }}"
-    name: "watcher_engine"
-    volumes:
-      - "{{ node_config_directory }}/watcher-engine/:{{ container_config_directory }}/:ro"
-      - "/etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro"
-      - "kolla_logs:/var/log/kolla/"
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-engine']
-
-- name: Starting watcher-api container
-  kolla_docker:
-    action: "start_container"
-    common_options: "{{ docker_common_options }}"
-    image: "{{ watcher_api_image_full }}"
-    name: "watcher_api"
-    volumes:
-      - "{{ node_config_directory }}/watcher-api/:{{ container_config_directory }}/:ro"
-      - "/etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro"
-      - "kolla_logs:/var/log/kolla/"
-  when: inventory_hostname in groups['watcher-api']
diff --git a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/upgrade.yml b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/upgrade.yml
index 308053080c..c38db1adf4 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/upgrade.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/watcher/tasks/upgrade.yml
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@
 
 - include: bootstrap_service.yml
 
-- include: start.yml
+- name: Flush handlers
+  meta: flush_handlers