diff --git a/go/daemon/network/bootstrap.go b/go/daemon/network/bootstrap.go
index d83cb6a..20e3a72 100644
--- a/go/daemon/network/bootstrap.go
+++ b/go/daemon/network/bootstrap.go
@@ -54,11 +54,14 @@ func coalesceNetworkConfigAndBootstrap(
 				)
 			}
 
-			host.Garage.Instances = append(host.Garage.Instances, bootstrap.GarageHostInstance{
-				ID:        id,
-				RPCPort:   rpcPort,
-				S3APIPort: alloc.S3APIPort,
-			})
+			host.Garage.Instances = append(
+				host.Garage.Instances,
+				bootstrap.GarageHostInstance{
+					ID:        id,
+					RPCPort:   rpcPort,
+					S3APIPort: alloc.S3APIPort,
+				},
+			)
 
 			allocs[i].RPCPort = rpcPort
 		}
diff --git a/go/daemon/network/network.go b/go/daemon/network/network.go
index 8d22cb3..af5c386 100644
--- a/go/daemon/network/network.go
+++ b/go/daemon/network/network.go
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ func (n *network) initialize(
 		return fmt.Errorf("combining configuration into bootstrap: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	n.logger.Info(ctx, "Writing updated bootstrap to state dir")
 	err = writeBootstrapToStateDir(n.stateDir.Path, currBootstrap)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("writing bootstrap to state dir: %w", err)
@@ -533,7 +534,6 @@ func (n *network) postInit(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 func (n *network) reloadHosts(ctx context.Context) error {
 	n.l.RLock()
-	networkConfig := n.networkConfig
 	currBootstrap := n.currBootstrap
 	n.l.RUnlock()
 
@@ -553,7 +553,13 @@ func (n *network) reloadHosts(ctx context.Context) error {
 	newBootstrap := currBootstrap
 	newBootstrap.Hosts = newHosts
 
-	err = n.reload(ctx, networkConfig, newBootstrap)
+	// the daemon's view of this host's bootstrap info takes precedence over
+	// whatever is in garage. The garage version lacks the private credentials
+	// which must be stored locally.
+	thisHost := currBootstrap.ThisHost()
+	newBootstrap.Hosts[thisHost.Name] = thisHost
+
+	err = n.reload(ctx, nil, &newBootstrap)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("reloading with new host data: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -580,34 +586,37 @@ func (n *network) reloadLoop(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 }
 
-// reload will check the existing hosts data from currBootstrap against
-// a potentially updated set of hosts data, and if there are any differences
-// will perform whatever changes are necessary.
 func (n *network) reload(
 	ctx context.Context,
-	newNetworkConfig daecommon.NetworkConfig,
-	newBootstrap bootstrap.Bootstrap,
+	newNetworkConfig *daecommon.NetworkConfig,
+	newBootstrap *bootstrap.Bootstrap,
 ) error {
 	n.l.Lock()
 	defer n.l.Unlock()
 
-	// the daemon's view of this host's bootstrap info takes precedence over
-	// whatever is in garage. The garage version lacks the private credentials
-	// which must be stored locally.
-	thisHost := n.currBootstrap.ThisHost()
-	newBootstrap.Hosts[thisHost.Name] = thisHost
+	if newBootstrap != nil {
+		n.currBootstrap = *newBootstrap
+	}
+
+	if newNetworkConfig != nil {
+		n.networkConfig = *newNetworkConfig
+	}
+
+	var err error
+	if n.currBootstrap, err = coalesceNetworkConfigAndBootstrap(
+		n.networkConfig, n.currBootstrap,
+	); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("combining configuration into bootstrap: %w", err)
+	}
 
 	n.logger.Info(ctx, "Writing updated bootstrap to state dir")
-	err := writeBootstrapToStateDir(n.stateDir.Path, newBootstrap)
+	err = writeBootstrapToStateDir(n.stateDir.Path, n.currBootstrap)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("writing bootstrap to state dir: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	n.networkConfig = newNetworkConfig
-	n.currBootstrap = newBootstrap
-
 	n.logger.Info(ctx, "Reloading child processes")
-	err = n.children.Reload(ctx, newNetworkConfig, newBootstrap)
+	err = n.children.Reload(ctx, n.networkConfig, n.currBootstrap)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("reloading child processes: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -800,7 +809,6 @@ func (n *network) CreateHost(
 	JoiningBootstrap, error,
 ) {
 	n.l.RLock()
-	networkConfig := n.networkConfig
 	currBootstrap := n.currBootstrap
 	n.l.RUnlock()
 
@@ -865,7 +873,7 @@ func (n *network) CreateHost(
 	newBootstrap.Hosts = joiningBootstrap.Bootstrap.Hosts
 
 	n.logger.Info(ctx, "Reloading local state with new host")
-	err = n.reload(ctx, networkConfig, newBootstrap)
+	err = n.reload(ctx, nil, &newBootstrap)
 	if err != nil {
 		return JoiningBootstrap{}, fmt.Errorf("reloading child processes: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -913,45 +921,10 @@ func (n *network) GetConfig(context.Context) (daecommon.NetworkConfig, error) {
 func (n *network) SetConfig(
 	ctx context.Context, config daecommon.NetworkConfig,
 ) error {
-	newBootstrap, err := coalesceNetworkConfigAndBootstrap(
-		config, n.currBootstrap,
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("combining configuration into bootstrap: %w", err)
+	if err := n.reload(ctx, &config, nil); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("reloading config: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	n.l.Lock()
-	defer n.l.Unlock()
-
-	n.logger.Info(ctx, "Shutting down children")
-	n.children.Shutdown()
-
-	err = writeBootstrapToStateDir(n.stateDir.Path, newBootstrap)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("writing bootstrap to state dir: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	n.networkConfig = config
-	n.currBootstrap = newBootstrap
-
-	n.logger.Info(ctx, "Creating child processes")
-	n.children, err = children.New(
-		ctx,
-		n.logger.WithNamespace("children"),
-		n.envBinDirPath,
-		n.secretsStore,
-		n.networkConfig,
-		n.runtimeDir,
-		n.opts.GarageAdminToken,
-		n.currBootstrap,
-		n.opts.ChildrenOpts,
-	)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("creating child processes: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	n.logger.Info(ctx, "Child processes re-created")
-
 	if err := n.postInit(ctx); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("performing post-initialization: %w", err)
 	}