diff --git a/awx/main/analytics/subsystem_metrics.py b/awx/main/analytics/subsystem_metrics.py
index 1b5e3d1cc4..b0fd81172b 100644
--- a/awx/main/analytics/subsystem_metrics.py
+++ b/awx/main/analytics/subsystem_metrics.py
@@ -166,7 +166,11 @@ class Metrics:
         elif settings.IS_TESTING():
             self.instance_name = "awx_testing"
         else:
-            self.instance_name = Instance.objects.me().hostname
+            try:
+                self.instance_name = Instance.objects.me().hostname
+            except Exception as e:
+                self.instance_name = settings.CLUSTER_HOST_ID
+                logger.info(f'Instance {self.instance_name} seems to be unregistered, error: {e}')
 
         # metric name, help_text
         METRICSLIST = [
diff --git a/awx/main/dispatch/reaper.py b/awx/main/dispatch/reaper.py
index a86664b80c..ba752f4fe6 100644
--- a/awx/main/dispatch/reaper.py
+++ b/awx/main/dispatch/reaper.py
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ def startup_reaping():
     If this particular instance is starting, then we know that any running jobs are invalid
     so we will reap those jobs as a special action here
     """
-    me = Instance.objects.me()
+    try:
+        me = Instance.objects.me()
+    except RuntimeError as e:
+        logger.warning(f'Local instance is not registered, not running startup reaper: {e}')
+        return
     jobs = UnifiedJob.objects.filter(status='running', controller_node=me.hostname)
     job_ids = []
     for j in jobs:
diff --git a/awx/main/management/commands/run_dispatcher.py b/awx/main/management/commands/run_dispatcher.py
index e4d17f2aed..2fc35a75d2 100644
--- a/awx/main/management/commands/run_dispatcher.py
+++ b/awx/main/management/commands/run_dispatcher.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from django.core.cache import cache as django_cache
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
 from django.db import connection as django_connection
 
-from awx.main.dispatch import get_local_queuename, reaper
+from awx.main.dispatch import get_local_queuename
 from awx.main.dispatch.control import Control
 from awx.main.dispatch.pool import AutoscalePool
 from awx.main.dispatch.worker import AWXConsumerPG, TaskWorker
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         # (like the node heartbeat)
         periodic.run_continuously()
 
-        reaper.startup_reaping()
         consumer = None
 
         try:
diff --git a/awx/main/tasks/system.py b/awx/main/tasks/system.py
index b828326339..2c8daa8310 100644
--- a/awx/main/tasks/system.py
+++ b/awx/main/tasks/system.py
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ def dispatch_startup():
     #
     apply_cluster_membership_policies()
     cluster_node_heartbeat()
+    reaper.startup_reaping()
     m = Metrics()
     m.reset_values()
 
@@ -504,7 +505,13 @@ def cluster_node_heartbeat():
             logger.warning('Rejoining the cluster as instance {}.'.format(this_inst.hostname))
             return
     else:
-        raise RuntimeError("Cluster Host Not Found: {}".format(settings.CLUSTER_HOST_ID))
+        if settings.AWX_AUTO_DEPROVISION_INSTANCES:
+            (changed, this_inst) = Instance.objects.register(ip_address=os.environ.get('MY_POD_IP'), node_type='control', uuid=settings.SYSTEM_UUID)
+            if changed:
+                logger.warning(f'Recreated instance record {this_inst.hostname} after unexpected removal')
+            this_inst.local_health_check()
+        else:
+            raise RuntimeError("Cluster Host Not Found: {}".format(settings.CLUSTER_HOST_ID))
     # IFF any node has a greater version than we do, then we'll shutdown services
     for other_inst in instance_list:
         if other_inst.node_type in ('execution', 'hop'):