diff --git a/controllers/operator/nmstate_controller.go b/controllers/operator/nmstate_controller.go
index 390392c69..b11752ac6 100644
--- a/controllers/operator/nmstate_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/operator/nmstate_controller.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"slices"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -53,6 +54,12 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	nmstateOperatorFieldOwner = client.FieldOwner("nmstate-operator")
+
+	// The periodic resync interval.
+	// We will re-run the reconciliation logic, even if the NMState
+	// configuration hasn't changed. This ensures that externally
+	// modified resources (e.g. namespace annotations) are restored.
+	ResyncPeriod = 5 * time.Minute
 )
 
 // NMStateReconciler reconciles a NMState object
@@ -141,7 +148,7 @@ func (r *NMStateReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (ct
 	}
 
 	r.Log.Info("Reconcile complete.")
-	return ctrl.Result{}, nil
+	return ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}, nil
 }
 
 func (r *NMStateReconciler) SetupWithManager(mgr ctrl.Manager) error {
diff --git a/controllers/operator/nmstate_controller_test.go b/controllers/operator/nmstate_controller_test.go
index d3685a6b2..9f8346a06 100644
--- a/controllers/operator/nmstate_controller_test.go
+++ b/controllers/operator/nmstate_controller_test.go
@@ -218,10 +218,10 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 		BeforeEach(func() {
 			request.Name = existingNMStateName
 		})
-		It("should return a Result", func() {
+		It("should return a Result with RequeueAfter", func() {
 			result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 		})
 	})
 	Context("when one of manifest directory is empty", func() {
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 			request.Name = existingNMStateName
 			result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 		})
 		It("should not add default NodeSelector to handler daemonset", func() {
 			ds := &appsv1.DaemonSet{}
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 			request.Name = existingNMStateName
 			result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 		})
 		It("should add Tolerations to handler daemonset", func() {
 			ds := &appsv1.DaemonSet{}
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 			request.Name = existingNMStateName
 			result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 		})
 		It("should add InfraNodeSelector to webhook deployment", func() {
 			deployment := &appsv1.Deployment{}
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 			request.Name = existingNMStateName
 			result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 		})
 		It("should add InfraTolerations to webhook deployment", func() {
 			deployment := &appsv1.Deployment{}
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 			request.Name = existingNMStateName
 			result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 		})
 		It("should add DNS probe host to handler daemonset", func() {
 			ds := &appsv1.DaemonSet{}
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 			request.Name = existingNMStateName
 			result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 		})
 		It("should apply network policies", func() {
 			netpols := &networkingv1.NetworkPolicyList{}
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 				request.Name = existingNMStateName
 				result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-				Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+				Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 			})
 			It("should add verbose arguments to handler daemonset container args", func() {
 				ds := &appsv1.DaemonSet{}
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 				request.Name = existingNMStateName
 				result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-				Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+				Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 			})
 			It("should not add verbose arguments to handler daemonset container args", func() {
 				ds := &appsv1.DaemonSet{}
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 				request.Name = existingNMStateName
 				result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-				Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+				Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 			})
 			It("should not add verbose arguments to handler daemonset container args", func() {
 				ds := &appsv1.DaemonSet{}
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ var _ = Describe("NMState controller reconcile", func() {
 
 			result, err := reconciler.Reconcile(context.Background(), request)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{}))
+			Expect(result).To(Equal(ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: ResyncPeriod}))
 		})
 
 		Context("On single node cluster", func() {