diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 44ead62a..b8539089 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,17 +7,6 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
-## [0.6.1] - 2020-09-16
-
-### Changed
-
-- Delete the reconcile time metric for orphaned `PrometheusRule` in advance,
-  regardless of the cleanup error status.
-
-### Fixed
-
-- Use a single loop for controller worker.
-
 ## [0.6.0] - 2020-08-26
 
 ### Added
@@ -74,8 +63,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 - Initial release.
 
-[unreleased]: https://github.com/sapcc/absent-metrics-operator/compare/v0.6.1...HEAD
-[0.6.1]: https://github.com/sapcc/absent-metrics-operator/compare/v0.6.0...v0.6.1
+[unreleased]: https://github.com/sapcc/absent-metrics-operator/compare/v0.6.0...HEAD
 [0.6.0]: https://github.com/sapcc/absent-metrics-operator/compare/v0.5.2...v0.6.0
 [0.5.2]: https://github.com/sapcc/absent-metrics-operator/compare/v0.5.1...v0.5.2
 [0.5.1]: https://github.com/sapcc/absent-metrics-operator/compare/v0.5.0...v0.5.1
diff --git a/internal/controller/absent_prometheusrule.go b/internal/controller/absent_prometheusrule.go
index 82333e52..75d84612 100644
--- a/internal/controller/absent_prometheusrule.go
+++ b/internal/controller/absent_prometheusrule.go
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ OuterLoop:
 		// This RuleGroup should be carried over as is.
 		new = append(new, oldG)
 	}
-
 	// Add the pending RuleGroups.
 	for _, g := range absentAlertRuleGroups {
 		if !updated[g.Name] {
diff --git a/internal/controller/cleanup.go b/internal/controller/cleanup.go
index 0619425a..54ac268a 100644
--- a/internal/controller/cleanup.go
+++ b/internal/controller/cleanup.go
@@ -84,10 +84,10 @@ func (c *Controller) cleanUpOrphanedAbsentAlertsCluster() error {
 
 			aPR := &absentPrometheusRule{PrometheusRule: pr}
 			for n := range cleanup {
-				c.metrics.SuccessfulPrometheusRuleReconcileTime.DeleteLabelValues(namespace, n)
 				if err := c.cleanUpOrphanedAbsentAlerts(n, aPR); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
+				c.metrics.SuccessfulPrometheusRuleReconcileTime.DeleteLabelValues(namespace, n)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/controller/controller.go b/internal/controller/controller.go
index eb7c9ca9..ff97de53 100644
--- a/internal/controller/controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/controller.go
@@ -235,21 +235,27 @@ func (c *Controller) runWorker() {
 	defer reconcileT.Stop()
 	maintenanceT := time.NewTicker(maintenancePeriod)
 	defer maintenanceT.Stop()
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-reconcileT.C:
-			c.enqueueAllObjects()
-		case <-maintenanceT.C:
-			if err := c.cleanUpOrphanedAbsentAlertsCluster(); err != nil {
-				c.logger.ErrorWithBackoff("msg", "could not cleanup orphaned absent alerts from cluster",
-					"err", err)
-			}
-		default:
-			if ok := c.processNextWorkItem(); !ok {
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-done:
 				return
+			case <-reconcileT.C:
+				c.enqueueAllObjects()
+			case <-maintenanceT.C:
+				if err := c.cleanUpOrphanedAbsentAlertsCluster(); err != nil {
+					c.logger.ErrorWithBackoff("msg", "could not cleanup orphaned absent alerts from cluster",
+						"err", err)
+				}
 			}
 		}
+	}()
+
+	for c.processNextWorkItem() {
 	}
+
+	done <- struct{}{}
 }
 
 // processNextWorkItem will read a single work item off the workqueue and
@@ -309,8 +315,10 @@ func (c *Controller) syncHandler(key string) error {
 		// The resource may no longer exist, in which case we clean up any
 		// orphaned absent alerts.
 		c.logger.Debug("msg", "PrometheusRule no longer exists", "key", key)
-		c.metrics.SuccessfulPrometheusRuleReconcileTime.DeleteLabelValues(namespace, name)
 		err = c.cleanUpOrphanedAbsentAlertsNamespace(name, namespace)
+		if err == nil {
+			c.metrics.SuccessfulPrometheusRuleReconcileTime.DeleteLabelValues(namespace, name)
+		}
 	default:
 		// Requeue object for later processing.
 		return err